Grammar Time: Subject/Object Questions

Let’s revise types of questons and focus on Subject/Object Questions.

Exam in Mind Level A2/B1

Object Questions

Object questions are the questions you have always asked, the questions you know very well.

Wh- + auxiliary verb + subject + Verb (in correct form) …?

We use auxiliary (helping) verbs in object questions. Object questions use interrogative word order, so the subject and the auxiliary verb switch places.

• What are you doing right now?
• What did you have for breakfast today?
• When do you usually wake up?
• Why are you reading historical novels? 

These are all object questions, because the answer is the object of the sentence.

Subject Questions:  Wh- + verb + …?

The answer to subject question is the subject. We don’t use auxiliary verbs and we use the affirmative word order. Wh-word is the subject.

• Who called you yesterday?
• What happened to your favorite character in a book?
• Who are you going to meet tomorrow?

Task 1. Make a subject/object questions.

Example: The car is in the garage.
Object question: Where is the car?
Subject question: What is in the car?

1. Julie loves ice-cream.
2. The food was on the table.
3. The student is from Colombia.
4. David has lost his wallet.
5. Luke read the textbook.
6. The caterpillar became a butterfly.
7. The teacher is living in Istanbul.
8. William has visited Spain.
9. The teenagers enjoyed the party.
10. I heard a dog barking.
11. Sue and her husband phoned the police.
12. I solved the problem.
13. I will bring a bottle of wine tomorrow.
14. John can play basketball very well.
15. My mother cooked a roast beef last Sunday.
16. My boyfriend gave me this ring for my birthday.

Task 2. Order the following words so that you can make a subject/object questions.

1. yesterday What happened?
2. did to Who with go the you party?
3. they last broadcast on did TV night What?
4. spiders know What you do about?
5. computers you many How have got?
6. discovered Who America?
7. Who to? is married Jamie
8. to the forgot Who lock door?
9. invite Marcus did Who his to party?
10. Rachel? an with Who office shares
11. the out? Who cat let
12. did Who on you speak the phone? to

Task 3. Choose the correct subject/object questions using the following prompts. You should ask a question about the word in bold:

1.I bought a newspaper this morning.

a. What bought you this morning?
b. What did you buy this morning?
c. What you did buy this morning?

2. Something odd happened during the storm last night.

a. What happened during the storm last night?
b. What did happen during the storm last night?

3. One of the students didn’t do the final exam.

a. Who didn’t the final exam do?
b. Who didn’t do the final exam?

4. I wrote a romantic letter to one of the teachers.

a. Who did you write a romantic letter to?
b. Who wrote you a romantic letter?

5. Something disturbed me when I was working.

a. What did you disturb when you were working?
b. What disturbed you when you were working?
c. What did disturb you when you were working?

6. I dreamt about a strange animal last night.

a. What did you dream about last night?
b. What dreamed about you last night?

7. Somebody rang me at 3 am last week!

a. Who did you ring at 3 am last week?
b. Who you rang at 3 am last week?
c. Who rang you at 3 am last week?

8. Someone gave me a watch for my birthday.

a. Who gave you a watch for your birthday?
b. Who did give you a watch for your birthday?

What did they paint? Who painted funny cats?

Task 4. Ask subject/object questions about the words in bold.

Example: Joe has broken his arm. – Who has broken his arm?

1. I thought her name was Sarah.
2. Sarah was her name.
3. I bought a new shirt this morning.
4. I bought a new shirt this morning.
5. Tony phoned me at 2 a.m. last night.
6. Tony phoned me at 2 a.m. last night.
7. Tom sold his house ten years ago.
8. Tom sold his house ten years ago.
9. Tom sold his house ten years ago.
10. Something happened during the night.
11. Julie got married last year.
12. Julie got married last year.

Task 5. Write one word in each gap to make a question.

Example: What time does it take you to get ready?

1. Did _____ rain here yesterday?
2. Who _____ you speak to this morning?
3. When _____ the town founded?
4. _____ does this book belong to?
5. What _____ this word mean?
6. What _____ are your friends coming?
7. Who _____ you want to speak to?
8. Who _____ that man at the bar?
9. _____ did I park the car?
10. How _____ is it to the town centre?
11. How _____ time do you spend watching TV?
12. What _____ of car have you got?

Task 6. Make questions with a question word.

Example: WHO is that woman over there?

1. ________ is your favourite colour? It’s blue.
2. ________ is going to the party with you? My sister is.
3. ________ are you here? Because I have an English class now.
4. ________ is your mother now? She’s at her office.
5. ________ gave you this wonderful blouse? My mom did.
6. ________ are you going to leave? At 5.
7. ________ does that smartphone cost? $300.