¿PREGUNTAS EN INGLÉS?

8/4/2020

Creating questions in English is one of the hardest things to do for Spanish speakers! I sometimes wonder how often I have corrected people when it comes to questions.

It is important to realise just how vital questions are when it comes to having conversations and when your ability to formulate questions is weak then you are likely to fall into traps very often!

The main problem that I have encountered is this:

"Why YOU HAVE done that?".

That type of problem is SO common.

It is quite complex to give you a full explanation here about why this is wrong but the basic rule in English when you create questions is:

FIRST: "QUESTION WORD" (When, why, what, how etc)
and
SECOND: "AUXILIARY VERB" (Do, have, be etc).

So the correct version of the sentence is: "Why (question word) HAVE (auxiliary verb) YOU done that?"

I hope that helps!

8 Comments

Luis Eduardo Cordero

10/4/2020 15:08:15

Speaking is has been my Achilles heel, I've done almost everything and still stuttering when I want to express my ideas, I've read more literature in order to increase my vocabulary, also listen to mainly english audios, but not improvement at all, I'm daily immerse into an English environment , people from different places taking English , I can understand easily what people say when they are talking but when is my chance to talk and doing as fluent as I wish
Thanks so much Daniel
Luis

Daniel Smith link

17/4/2020 18:08:21

Your case is very interesting Luis! Maybe we should have a chat sometime. It seems that you are doing everything correctly and you are lucky because you can use English at work.

I would probably encourage you to try something new and different to push yourself a little further. Something that scares you a little. You will find growth there for sure.

Thanks
Daniel

Estela García Gil

11/4/2020 09:49:54

Well, I use to read a lot of english books, magazines and I love watching english films also in order to improve my english level but it is complicated. On the other hand Eduardo your case it is so normal because to speak in english is no easy but in may case I always try and I´m not ashamed to do it so that ... you have to step forward because you´ll improve your english practicing it!! Enjoy your day!! :-)

Daniel Smith link

17/4/2020 18:12:07

Hi Estela,
It sounds like you are REALLY on the right track! Well done. You are not worried about making mistakes which is a very good sign! So,just keep going but also keep track of your progress and when you feel as if you are no longer progressing change direction and do something different again. It is all about challenging yourself!
Thanks
Daniel

Araceli Pagliery

13/4/2020 11:32:33

Speaking, writing and understand English is my firts priority today. Every Friday I received the email from Daniel and this email helped me to improve in my english. Now I am going to download him book . I am going to read it. I am very happy with him helped and I will reward him.
Thanks
Mara

Daniel Smith link

17/4/2020 18:05:59

Hi Araceli,
I am really glad that you like the content! And I hope that you like the books as well!
Many thanks
Daniel

Jarim alexandro link

23/4/2020 20:38:04

Hello Daniel

I want to tank you for your weekly e-mail, it help me a lot of to practice my English and learn new words, now my main problem is speaking but i don't know what to do, could you give me an advise to improve my speaking.

Regards

franklyn duque villa link

10/5/2020 20:14:48

Hello Dear Daniel.

I disappeared for a couple of days due I was speeding up my thesis. I want to confess I never stopped to read all your post during the last month. I like to do it during my breakfast.

regarding speaking. I don't have any problem to start any informal conversation. however I am award I have a lot of mistake formulating questions because I always forget to use the right auxiliary verb. I am realize about it when the native speaker make correction to me.

Daniel Smith
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