Page 118 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

SECTION 8 questions and negatives

grammar summary

To make questions, we normally put an auxiliary verb [be, have, can etc) before the subject.
John has gone. —► Has John gone? She's leaving. —► When is she leaving?

To make negatives, we put not or n't after an auxiliary verb.
John is working. —John is not working. I could swim —► / couldn't swim.

If there is no other auxiliary verb, we use do.
I live in Manchester. —>■ Where do you live? He said 'Hello'. —► What did he say?
She likes cold weather. —► She doesn't like cold weather.
We do not use do when a question word is the subject.
What happened? (NOT What did happen?)

Who are you? I didn't do the housework

Who were you talking to I didn’t feed the goldfish,
when I came in just now I didn’t make the bed,
and you put down the phone? I didn’t study algebra.

Who were you thinking about I watched a film instead.
when I asked you
and asked you again I didn’t practise on the flute,

and you answered ‘Why, no one’? I didn’t write to Jean,
Who were you with last night I didn’t visit Aunty May.
when you came home late I read a magazine.
and said youd been walking alone?
I didn’t do the housework.

What was I hoping for I started. Then I quit,

that first day and wrote a poem just to say
when I knocked on your door? I love you. This is it.
What was I thinking about

when I first asked you out?
Who was I looking at
when I first sat looking at you?

Who are you?

QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES 103