The framing of an interrogative sentence, or question, typically involves a specific word order where the predicate and primary verb precede the subject.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
- Typical Word Order: Interrogative sentences often invert the standard subject-verb order found in declarative sentences.
- Primary Verb Placement: The primary verb (e.g., is, are, was, were, do, does, did, have, has, had) usually comes before the subject.
- Use of Interrogative Words: Many questions begin with interrogative words (who, what, where, when, why, how) which further define the information being sought. These words typically come at the very beginning of the sentence.
Examples:
| Sentence Type | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Declarative | The student is here. | Standard subject-verb order. |
| Interrogative (Yes/No) | Is the student here? | The primary verb "is" comes before the subject "the student". |
| Interrogative (Wh-) | Who is the student? | Interrogative word "who" comes first, followed by the verb "is," then a noun that acts as the subject (the student, implied). |
| Interrogative (Wh-) | Why is the student late? | Interrogative word "why" comes first, followed by the verb "is," then the subject "the student," then "late". |
In essence, the framing of an interrogative sentence is characterized by its inverted word order (verb before subject) and often the presence of an interrogative word to signal that a question is being asked.
