QUESTION FORMATION:

There are two types of question one can asked

• yes/no questions. These questions can be answered by either yes or no.
• Other questions--those which in English begin with a so-socalled "w-words"
  (how, what,, where, when, why). These cannot be answered by either "yes" or "no."

Exampels:

• Are you sick? (yes/no)
• Is Shirley at home now ?(yes/no)
• Does he get an F in Algebra? (yes/no)

But....

• What do you need?
• When does he arrive?
• Why does a rooster crow?

You see that the last three questions cannot be answered by "yes" or "no."

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Before we go on remember that English has a question formation that includes the so-called
"dummy-do" verb. (Does he come home? Do we need to study? Does the chicken cross the street?...)
French doesn't not used the dummy-do. So don't translate the "do" part!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now to business!

I. The yes/no question in French.
   There are four ways of stating a yes/no question

• Raise your voice at the end of a stament:
  Statement. Nous sommes en classe..
  Question:   Nous sommes en classe??

• Put "est-ce que" in fromt of the statement.
  Statement. Nous sommes en classe..
  Question:   Est-ce que nous sommes en classe??

• Put n'est-ce pas (isn't it) after the statement.
  Statement. Nous sommes en classe..
  Question:   Nous sommes en classe, n'est-ce pas?

• Invert the Subject and Verb (inverted word-order) but then you must add a hyphen (-) between
  the subject and a verb.
  Statement. Nous sommes en classe..
  Question:   Sommes-nous en classe??

        Statement: Il regarde la télé.
        Question:  Regarde-t-il la télé?

        Statement: Elle a trois chiens.
        Question:  A-t-elle trois chiens??

         Statement: On va à la plage ensemble.
         Question:   Va-t-on à la plage ensemble.

So, what's the deal with that -t-???
Answer: When the verb ends in a vowel and is followed by either il, elle or on you must add the -t-
              (this way it's easier to pronounce I assume).

              Also,and this important: inverted word-order can only take place with a pronoun.
              Correct: Va-t-il avec moi? but not: Va le professeur avec moi?
               You could say: Le professeur, va-t-il avec moi?

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II. The other questions--those who start out with a "w-word."
     Little glossary here:

The examples will make clear how this goes:

Two ways:
A. Question word + statement using inverted word-order
B. Question word + est-ce que + statement.

• When does he go to school?
  Quand va-t-il à l'école? (Question word + statement using inverted word-order.)
  Quand est-ce qu'il va à l'école? (Question word + est-ce-que+ statement)
• Where do you live in HB?
  Où habitez-vous à HB? (Question word + statement using inverted word-order)
  Où est-ce-que vous habitez à HB? (Question word + est-ce-que+ statement)
• What do you want for your birthday?
    Que veux-tu pour ton anniversaire?
     Qu'est-ce que tu veux pour ton anniversaire?
• How do you get to San Jose?
  Comment va-t-on à San Jose?
  Comment est-ce qu'on va à San Jose?
• Why do birds fly?
  Pourquoi volent-ils, les oiseuax?
  Pourquoi est-ce que les oiseaux volent? or:
  Les oiseaux, pourquoi volent-ils?