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Question Forms: Indirect, Subject, Object, and Tags: correct answers

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Question Forms: Indirect, Subject, Object, and Tags

Forming questions in English can be tricky because it usually requires inverting the subject and auxiliary verb—but there are several important exceptions! For example, indirect questions return to standard affirmative word order ("Could you tell me where the museum is?"), while subject questions drop the auxiliary "do/does/did" entirely ("Who stole the pizza?").

This challenge tests your ability to navigate these nuanced interrogative rules. You will help tourists form polite indirect questions, assist a detective in distinguishing between subject and object questions ("Who stole the cheese?" vs. "Who did you see?"), and properly place prepositions at the end of informal questions. You'll also complete dramatic dialogues using tricky question tags (including the exception "aren't I?") and express disbelief using negative questions.

You'll work through 13 questions in an engaging mix of single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats.

Try the quiz to check your knowledge!

MediumB1 | IntermediateB1B2 | Upper IntermediateB2Auxiliary verbClauseImperative moodIndirect speechInversionModal verbNegationObjectPast tensePrepositionPronounQuestionsSubjectVerbSimple tenseWord order

Correct answers

Question 1

Help the dramatic detective review the facts with his prime suspect. Choose the correct question forms to complete the dialogue.

Detective: "Let's review your statement. You said Jimmy took the necklace. So, who stole the necklace? Jimmy did!"

Suspect: "Yes! And then I immediately phoned my mother!"

Detective: "Ah, but who did you call before that? The security guard!"

So, who stole the necklace?

When "who" is the subject of the sentence (the person doing the action), we do not use an auxiliary verb like "did". We just use the main verb in the past tense.

Ah, but who did you call before that?

When "who" is the object of the sentence (the person receiving the action), we use standard question word order with an auxiliary verb (Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + verb).

Question 2

You and your friends have just arrived at a sold-out concert, but someone forgot the tickets! Express your shock and disbelief. Select ALL the grammatically correct negative questions that apply.

The correct answers are Didn't you bring the tickets?, Did you not bring the tickets?, and Why didn't you bring the tickets?

Negative questions are great for expressing surprise!

When using a contraction, the negative particle attaches to the auxiliary verb before the subject ("Didn't you bring...?").

In formal or emphatic uncontracted speech, the not must go after the subject ("Did you not bring...?"). You cannot say "Did not you".

Finally, Wh- questions still require subject-auxiliary inversion ("Why didn't you...", not "Why you didn't...").

Question 3

Help the nosy roommate find out more about the giant, ticking box in the living room.

"That's a very suspicious-looking package! ________"

The correct answer is Who did you get it from?.

In modern, conversational English, when a "Wh-" question involves a preposition, we usually place the preposition at the very end of the sentence. We also need the auxiliary verb "did" to properly form this past tense object question.

Question 4

Your slightly dramatic roommate is leaving the apartment and shouting last-minute instructions. Select ALL the sentences with grammatically correct question tags that apply.

The correct answers are Pass me my sunglasses, will you?, Let's order pizza tonight, shall we?, and I am the best roommate ever, aren't I?

Question tags have a few fun exceptions!

  • For positive imperatives ("Pass me..."), we typically use will you? or would you?
  • For suggestions starting with "Let's", the tag is always shall we?
  • For the first-person singular "I am", the negative tag is the highly irregular aren't I? (not "amn't I").
  • For negative imperatives ("Don't forget..."), the tag should be will you?, not "do you?".

Question 5

Complete what the slightly insecure lead actor asks the director after a highly dramatic take.

"I'm bringing the perfect amount of emotional intensity to this scene, ________?"

The correct answer is aren't I.

Tag questions are usually formed by matching the auxiliary verb of the main sentence. However, "I am" has a special, irregular tag in negative form! Because "amn't I" is incredibly awkward to say, English speakers use "aren't I?" as the standard exception.

Question 6

Complete the roommates' passive-aggressive sticky notes on the fridge. Choose the correct question tag for each sentence.

"You didn't take out the garbage again, did you?"

"I am the only one who cleans the bathroom around here, aren't I?"

"Let's try to be better roommates this month, shall we?"

"You didn't take out the garbage again, did you?"

A negative statement ("didn't take") must be followed by a positive question tag.

"I am the only one who cleans the bathroom around here, aren't I?"

