How to Write an Interrogative Sentence

An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a question. Interrogative sentences can be direct or indirect, begin with or without pronouns, and feature yes/no interrogatives, alternative questions, or tag questions. Interrogative sentences often start with interrogative pronouns and end with a question mark. Interrogative pronouns, typically “wh” words, include “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” “which,” “whose,” and “whom.”

Interrogative sentences typically feature a word order with the predicate and primary verb before the subject. For example, in the sentence “Who was the last speaker?” the pronoun “who” is the interrogative pronoun or question word, “was” is the primary verb, and “the last speaker” is the subject.

You can also use auxiliary verbs in interrogative sentences, such as “Did she mean to sound so angry?” Here, “did” is an auxiliary verb (or helping verb), transforming the sentence “she meant to sound so angry” into a question.

There are various types of interrogative sentences. Interrogative sentences can ask direct or indirect questions, feature yes or no queries, and even rhetorical questions. Consider the following question types:

1. 1. “Which sweater goes best with these pants?” This is an example of a direct question, a common form of an interrogative sentence.
2. 2. “Would you be available to drive me?” This is an indirect question, as it is less direct than “Will you drive me?” It also uses the modal verb “would.” (Other modal verbs, which express possibility or modality, are “can,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “shall,” “might,” “may,” and “must.”)
3. 3. “Are you more interested in dinosaurs or sharks?” This is an example of an alternative interrogative, also known as choice question since it offers the person being addressed a choice between two or more items. This sentence is using the auxiliary verb “are.”
4. 4. “Do you remember all of your dreams?” This is a yes-no question, as it can be answered either in the affirmative or the negative.
5. 5. “We’re going too fast, aren’t we?” This interrogative sentence uses a tag question at the end, separated by a comma, allowing the inquirer to seek confirmation of something they think might be the case.
6. 6. “Can you believe he said that?” This type of interrogative is a rhetorical question, wherein no direct answer to the question is being sought. It is emphasizing an idea, in this case, disbelief.

Sentences can express statements, questions, commands, or exclamations.

1. 1. Imperative sentence: An imperative sentence addresses an implied second person with a request, command, instruction, or invitation.
2. 2. Declarative sentence: A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a statement, provides a fact, offers an explanation, or conveys information.
3. 3. Interrogative sentence: This type of sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark.
4. 4. Exclamatory sentence: This sentence expresses excitement or emotion, contains a subject, and ends with an exclamation point.

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