Subject and Object Questions in English

Summary

This video lesson explains how to form subject and object questions in English, showing the difference between the doer (subject) and receiver (object) of an action. It covers question formation across tenses, including simple present, simple past, continuous, perfect, and future, with clear examples. Object questions use auxiliary verbs like do, does, or did, while subject questions do not in simple tenses. The lesson emphasizes practical application, encouraging learners to practice with quizzes and writing tasks to move from theoretical knowledge to accurate, confident use of English grammar in real situations.

Takeaways

• 😀 The subject of a sentence is the person or thing performing the action, while the object is the receiver of the action.
• 😀 In simple present object questions, use the auxiliary verbs 'do' or 'does' to ask about the object.
• 😀 In simple past object questions, use the auxiliary verb 'did' to inquire about the object.
• 😀 Subject questions do not use auxiliary verbs; instead, use the question word (who/what) plus the main verb.
• 😀 For simple present subject questions, the format is: question word + main verb + object.
• 😀 For simple past subject questions, the format is: question word + past verb + object.
• 😀 In other tenses like present continuous, past continuous, present perfect, and future, use appropriate forms of 'be' or 'have' in both subject and object questions.
• 😀 In present continuous, a subject question asks 'who is [verb]…' while an object question asks 'what is [subject] [verb]…'.
• 😀 In future tense, subject questions use 'what/who will…' and object questions use 'who/what will [subject]…'.
• 😀 To form correct questions, determine if you are asking about the doer (subject) or the receiver (object) of the action, and apply the corresponding structure.
• 😀 Practicing grammar through quizzes and writing tasks helps apply theoretical knowledge in real-life usage.

Q & A

What is the definition of a subject in a sentence?

The subject is the person or thing that performs the action in a sentence.

What is the definition of an object in a sentence?

The object is the person or thing that is acted upon or receives the action in a sentence.

Which auxiliary verbs are used to form object questions in the simple present tense?

In the simple present tense, the auxiliary verbs 'do' and 'does' are used to form object questions.

How do you form an object question in the simple past tense?

In the simple past tense, object questions use the auxiliary verb 'did' followed by the subject and main verb.

When forming subject questions, should you use auxiliary verbs like do, does, or did?

No, subject questions do not use auxiliary verbs. Instead, you use the question word (who or what) plus the main verb and object.

Can you give an example of a subject question in the simple present tense?

Yes, for the sentence 'Karen likes Fred,' the subject question would be 'Who likes Fred?'

Can you give an example of an object question in the simple present tense?

Yes, for the sentence 'Karen likes Fred,' the object question would be 'Who does Karen like?'

How are subject and object questions formed in the present continuous tense?

In the present continuous tense, subject questions use 'who' plus the form of 'be' and the main verb (e.g., 'Who is washing the car?'), while object questions use 'what' plus 'be' and the subject (e.g., 'What is Paul washing?').

How do you form subject and object questions in the present perfect tense?

In the present perfect tense, subject questions use 'who' plus 'have/has' and the past participle of the verb (e.g., 'Who has spent a thousand dollars?'), while object questions use 'what/how much' plus 'have/has' and the subject (e.g., 'How much have your parents spent?').

How are subject and object questions formed with future tense using 'will'?

In the future tense using 'will,' the subject question uses 'what' plus 'will' and the main verb (e.g., 'What will help the students?'), while the object question uses 'who' plus 'will' and the verb (e.g., 'Who will this book help?').

What is the key tip for deciding whether to use auxiliary verbs when forming questions?

Ask yourself whether you are asking about the doer of the action (subject) or the receiver of the action (object). If asking about the subject, do not use auxiliary verbs. If asking about the object, use the appropriate auxiliary verb (do, does, did).

Why is it important to practice grammar rules in addition to learning them theoretically?

Practicing grammar rules helps students use correct English in practical situations, rather than only having theoretical knowledge that cannot be applied in real communication.