Wh- Question: Subject and Predicate oY; -| QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUBJECT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PREDICATE Wn. Woo Wn- Worp | Auxiiary Susject | VERB | Prepicate Previcate | Vers Susyect | Vers ‘Who saw | you? Who(m) | did you | see? ‘ANSWERS (STATEMENTS) ‘ANSWERS (STATEMENTS) Susject __| Vers | Prepicate Suoject | Vers PReDicaTe He saw | me \ saw him 1. Use wh- questions to ask for specific information, Wh- questions begin with question words such as who, what, where, when, why, which, whose, how, how many, how much, and how fong. = Who did you see at Al's Gil? = Why did you go there? = How many people saw you there? = How long did you stay there? 2. When you are asking about the subject (usually the first part of the sentence), use a wh- question word in place of the subject. The is th ina statement Someone saw you. = Who saw you? | 3. When you are asking about the predicate (usually the last part of the sentence), the question begins with a iwh- word, but the word corde js the same as in_a yes/no question > Be carerut! When you ask a wh- question about something in the predicate, you need either a. a form of the verb be. b. a form of an auxiliary ("helping") verb such as do, have, can, will, You saw someone. Did you see someone? aes = Who did you see? = Who is Harry Adams? = Why was he at Al's Grill? = Why does she want to testity? N07 Whee wants fo festihy? 4. Usace Note: In very formal English when asking about people in the predicate, whom is sometimes used instead of who. > Be carerut! If the main vetb is a form of be, you cannot use whom, Very Fora = Whom did you see? InFomneaL = Who did you see? = Who is the next witness? Not Whomvisthenextwitness?Tag Questions ay WITH BE AS THE MAIN VERB ‘AFFIRMATIVE ‘AFFIRMATIVE | NEGATIVE | | NEGATIVE Sraremene Tac SraTEMENT Tas You're fom LAY, | aren't you? | | You're not irom LA, | are you? “DA = Los Angeles WITH ALL AUXILIARY VERBS EXCEPT DO [arrimmavive [NecaTive | [NEGATIVE | AFFIRMATIVE WITH DO AS AN AUXILIARY VERB | sear | Tae Searworr | tae ____'arrimarive | wecaTivE] [NEGATIVE | AFFIRMATIVE [rearemoing [arent you? | [Youre not momma [we yeu? | some | Yas | seramerr | ae [es bontere, [hasnt he? | | He hasnt ben fers | Rar he? [Youve he | don't you? | | Yowdon't ie | do you? [They can move [can't they? | | They cant move [cam they? | They moved! | tnt they? || They dnt move | a they? 1, We often use tag questions to: a. check information we believe to be true oR b. comment on a situation 2, Tag questions have a statement and a tag. Forms of tag questions vary, but their meaning is always similar, The statement expresses an assumption. The tag means Right? 4. If the statement verb is affirmative, the tag verb is negative. b. Ifthe statement verb is negative, the tag verb is affirmative, 3. The tag always uses a form of be or an auxiliary vetb (be, have, do, or will, or a modal such as can, could, ot should). Usace Nore: Notice the tag for Lam. > Be cantrut! In the tag, only use pronouns, When the subject of the statement is this or that, the subject of the tag is it. 4, When you use a tag question to check information or to comment on a situation, your voice falls on the tag, You expect the listener to agree or just show that he or she is listening. Tag questions can also be used to get information. As with yes/no questions, your voice rises at the end, and you expect to get an answer (Yes or No). = Tom lives in LA., doesn’t he? (The speaker believes that Tom lives in LA. and wants to check this information.) 