How to form questions in English (easily!) with QUASM

Espresso English

14 Dec 202308:32

Summary

TLDRIn this educational video, the host introduces a methodical approach to forming questions in English using the 'QUASM' acronym, which stands for Question word, Auxiliary verb, Subject, Main verb. The lesson covers various verb tenses, including simple present, simple past, present continuous, past continuous, present perfect, and future tenses. The host explains the use of auxiliary verbs like 'do', 'did', 'are', 'were', 'have', 'has', 'will', and modal verbs in question formation. Additionally, the video addresses exceptions to the 'QUASM' rule, such as yes/no questions and questions with the main verb 'be'. To reinforce learning, a free PDF guide and quiz are offered for download, and viewers are invited to join the host's Advanced English Grammar course for further study.

Takeaways

📚 The video teaches a method for forming questions in English with correct grammar.
🔑 The acronym 'QUASM' is introduced to remember the question formation formula: Question word, Auxiliary verb, Subject, Main verb.
⏰ The formula is applied to various verb tenses, starting with the simple present tense.
🗣️ In the simple present, 'do' or 'does' is used as the auxiliary verb, and the main verb is in its base form.
🕒 The simple past tense uses 'did' as the auxiliary verb, and the main verb is also in its base form.
🔄 The present continuous and past continuous tenses use 'are/is/am' and 'were/was' as auxiliary verbs, with the main verb in 'ing' form.
💰 The present perfect uses 'have/has' as the auxiliary verb, with the main verb in the past participle form.
🔮 Future tenses use 'will' or 'going to' as auxiliary verbs, with the main verb in the base form or 'going to' followed by the base form.
🚫 There are exceptions to the QUASM pattern, such as yes/no questions and questions where the main verb is 'be'.
📝 The video offers a free PDF guide and quiz for practice, as well as links to lessons on special cases not following the QUASM pattern.

Q & A

What is the acronym used to form questions in English, according to the video?
-The acronym is 'QUASM,' which stands for Question word, Auxiliary verb, Subject, and Main verb.
How do you form a question in the simple present tense using QUASM?
-In the simple present tense, you use 'do' or 'does' as the auxiliary verb, depending on the subject. For example, 'What does Martha think about the project?' follows the QUASM pattern.
What is the auxiliary verb used in the simple past tense when forming a question?
-The auxiliary verb used in the simple past tense is always 'did,' regardless of the subject.
How do you form a question in the present continuous tense using QUASM?
-In the present continuous tense, the auxiliary verbs are 'am,' 'is,' or 'are,' depending on the subject, and the main verb is in the -ing form. For example, 'What are you doing?'
What is the difference in forming questions in the present perfect simple and present perfect continuous tenses?
-In the present perfect simple, the auxiliary verb is 'have' or 'has,' and the main verb is in the past participle form. In the present perfect continuous, the auxiliary verb is 'have been' or 'has been,' and the main verb is in the -ing form.
Can you explain how to form questions in the future tense using QUASM?
-To form questions in the future tense, you can use 'will' as the auxiliary verb (e.g., 'Who will you invite?'), or use 'going to' with 'am,' 'is,' or 'are' as the auxiliary verb (e.g., 'When are you going to clean your room?').
How do modal verbs like 'should,' 'could,' or 'would' fit into the QUASM pattern?
-Modal verbs such as 'should,' 'could,' or 'would' act as the auxiliary verb in the QUASM pattern. For example, 'What would you do if you had a million dollars?'
What type of questions do not use a question word but still follow the QUASM pattern?
-Yes/no questions do not use a question word but still follow the auxiliary verb, subject, main verb pattern. For example, 'Do you like bananas?' or 'Will you call me when you get home?'
Are there any exceptions to the QUASM pattern in question formation?
-Yes, questions using the verb 'to be' (e.g., 'Are you thirsty?') and indirect questions or reported questions do not follow the QUASM pattern.
What resources are available at the end of the video for additional practice?
-The video offers a free downloadable PDF guide with a quiz to practice forming questions, as well as links to other lessons and courses on complex grammar topics.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Mastering English Question Formation

This paragraph introduces a method for forming questions in English with correct grammar across various verb tenses. The acronym 'QUASM' is introduced to remember the formula: Question word, Auxiliary verb (also known as the Helping Verb), Subject, Main verb. The paragraph explains how this formula applies to the simple present, simple past, present continuous, past continuous, present perfect, and future tenses. It also provides examples for each tense, illustrating the correct formation of questions. Additionally, a free lesson guide with a quiz and audio is offered for download to help practice this skill.

05:00

🔮 Future Tenses and Modal Questions in English

The second paragraph delves into the application of the 'QUASM' formula for future tenses and modal questions. It explains the use of 'will' and 'going to' as auxiliary verbs in future tense questions, with the main verb in its base form for 'will' and 'going to' followed by the verb for the 'going to' form. The paragraph also addresses modal verbs like 'would,' 'should,' and 'could' in questions, where the main verb remains in the base form. Exceptions to the 'QUASM' pattern are mentioned, such as yes/no questions, questions with the main verb 'be,' and reported, indirect, and subject questions. Links to lessons on these special cases are promised. The paragraph concludes with an invitation to join an Advanced English Grammar course for further learning.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Question Formation

Question formation refers to the process of constructing a question in English. In the video, the presenter teaches a method for forming questions in various verb tenses using the acronym 'QUASM', which stands for Question word, Auxiliary verb, Subject, Main verb. This method is central to the video's theme, as it aims to help learners master the art of asking questions in English.

