Introduction
Understanding the structure of questions is crucial for success in the TOEIC Listening & Reading test. Questions help us gather information, clarify details, and confirm understanding in business contexts. Being able to recognize and construct questions efficiently will enhance your comprehension and communication skills.
Explanation
In English, questions are typically formed by inverting the subject and the auxiliary (helping) verb. For example:
Statement: "She is attending the meeting."
Question: "Is she attending the meeting?"
For questions without an auxiliary verb, use "do," "does," or "did" to form the question:
Statement: "They work here."
Question: "Do they work here?"
When forming questions with "who," "what," "where," "when," "why," and "how," place the question word at the beginning:
"What time does the meeting start?"
"Where is the conference being held?"
Common mistakes
Forgetting to invert the subject and auxiliary verb:
Incorrect: "She is attending the meeting?"
Correct: "Is she attending the meeting?"
Using the wrong auxiliary verb:
Incorrect: "Does she can attend the meeting?"
Correct: "Can she attend the meeting?"
Misplacing question words:
Incorrect: "The meeting starts what time?"
Correct: "What time does the meeting start?"
Tips for the TOEIC test
Pay attention to the auxiliary verbs in questions; they often indicate the tense or aspect.
Listen for question words in the Listening section; they can guide you to the correct answer.
Practice forming questions from statements to become more familiar with the structure.
Mini practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct auxiliary verb or question word:
1. ______ you attending the conference next week?
2. ______ does the report need to be submitted?
3. ______ they completed the project on time?
Answers:
1. Are
2. When
3. Did