The standard, grammatically accepted negative tag for "I am" is the irregular form "aren't I?".

"Let's try to be better roommates this month, shall we?"

The standard question tag for sentences beginning with "Let's" (Let us) is always "shall we?".

Question 7

Complete the office manager's furious (but grammatically flawless) email about the breakroom incident.

"Alright, confess! ________ my leftover pepperoni pizza from the fridge?"

The correct answer is Who stole.

When the question word (like "Who" or "What") is the subject of the sentence, we do not use the auxiliary verbs "do," "does," or "did." We simply use the main verb in its correct tense, just like in an affirmative statement!

Question 8

Help the hungry tourist ask for directions to a legendary, slightly suspicious bakery. Select ALL the grammatically correct polite questions that apply.

The correct answers are Could you tell me where the legendary pie shop is? and I was wondering if you knew where the legendary pie shop is.

When forming indirect (embedded) questions, we use standard statement word order (Subject + Verb) rather than question word order.

"Do you know where is the legendary pie shop?" is incorrect because it uses the inverted question word order ("where is the shop") inside another question.

"Can you explain me..." is incorrect because the verb explain cannot be followed directly by an indirect object pronoun like me without the preposition to (e.g., "explain to me").

Question 9

Help the anxious supervillain double-check the details of his evil plan by selecting the correct question tags.
"The doom-laser is fully charged, _________________________? We haven't forgotten to feed the laser-sharks, _________________________? And nobody knows about the secret trapdoor, _________________________?"

The correct answers are isn't it, have we, and do they.

Question tags usually use the opposite polarity of the main sentence (Positive sentence $\rightarrow$ Negative tag; Negative sentence $\rightarrow$ Positive tag).

  • "The doom-laser is" $\rightarrow$ "isn't it?"
  • "We haven't forgotten" $\rightarrow$ "have we?"

The last one is tricky! "Nobody" is a negative word, so the sentence is negative, requiring a positive tag. Furthermore, indefinite pronouns like "nobody", "somebody", and "everyone" take the plural pronoun "they" in question tags, which means we must use "do" instead of "does".

Question 10

Help the confused tourist ask a polite question without sounding demanding.

"Excuse me, could you tell me ________?"

The correct answer is where the National Museum of Cheese is.

When we form an indirect question (starting with phrases like "Could you tell me..." or "Do you know..."), the word order changes back to normal statement order (Subject + Verb). We do not use the inverted question word order (Verb + Subject) in the second part of the sentence!

Question 11

Complete the hungry roommate's dramatic questions about the suddenly empty refrigerator.
"Wait, _________________________ to the grocery store yesterday like you promised? And why _________________________ cheese left in the crisper drawer?"

The correct answers are didn't you go and is there no.

Didn't you go is a negative question used to express surprise or confirm an expectation. The structure is Auxiliary (Did) + n't + Subject + Base Verb. "Didn't you went" is incorrect because after "did," the main verb must stay in the base form ("go," not "went"). "You didn't go" is a statement, not a question — questions need the auxiliary before the subject.

Why is there no is correct because "no" already makes the sentence negative. Using "isn't there no" would create an incorrect double negative.

Question 12

The detective is interrogating a suspect about the missing Gouda. Select ALL the questions that are grammatically correct and apply to the investigation.

The correct answers are Who stole the cheese?, Who did you see at the scene?, and What happened to the cheese?

When question words like Who or What are the subject of the sentence, we do not use auxiliary verbs like do/does/did (e.g., "Who stole the cheese?", "What happened?").

When the question word is the object, we must use an auxiliary verb (e.g., "Who did you see?"). "Who you saw" is missing this auxiliary verb. Finally, "happen" requires the preposition "to" when referring to the affected object.

Question 13

Help Detective Barnaby interrogate the bewildered bakery witness by selecting the correct question forms for his report.
"Alright, let's get the facts straight. First, tell me: who _________________________ the giant chocolate cake from the display window? And more importantly, who _________________________ running away from the scene with frosting on their face?"

The correct answers are stole and did you see.

When "who" is the subject of the question (the person doing the action, like stealing the cake), we do not use the auxiliary verb "did". We just use the past tense verb: Who stole the cake?

When "who" is the object of the question (the person receiving the action, like the person being seen), we must use the auxiliary verb "did" + the subject + the base verb: Who did you see?

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