💡Acronym QUASM

QUASM is an acronym introduced in the video to help remember the formula for forming questions in English. It stands for Question word, Auxiliary verb, Subject, Main verb. The video uses QUASM as a mnemonic device to simplify the process of question formation across different verb tenses, making it easier for learners to grasp and apply.

💡Auxiliary Verb

An auxiliary verb, also known as a helping verb, is a type of verb used to form compound tenses, voice, and questions. In the context of the video, auxiliary verbs like 'do', 'did', 'are', 'is', 'have', and 'has' are used in conjunction with the subject to form questions according to the QUASM formula. They are crucial for constructing questions in various tenses.

💡Simple Present

The simple present is one of the verb tenses discussed in the video. It is used to form questions with the auxiliary verb 'do' or 'does', depending on the subject. The video provides examples like 'Do you like your new apartment?' to illustrate how the simple present tense is used in question formation.

💡Simple Past

The simple past tense is another verb tense featured in the video. Questions in this tense are formed using the auxiliary verb 'did', followed by the subject and the main verb in its base form. The video uses examples such as 'Did you get home from work?' to demonstrate the application of the QUASM formula in the simple past tense.

💡Present Continuous

The present continuous tense is used to describe ongoing actions at the moment of speaking. In the video, questions in the present continuous are formed with the auxiliary verb 'am', 'is', or 'are', followed by the subject and the main verb in the -ing form. Examples like 'Are you doing your homework?' are given to show how this tense is used in questioning.

💡Past Continuous

The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. The video explains that questions in this tense are formed with 'was' or 'were' as the auxiliary verb, followed by the subject and the main verb in the -ing form. An example from the video is 'Were you talking to your friend?'

💡Present Perfect

The present perfect tense is used to describe actions that occurred at an unspecified time before now or actions that started in the past and continue to the present. In the video, questions in the present perfect are formed with 'have' or 'has' as the auxiliary verb, followed by the subject and the main verb in its past participle form. The video provides examples like 'Have you finished your homework?'

💡Future Tenses

Future tenses are used to talk about actions that will happen later. The video explains two ways of forming future tense questions: using 'will' with the main verb in its base form, or 'going to' with the main verb in the form of 'to' plus the base verb. Examples such as 'Will you go to the party?' and 'Are you going to the party?' illustrate the application of the QUASM formula in future tenses.

💡Modal Verbs

Modal verbs express possibility, ability, permission, or obligation. In the video, questions using modal verbs like 'would', 'could', or 'should' are formed with the modal verb as the auxiliary, followed by the subject and the main verb in its base form. The video provides examples like 'What would you do if you had a million dollars?' to demonstrate the use of modal verbs in question formation.

💡Exceptions

Exceptions refer to cases where the standard rules of question formation do not apply. The video mentions that yes/no questions, questions with the main verb 'be', reported questions, indirect questions, and subject questions do not always follow the QUASM pattern. These exceptions are important for learners to understand the nuances of English question formation.

Highlights

Introduction to forming questions in English using a simple method called 'QUASM'—an acronym for Question word, Auxiliary verb, Subject, and Main verb.

The QUASM method is applicable for almost all verb tenses, making it a flexible and comprehensive tool for question formation.

For the Simple Present tense, 'do' is the auxiliary verb for 'I', 'you', 'we', and 'they', while 'does' is used for 'he', 'she', and 'it'.

In the Simple Past tense, 'did' is used as the auxiliary verb for all subjects, and the main verb remains in its base form.

The Present Continuous tense uses 'am', 'is', or 'are' as auxiliary verbs, with the main verb in the '-ing' form to indicate an ongoing action.

The Past Continuous tense uses 'was' or 'were' as the auxiliary verb, followed by the '-ing' form of the main verb.

The Present Perfect tense follows QUASM with 'have' or 'has' as auxiliary verbs, and the main verb in its past participle form.

In Present Perfect Continuous, the auxiliary verb is 'have been' or 'has been', followed by the main verb in the '-ing' form.

For Future tenses, 'will' is the auxiliary verb in one method, and 'am/is/are going to' is used in another.

Modal questions follow QUASM, with modals like 'would', 'could', and 'should' serving as auxiliary verbs.

Yes/No questions do not use a question word but still follow the auxiliary verb-subject-main verb structure.

Questions where the main verb is 'be' deviate slightly from the QUASM pattern.

Reported, indirect, and subject questions also do not follow the QUASM pattern.

The lesson emphasizes practice by encouraging viewers to download a free PDF guide with a quiz to reinforce learning.

Links to further lessons on exceptions to the QUASM pattern, such as reported and indirect questions, are provided for deeper study.