Questions and English word order

Approximate A1–A2 · editorial content label, not a certified rating.

Many questions use question word + auxiliary + subject + main verb: Where do you work? With be, move be before the subject: Where is it? A subject question can omit do: Who called? The question word itself fills the subject role.

Try the three exercise formats

Examples to compare

Where do you work?
Who called you?
Do you know where the office is?

Watch the meaning and the limits

A statement embedded after Do you know uses statement order: Do you know where she works? It does not repeat direct-question inversion. Ask one thing at a time and supply enough context for the listener to answer.

Read each example aloud, then change one detail to make a sentence you could use. Continue with focused practice when you want a different set.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Mistake: ~~Where she does work?~~

Use: Where does she work?

In this direct question, does comes before she and the main verb is work.

Try the pattern

3 choose questions · 2 sentence completions · 2 word gaps. Read the reason after every answer. No timer.

Typed answers stay on this page. This guided set checks the requested construction; it does not judge general writing. Read the accepted answers and reasons.

Use it in your own sentence

Write one sentence about your own routine or situation. Check the subject, verb form and intended meaning against the rule above. A different sentence may need a different form: these exercises accept the reviewed answers for their stated context.

Try the next practice set, or choose another grammar point.

All drill answers and reasons

___ do you work? Ask about a place.

Choices: Where / When / Whose

Accepted: Where
Where asks about a location.
Choose the direct question.

Choices: Where is the office? / Where the office is? / Where office is the?

Accepted: Where is the office?
Be comes before the subject in this direct question.
Do you know where she ___?

Choices: works / does work? / work does

Accepted: works
The embedded clause uses statement order: she works.
Ask a direct present-simple question: ___ ? (where; she; work)

Accepted: Where does she work
Use where, then does, then she and base-form work.
Complete the indirect question: Do you know ___ ? (where; the office; be, present)

Accepted: where the office is
An embedded question uses statement order: the office is.
___ called you? Ask about the person who made the call.

Accepted: Who
Who fills the subject role, so this question does not need do.
Where ___ they live? Use present do.

Accepted: do
They takes do in this present-simple question.

Practice questions

How do the three exercise formats work?

Choose asks you to pick an answer. Complete the sentence asks you to type the missing phrase. Fill in the word asks for one word, or no article where stated. Every checked answer includes a reason.

Which typed answers are accepted?

Use the form and meaning requested in the prompt. Reviewed alternatives and contractions are accepted where they fit. Capital letters, surrounding spaces, straight or curly apostrophes and a final full stop, question mark or exclamation mark do not affect marking. The answer reference lists the accepted forms.

Are my typed answers sent or saved?

Typed answers stay on this page in your browser. They are not sent to the server or saved. If device progress is available, completing a set records only the activity and study points on this device.

Can this check my own writing or certify my level?

No. This is a small guided set with reviewed answers, not a general grammar checker or a level certificate. An unlisted answer does not mean it is always wrong in English. Read the prompt and the explanation for this construction.

Further reference: Cambridge English Grammar Today. The explanations, examples and exercises here are original; each lesson covers a useful pattern rather than every exception.