Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
Les questions sont utilisées pour demander des informations, une confirmation, une permission ou de l'aide.
Les questions anglaises utilisent souvent un auxiliaire avant le sujet.
Les mots interrogatifs courants incluent :
- who
- what
- where
- when
- why
- which
- how
Exemples :
- Do you work here?
- Is she at home?
- Where do they live?
- Why are you tired?
Quand utiliser
Utilisez les questions fermées lorsque la réponse peut être oui ou non.
- Do you like coffee?
- Is he ready?
- Can they come?
Utilisez les questions avec mot interrogatif lorsque vous avez besoin d'informations spécifiques.
- What do you want?
- Where does she work?
- When are they leaving?
- Why did he call?
- How can I help?
Utilisez les questions pour demander :
- les personnes : Who is that?
- les choses : What is this?
- les lieux : Where do you live?
- le temps : When does the meeting start?
- les raisons : Why are you late?
- les choix : Which colour do you prefer?
- les méthodes ou conditions : How do you make this?
Structure
Questions avec to be
Utilisez :
am/is/are + sujet + complément ?
| Affirmation | Question |
|---|---|
| She is tired. | Is she tired? |
| They are ready. | Are they ready? |
| I am late. | Am I late? |
Pour les questions au passé, utilisez was ou were.
- Was he at work?
- Were they busy?
Questions avec d'autres verbes
Utilisez do ou does au présent simple.
do/does + sujet + verbe de base ?
| Sujet | Auxiliaire | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | do | Do they live here? |
| he / she / it | does | Does she work here? |
Utilisez did au passé simple.
did + sujet + verbe de base ?
- Did you call her?
- Did he finish the task?
Questions avec les verbes modaux
Placez le verbe modal avant le sujet.
verbe modal + sujet + verbe de base ?
- Can you swim?
- Could she help us?
- Should we leave?
- Will they come?
Questions avec mot interrogatif
Placez le mot interrogatif avant l'auxiliaire.
mot interrogatif + auxiliaire + sujet + verbe principal ?
- Where do you work?
- What does she need?
- Why did they leave?
- When will he arrive?
Avec to be, utilisez :
mot interrogatif + am/is/are/was/were + sujet ?
- Where is she?
- Why are they angry?
- When was the meeting?
Questions sur le sujet
Lorsque who ou what est le sujet, n'utilisez pas do, does ou did.
- Who called you?
- What happened?
- Who lives here?
Comparez :
- Who called Anna? — demande qui a appelé
- Who did Anna call? — demande qui Anna a appelé
Exemples
- Do you speak English?
- Does your brother live nearby?
- Did they arrive on time?
- Is she at work today?
- Were you tired yesterday?
- Can you help me?
- Where do your parents live?
- Why did he leave early?
- What are you doing?
- Who opened the window?
Exceptions
N'utilisez pas do, does ou did avec to be.
- Correct : Is she ready?
- Incorrect : Does she be ready?
N'utilisez pas do, does ou did avec les verbes modaux.
- Correct : Can he drive?
- Incorrect : Does he can drive?
Lorsqu'un mot interrogatif est le sujet, l'ordre normal sujet-mot interrogatif est utilisé.
- Who knows the answer?
- What caused the problem?
Certaines questions peuvent avoir une forme de phrase affirmative dans le langage informel lorsque le locuteur est surpris ou vérifie des informations.
- You finished already?
- She lives here?
Ces formes sont courantes dans la conversation mais moins appropriées à l'écrit formel.
Erreurs courantes
-
Incorrect : You like coffee? Correct : Do you like coffee? Explication : Utilisez do pour former une question au présent simple.
-
Incorrect : Does she works here? Correct : Does she work here? Explication : Utilisez le verbe de base après does.
-
Incorrect : Did he went home? Correct : Did he go home? Explication : Utilisez le verbe de base après did.
-
Incorrect : Do they are ready? Correct : Are they ready? Explication : N'utilisez pas do avec le verbe to be.
-
Incorrect : Where she lives? Correct : Where does she live? Explication : Placez does avant le sujet dans une question au présent simple.
-
Incorrect : Why you are late? Correct : Why are you late? Explication : Placez are avant le sujet.
-
Incorrect : Does he can swim? Correct : Can he swim? Explication : Placez le verbe modal avant le sujet sans does.
-
Incorrect : Who did call you? Correct : Who called you? Explication : N'utilisez pas did lorsque who est le sujet.