8 I’Sa nice day, isn’ (The speaker is commenting on the weather) w= You're not from LA., are you? You're Jack La Costa, aren't you? = You don't drive much, do you? affirmative negative = You work on Fridays, don’t you? negative affirmative = You don’t work on Fridays, do you? Is a nice day, isn't it? You've lived here a long time, haven't you? You come from New York, don’t you? You can drive, can’t you? I'm next, aren't I? = Tom works here, doesn’t he? Nor Tom works here, dees Torr? That's a good idea, isn’t it? Nor That's a good idea, dené-that? =. AA: It’s getting warmer, isn't 112 B: Yeah, Seems more like summer. —_- ‘A: You're not maving, are you? B: Yes. We're returning to LA. on No. We're staying here.T Additions with So, Too, e ‘Neither, and Not either WITH BE AS THE MAIN VERB ‘AFFIRMATIVE Starewent _ | Avorrion StaTeMeNT NEGATIVE, ‘Apomon ‘and 30 Is Sue Amy 12 in, | a oe is too. Amy Isn't very tall, ‘and neither is Su, and Sue isn't either. WITH ALL AUXILIARY VERBS EXCEPT DO ‘AFFIRMATIVE Starement | Avoimion _ ‘and s0 can Sue. Amy ca 54 | ang Sue ean too. Amy can't si, | NEGATIVE Sraremser | ADomow [and neither can Suc. and Sue can’t either. WITH VERBS USING DO AS AN AUXILIARY VERB ‘AFFIRMATIVE Srarement | ADomon ‘Statement NEGATIVE Avoirion ‘Amy likes | and so does Sve. dogs, | and Sue does too, | | 1 | J lke cats, ‘Amy doesn’t | and neither does Suc. and Sue doesn’t either. 1. Additions are phrases or short sentences that follow a statement. Use an addition to avoid repeating the information in the statement. 2. Use s0 or too if the addition follows an affirmative statement. Use neither or not elther if the addition follows a negative statement. > Be canerut! Notice the word order after so and neither. The verb comes before the subject. 3. Additions always use a form of be or an auiliary verb (be, have, do, will, or a modal verb such as can, could, should, would). a. If the statement uses a form of be, use a form of be in the addition too. bb. If the statement uses an auxiliary verb, use the same auxiliary verb in the addition. c. If the statement has a verb that uses do as an auxiliary verb, use the appropriate form of da in the addition. = Gerald isa firefighter, and so is Mark. (Gerald isa firefighter, and Mark isa firefighter.) Gerald is a firefighter, and so is Mark. Gerald is a firefighter, and Mark is too. Gerald didn’t get married. Neither did Mark. Gerald didn’t get married. Mark didn’t either. So Is Mark. Nor Se-Marlets Neither did Mark, No Neither Mark-did. I'm a twin, and so is my cousin. Gerald had quit his job, and so had Mark. can’t drive, and neither ean my twin. Gerald owns a dog, and so does Mark. Gerald bought a jeep, and so did Mark. 4. In conversation, you can use short responses with $0, too, neither, and not either to agree with another speaker. Usace Note: In informal speech, people say Me too and Me nelther to express similarity or agreement A: [have a twin sister. B: So do I. 0x | do too, A: I don’t have any brothers or sisters. B: Neither do |. on | don’t either. A: I'm left-handed. B: Me too. A: I've never heard of these twins. B: Me neither.Ability: Can, Could, Be able to STATEMENTS: CAN/COULD Base Form Supyect an/Couro*| oF VERB can (not) | do spreadsheets now. I/He/She/ItWe/You/They could (not) | use 2 computer last year *Can and could are modals. They do not have -s in the third person singular. YES/NO QUESTIONS: CAN/COULD| ‘SHORT ANSWERS Base Can/Couto | SuByect | Fors ArriRMaTive Necarive can she [do | them? she ean. | [she can’t Yes, No, could — they [use fone? they cout | [they couldn't ‘STATEMENTS: BE ABLE TO WH- QUESTIONS: CAN/COULD Supject Be | Aste To Bast Form | ‘Wh. Worn | Can/Coutp | Susject | Base Form 1 am | can she |do spreadsheets? || He/shertt [is | (not) able to | do | spreadsheets How well could |they [use ‘computer? || WeiYou/They | are | "YES/NO QUESTIONS: BE ABLE TO SHORT ANSWERS WH. QUESTIONS: BE ABLE TO Be | Sumect| Ante ro [Fons Avsmuusrvel|Necarwe || WH: Woro | Be | Susjecr | Aste ro | Base Form | ‘are | you Tam. | [ren not are | you ae re | abte to do | sprencsneet?