What is an Interrogative Sentence?
An interrogative sentence is that sentence which asks a question. These sentences always end with a question mark (?). We expect some information from these sentences but we get it according to the form of a question. Sometimes we expect only yes / no answer or sometimes complete explanation. We use a sentence to get some information, that is, interrogative sentence.
We shall take some examples of interrogative sentences.
- What did he do yesterday?
- Do you agree with this?
- It is so beautiful, isn’t it?
- Which pen will you take, blue or red?
Types of Interrogative sentence
There are four types of interrogative sentences according to the answer we expect,
Those are –
- Wh-questions
- Rhetorical questions (yes/ no)
- Tag questions
- Alternative questions
♦ Wh- questions
In these questions, we use wh-words to ask a question. The response to this question is an explanation or an appropriate answer.
Examples
- Who is participating (present participle) in a singing competition?
- What do you do?
- Where are you going?
- Which subjects do you like the most?
- Where will you stay?
♦ Rhetorical questions
Rhetorical questions are those questions in which answers we get only yes or no. Every day we use these types of questions.
Examples
- Did you learn the answers to those questions?
- Have you done (past participle) your work given to you?
- Are you OK?
- Did you meet your boss today?
- Can you do me a favor?
In all the above questions we expect the response in yes or no.
♦ Question tags
The question tag type sentences are used to confirm the explanation we have. In this example, a statement is confirmed with a question tag.
Examples of question tag
- You need to improve yourself, don’t you?
- It’s raining, isn’t it?
- He is switching his job, isn’t he?
- She doesn’t work for that company, does she?
- They are not quarreling with each other, are they?
♦ Alternative interrogative
We ask these types of questions when we provide choice. There are two or more answers to these questions.
Examples of Alternative interrogatives
- Should I text or call?
- Would you like to have tea or coffee?
- Will you prefer to travel by car or train?
- Is she coming or going?
- Are you joining us or not?
You may also like the links given below. Those are types of sentences.