THE PAST SIMPLE IN YES/NO QUESTIONS

To ask yes / no questions in simple past we used the auxiliary

verb did to
All people followed the subject and the root of the verb.
Did + sujeto + raiz del verbo + complementos?
Estas preguntas pueden contestarse con una respuesta
breve o larga.
- Did you do your homework?
- Yes, I did / No, I didnt
- Yes, I did my homework / No I didnt do my homework

THE PAST SIMPLE IN WH-QUESTIONS

To ask questions in the simple past with interrogative particles
that do not function as
Subject begins the sentence with the corresponding
interrogative particle, followed by the
Auxiliary did, of the subject and the root of the verb.
Wh-word + did + sujeto + raiz del verbo + complementos?
- What did they see at the zoo? They saw
penguins.
- When did he leave the party? He left the
party at 11 oclock.

THE PAST SIMPLE IN WH- SUBJECT QUESTIONS

Questions about the subject are formed using the who or what
questions instead
Of the subject. The interrogative particle is followed by the
verb in simple past and the rest of the sentence.
Who/what + verbo en pasado + complementos?
- What fell on the floor? The book fell on the
floor.
- Who phoned yesterday? Gina phoned
yesterday.

Wh-Questions in the Past

Simple
Wh- questions are questions that require more information
in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when,
why, who, how, how many, how much.
To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add
did (or didnt for a negative question), then the subject (a
person or thing that does the action), followed by the base
form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh
wor
d

auxili
ary
verb

Wh
at

did

Wh
y

didnt

subj
ect

I/
you /
we /
they
he /
she /
it

verb
in
bas
e
for
m

rest
of
sente
nce

sell

the
house

resc
ue

me

1.

When did you buy that sweater?

2.

Why did the computer break down?

3.

How long did the train journey take?

4.

Why didnt you tell me about the accident?

Wh questions

Podemos formular "wh questions" de una

manera simple siguiendo las siguientes
formulas:
"Wh word" + el verbo "to be" +
pronombre:
What is this? = Qu es esto?
Where is he/she? = Dnde est
l/ella?
When is it? = Cundo es eso?
What are they? = Qu son ellos?
"Wh word" + el verbo "to be" + artculo
demostrativo:
What is that? = Qu es eso?
Where is this? = Dnde queda esto?
When is this? = Cundo es esto?
Where are we? = Dnde estamos?
De igual manera, podemos componer la
respuesta a estas preguntas siguiendo las
siguientes formulas:

Ejemplos:

What is it? = This is a tablet.

Where is he/she? = He is at school.
When is it? = It is in December.
What are they? = They are students.

Ejemplos:

What is that? = That is a car.

Where is this? = This is in the City
Center.
When is this? = This is next Friday.
Where are we? = We are at the park.
Por lo general las "wh questions" se usan
para hacer preguntas rpidas cuando
queremos obtener informacin de alguien o
algn lugar. Pero tambin podemos usar
las "wh words" para hacer preguntas ms
elaboradas. Por ejemplo:
What is the account number? =
Cul es el nmero de la cuenta?
What are the items listed? =
Cules son los tems listados?

What was the amount last month? =

Cul fue la cifra el mes pasado?
When is this payment due? =
Cundo se vence este pago?
When are they paying? =
Cundo van a pagar?
When was your bill due? =
Cundo se venci tu recibo?
Where is this place? = Dnde queda
este sitio?
Where are the envelopes? =
Dnde estn los sobres?
Where was the calculator? =
Dnde estaba la calculadora?

Adems de When, Where y What,

existe otra Wh question, Who.