| | ves, No, How well able to | do spreadsheets? [ie shes, | [shen [is [sme 1. Use can or be able to to talk about ability in m She can do computer graphics. the present. = She's able to do computer graphics. Usace Note: In everyday speech, can is more common than be able to in the present tense, 2. Use either could or was/were able to to talk m Sami could read when he was four. about abil no ific achievement) in = He was able to use a computer too. the past. > Be canefuL! Use only was/were able to to talk He was able to win the Math Prize last year. about a specific achievement or a single event in Nor He-cotsd-wir-the Math Prize the past. Use either could or was/were able to in = | couldn’t win the Math Prize last year. negative sentences about past ability. m= | wasn’t able to do one problem. 3. For forms and tenses other than the presentor —_™ Jen wants to be able to write programs. past, use be able to. (infinitive) = By june she will be able to complete her computer class. (future)tT | permission: ‘May, Can, Could, Doyoumind it. .? May/Can/Cou.o* | Susject QUESTIONS: MAY/CAN/COULD Base Form oF Vers May T Could I can | iewerhe/sheritithey start now? prs | SHORT ANSWERS Necanve ves |yurershelitey | "| wo, | oureseny may not, can't. *May, can, and could are modals. They do not have -s in the third person singular. STATEMENTS: MAY/CAN Supject May/Can_| Base Form may (not) UHe/Shesit/We/You/They | AMY ey | start Do you mino it | Susject | Vers QUESTIONS: DO YOU MIND IF... 7| Vweithey | start? Do you mind if, he/shesit | starts? ‘SHORT ANSWERS Asninmative | Necarive Not at all No, 1 don't, | Yes, | do. 1. Use may, could, and can to ask for permission. Usace Note: May is a little more formal than can and could. D> Be carerut! Requests for permission always refer to the present or the future. When you use & May | call you next Friday? = Could we use our aries 2 @ Can he come to class with me? = May | leave the room, Professor Lee? A: Could | take the test tomorrow? could to ask for permission, it is not past tense. 2. We often say please when we ask for permission. Note the possible word orders. 3. Use Do you mind if... ? to ask for permission when your action might bother someone. > Be caneFut! A negative answer to the question Do you mind if. .. ? gives permission to do something. It means, It’s OK. 1 don’t mind. A: B: 4. Use may or can in answers. Do not use could. > Be carerut! Do not contract may not. We often use polite expressions instead of modals to answer requests for permission m Could | ask a question, plea: B: Certainly. The test starts at 9:00 An. se? & Could | please ask a question? Do you mind if | clean up tomorrow? Yes, actually, | do mind. | hate to see a mess. Do you mind if | leave the room? Not at all. (You may leave the room.) A: Could | borrow this pencil? B: Yes, of course you can. Not Yes-yorrcoule @ No, you may not. Not Ne-yee-mayn’t: A: Could | close the window? B: Sure Certainly, Go ahead. No, please don't. It’s hot in here.Requests: Wil, Can, Would, Could, Would you mind... ? he ee QUESTIONS: WILL/CAN/WOULD/COULD Win/Can/ | | Base Form | | Wouto/Cou* | Susject | oF Vera jo will | | | od i you | mail | this for me? Could | {| | “These words are modals. They do not have -s in the third p SHORT ANSWERS | Qui AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE | a a Wo 1 will), jae (will). | iy sorry, but | can’t. | Certainly | (1 ean), SHORT ANSWERS AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE No, not at all. !'m sorry, but I can’t. I'd be glad to. ffm sorry but | ean 1, Use will, can, would, and could to ask someone to do something. We often use will and can for informal requests. We use would and could to make requests more polite. 