Grammar

Macro Grammar: Questions

http:// www3. aichi-gakuin. ac.jp / ~jeffreyb / SVO / ques.html
[ Japanese version ]

        Some questions are very general, so general that even the verb is part of the unknown information--the infomation that is being requested. As a first step let's put "something" OR "someone" in the positions of missing noun information with the question word tagged to the end.

Verb and Subject: Wh /sv

This is the most general type of question. Everything--s v (o +alpha)--is unknown. Because the subject is part of the unknown information, the question is formed like other subject questions--questions in which the verb is already known--when the person asking the question only wants to know what the subject is.

Subject: Wh /s + V + O

        Subject questions are very easy. You simply replace the unknown subject with the question word (or phrase). It's ALREADY at the front and the form of the verb does NOT change. You're finished.

Object: Wh /o + S + V

        The formation of object questions is more complicated. It requires you to (a) insert the question word into the object postion, (b) move the ENTIRE object phrase to the front of the sentence, and (c) move the modal (=助動詞, like 進行形の be 動詞 or 完了形の have 動詞) to the other side of the subject. If there is no modal, use the modal "do". Past tense (過去形) is transferred to the modal, leaving the verb in its dictionary form (原型).

Verb and Object: Wh /vo

Complement: wh /c + S + V

        Complement questions, unless the verb is that special (copula) verb "to be", are treated just like object questions

Complement: Wh /c + S + V(be)

        The (copula) verb "to be", like a modal, is moved to the other side of the subject.

Plus alpha: Wh /+a + S + V + O

        Plus alpha questions require you to insert a question word into the plus alpha postion and move the entire object phrase to the front of the sentence. In speech the prepostion usually remains in the plus alpha position. In addtion you have to move the modal in front of the subject. Use "do" if there is no modal. The tense is attached to the modal, not the verb.


Last updated June 2008
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