In the classroom

7. Grammar - Questions (present progressive)


There are two kinds of questions:

1. yes-no questions:

You put am / is / are at the beginning of the sentence:
Man setzt am / is / are an den Anfang des Satzes:

statement: I am watching TV.
→ question: Am I watching TV?
 
statement: He is reading a book.
→ question: Is he reading a book?
 
statement: We are doing our homework.
→ question: Are we doing our homework?

You answer to a yes-no question with a short answer. There is NO verb + ~ing in a short answer!
Man beantwortet eine Ja / Nein-Frage mit einer Kurzantwort. Das Verb + ~ing wird in der Kurzantwort nicht wiederholt!

Yes, I am.
you / we / they are.
he / she / it is.

(no short forms possible!)


No, I'm not.
you / we / they are n't.
he / she / it is n't.

(short forms necessary!)


2. Wh-questions:

Put the question word (who / where / what / why / when) at the beginning of the question:
Setze das Fragewort an den Anfang der Frage:

statement: I am watching A VIDEO.
→ question: WHAT am I watching ?
 
statement:   He is reading a book IN THE KITCHEN.
→ question: WHERE is he reading a book?