Interrogative sentences

Interrogative sentences contain questions. Their communicative function consists in asking for information. They belong to the sphere of conversation and only occasionally occur in monological speech.

All varieties of questions may be structurally reduced to two main types, general questions (also called “yes-no” questions) and pronominal questions (otherwise called “special” or “wh” - questions).

General questions. In general questions the speaker is interested to know whether some event or phenomenon asked about exists or does not exist; accordingly the answer may be positive or negative, thus containing or implying “yes” or “no”.

Tag questions. A tag question is a short “yes-no” question added to a statement. It consists only of an operator prompted by the predicate verb of the statement and a pronoun prompted by the subject. Generally the tag has a rising tone.

You know French, don’t you? - Yes, a bit.

Alternative questions.An alternative question implies a choice between two or more alternative answers. Like a “yes-no” question, it opens with an operator, but the suggestion of choice expressed by the disjunctive conjunction or makes the “yes-no” answer impossible. Will you go to the opera or to the concert to-night?

Suggestive questions (навідні запитання). Suggestive questions, also called declarative questions, form a peculiar kind of "yes-no" questions. They keep the word order of statements but serve as questions owing to the rising tone in speaking and a question mark in writing, as in:You really want to go now, tonight? - Yes, nothing could make me stay.

Pronominal questions

Pronominal questions open with an interrogative pronoun or a pronominal adverb, the function of which is to get more detailed and exact information about some event or phenomenon known to the speaker and listener.

Rhetorical questions

Both general and pronominal questions may serve as rhetorical questions. A rhetorical question contains a statement disguised as a question. Usually it is a positive question hiding a negative statement. No answer is expected.

28. The General and pronominal interrogative sentences formation.!!!!

General questions. In general questions the speaker is interested to know whether some event or phenomenon asked about exists or does not exist; accordingly the answer may be positive or negative, thus containing or implying “yes” or “no”.

A general question opens with a verb operator, that is, an auxiliary, modal, or link verb followed by the subject. Such questions are characterized by the rising tone. Does your sister go figure-skating?Is that girl a friend of yours? Can you speak French?

“Yes-no” questions may be incomplete and reduced to two words only: Can you? Does he?

A negative "yes-no" question usually adds some emotional colouring of surprise or disappointment. Haven’t you posted the letter yet? (Why?) General questions opening with will/would may be considered as commands and requests according to their communicative role.

Pronominal questions

Pronominal questions open with an interrogative pronoun or a pronominal adverb, the function of which is to get more detailed and exact information about some event or phenomenon known to the speaker and listener.

The interrogative pronouns and adverbs which function as question words are as follows: what, which, who, whom, whose, where, when, why, how and the archaic whence (= where from), whither (= where, where to), wherefore (= what for, why).

Adverbial phrases such as how long, how often may also function as question words.

As can be seen from the above examples, word order in a pronominal question is characterized by inversion of the operator and the subject. Inversion does not take place when the question word is the subject or an attribute to the subject (see examples 1, 2, 3).

Порядок слів у займенниковим питання характеризується перестановкою Питального слова і підмета.

A question word may be preceded by a preposition. Питальному слові може передувати прийменник. On what resolution do you insist? In colloquial English it is preferable to shift the preposition to the end of the question. What are you laughing at?

Pronominal questions are often used as short responses. They usually consist of (a) a question word or (b) a question word followed by a preposition. a) I think I can help you. - How? b) I want to talk with you. - What about?

Question words preceded by prepositions are usually employed as echo questions. No information is missing in the previous remark, the whole idea is questioned. They express surprise, incredulity and sometimes incomprehension.

Let’s talk about life on Saturn. - About what? I opened the door with a pin. - With what? You are a shameless liar, - I am a what?

Rhetorical questions. Both general and pronominal questions may serve as rhetorical questions. A rhetorical question contains a statement disguised as a question. Usually it is a positive question hiding a negative statement. No answer is expected.

Can any one say what truth is? (No one can say what it is.) Do we always act as we ought to? (We do not always act as we ought to.)

What else could I do? (I could do nothing.) Who would have thought to meet you here? (Nobody would.)