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Closed-Ended Questions
Closed-ended questions are those that can usually be answered with a simple "yes" or "no" or with a specific
piece of information. They often have a straightforward answer and the answer options are limited or closed. For
example:
• Are you coming to the party?
• Did you finish your homework?
• Have you been to Paris?
Framing Close-ended Questions
We can form close-ended questions by adding two types of auxiliary verbs (helping verbs):
• Basic Auxiliary Verbs
Be, Do, Have: These verbs help convey different aspects of the action or state in a sentence.
• Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Can, Shall, May, Should, Could: These verbs express possibility, necessity, permission, or ability.
Another way of framing close-ended questions is to take a sentence without the above words and place such
words before the subject. For example:
Original Sentence With Auxiliary Verbs
They talk on the phone every day. Do they talk on the phone every day?
They have finished their homework. Have they finished their homework?
You share your lunch with your friends. Could you share your lunch with your friends?
Sometimes the helping verb changes based on the subject, but the main verb remains unchanged. For example,
in the sentences and the questions below, the main verb (cook) remains unchanged, but the auxiliary verb (do)
changes based on the subject. For example:
Original Sentence With Auxiliary Verbs
They cook delicious food. Do they cook delicious food?
He cooks dinner every evening. Does he cook dinner every evening?
In some cases, we exchange the positions of the subject and the verb to create a close-ended question. We can
follow a similar method for sentences that already have auxiliary verbs.
Original Sentence Exchanging Subject and Verb
She is studying for her exams. Is she studying for her exams?
They have completed the project. Have they completed the project?
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions are designed to encourage more detailed and expressive responses. They cannot be
answered with just a "yes" or "no" and often require more thought and explanation. Examples:
• What do you think about the new project?
• How did you feel about the movie?
• Can you tell me about your favourite vacation?
Communication Skills-I 41