2. We also use please with will, can, would, and could to make the request even more polite. Note the word order. 3. We also use Would you mind + gerund (without please) to make polite requests. Note that a negative answer means that you will do what the person requests 4, People usually expect us to say yes to polite requests. When we cannot say yes, we usually ize an 1 A: D> Be cartrut! Do not use would or could to answer polite requests. Wo erson singular, IESTIONS: WOULD YOU MIND... ? ULD YOU MIND uld you Sister: Will you answer the phone? Can you turn down the TV? Boss: Would you type this report? Could you make ten copies? = Could you please close the door? on m Could you close the door, please? Would you mind waiting for 2 few minutes? Mr. Caras is still at a meeting. Not at all. (OK. Ill do it.) A; Could you take this to Susan Lane's office for me? I'm sorry, I can’t. I'm expecting an important phone call B: A B: I'm cold. Would you shut the window, please? Certainly. Nor-¥es-Hweuld.Advice: ‘Should, Ought, Flag better ‘STATEMENTS: SHOULD/OUGHT TO/HAD BETTER ‘Snou.o/Ouenr 70/ | Bast Form Supject Hao serrer*™ OF VeRB should (not) | IHe/She/We/You/They | ought to look for a new job. had better (not) | *Should and ought to are modals. Had hetter ia similar to a modal ‘These forms da nat have -s in the third person singular, ‘Nore: For contractions of should not and had better, see Appendix 24 on page 346 YES/NO QUESTIONS: SHORT ANSWERS SHOULD Base san | sme | | —amuone | sec ' 2 ss, | 74 | shout to, | 9" | shoutdn’ WH. QUESTIONS: SHOULD Wa. Woro | Swou | Susject | Base Form i ' 2 were | should |, | took for a new job 1. Use should and ought to to say that something = Mario should find a new job. is advisable. = He ought to read the help wanted ads. Usace Note: We do not usually use the negative He shouldn’t quit school. of ought to in American English. We use Nor COMMON Heexghtnelio-quit shouldn't instead. 2, Use had better for urgent advice—when you You'd better leave now, or you'll be late. believe that something bad will happen if the person does not follow the advice. Usace Nore: We usually use the contraction form You'd better apply for more than one job. had better. Now Yotrhad- better apply — The negative of had better is had better not. = You'd better not be late. Nor You'd notbetterbetate: D> Be canerut! Had better always refers to the © We'd better take the bus now, ‘present or the future, never to the past (even —_m_You'd better call them back tomorrow. though it uses the word had). Use should for questions. We do not usually use Should | apply for that job? ought to or had better for questions. = When should | apply? 4, Itis usually considered impolite to give Friend: Should | shake hands with the advice to people of equal or higher status interviewer? (such as friends or bosses) unless they ask for it. You: Yes, you should. Boss: Where should | take our client to lunch? You: | think you should go to the Tuscan Grill, When we give unasked-for advice, we often m= Myra, maybe you ought to apply for this job soften it with maybe, perhaps, or | think. PRONUNCIATION NOTE ‘Ought to is often pronounced “oughta” in informal speech. Do not write oughta.‘Suggestions: ‘Could, Why don't... 2, Why not...?, Let's, How about |? COULD WHY DONT... ? (Maree) | Suet Cou" | Base Form Wor | Dow’r | Suower | Base Fone (Maybe) | iheishefweiyourthey | could | stay ina caste. |} why [See* | Wevourher | in acastler *Could is a modal. It does not have -s in the third person singular. doesn't | helshe HOW ABOUT . WHY NOT...? ers How asour | GeRuND/NouN ‘ tayi q Wuv nor | Base Form | Ler’s (Nor) | Base Form | How about |2t2¥99 ina castle? Why not | stay | there? | | tet’s (not) | stay | there. a castle? 