Interrogative Sentence

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.

Assertive sentence
Imperative sentence
Exclamatory Sentence