1. Use Let's, (Maybe)... could, Why don't/ A: Let's take a trip this summer. doesn’t, Why not, and How about to make suggestions. > Be cAnerut! When someone uses Why not and Why don't/doesn’t to make a suggestion, these ‘expressions are not information questions. The speaker does not expect to receive information from the listener. x Let’s always includes the speaker. It means: Here’s a suggestion for you and me. Note the different forms to use with these expressions y 4. Notice the punctuation at the end of each kind of suggestion. : Maybe we could go to Germany. ‘A: Why don’t we ask Luke to go with us? B: Good idea. Why doesn’t Tom calll him tonight? ‘A: Why not calll him right now? B: How about staying at a youth hostel? A: How about Altena Castle? Succestion A: Why don’t you visit jill in Hong Kong? B: That's a good idea INFORMATION QUESTION ‘A: Why don't you eat meat? B: Because I'm a vegetarian. im Let’s go to Hong Kong. (J suggest that we go to Hong Kong.) Base For OF THE VeRs m Let's take the train. mt Maybe we could take the train. ws Why don’t we take the train? = Why not take the train? Geauno on Noun m= How about taking the train? = How about the train? ‘STATEMENTS m Let’s stay at a hostel. 1m Maybe we could stay at a hostel. Questions m= Why don’t we stay at a hostel? = Why not stay at a hostel? a How about staying at a hostel? a How about a hostel?1. Use prefer, would prefer, and would rather to talk about things that you like better than other things. Usace Nore: We often use prefer for a general preference and would prefer or would rather for a preference in a particular situation. Prefer and would prefer may be followed by a noun, a gerund, or an infinitive. Would rather can be followed by only the base form of the verb. Usace Nore: We often use I'd rather not, by itself, to refuse an offer, suggestion, or invitation. Be carerut! The negative of I'd rather is Vd rather not. 3. A comparison with to may follow prefer/would prefer + noun. A comparison with to may also follow. prefeclwould prefer + gerund. A comparison with than may follow uc ther + Mi vi ‘We usually prefer Italian food. I'd prefer to have Chinese food tonight. I'd rather cook at home. Which do you prefer—chicken or shrimp? Would you prefer chicken or shrimp tonight? = usually prefer the newspaper. il prefer reading magazines? ts He'd prefer to watch TV. Wd rather stay home tonight = Does Would you like to have some dessert? B: I'd rather not. I've had enough to eat = I'd rather not have dessert. Novi wouldn't ratheehave dessa = Lani prefers comedies to action movies. gerund gerund = I'd prefer visiting Lani to going to the party. base form base form rather watch football than play it. Preferences: Teter Wo reer wes hee — SHATEMENTS: PREFER WOULD PREFER eer foun) paeren | Noun, INFINITIVE Suny (Wou.n) {ie /Genno/ YES/NO QUESTIONS: PREFER/WOULD PREFER ner i =) _| pref | newspapers to magazines) Do/Wou | Suosect Preren | Noun/Genuno/InniNive ; ie, een, ‘reading newspapers (to reading books). || De yourthey spapers? er ‘would prefer | (not) to read newspaper. ewspapersi | WHersherwevourThey |g prefer apes Does he/she prefer — newspapers? tered newpaper? "You is both singular and plural Would " Pap SHORT ANSWERS — acre T ak 7% — STATEMENTS: WOULD RATHER Traitey [ae tier [aon peste Wweithey _} don't ‘Sunect ‘Wouro rarnee | Bast Form oF Vers > [e soes_| wo, | he soon semeesmey | oH rather [ed nogpe (nomen | Wwertheyihe/she | would. /we/they/he/she | wouldn't. = * | ‘d rather (not) read newspapers. YES/NO QUESTIONS: WOULD RATHER SHORT ANSWERS Wouto | Susject | RaTHer | Bast FoRM AFFIRMATIVE (NEGATIVE Would | she rather | read? Yes, she would. | No, she wouldn't. She'd rather not