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Questions

English converts a statement to a question by reversing the order of the subject and the verb. However, this can only be done with certain verbs called vector verbs. These include: be, do, have, can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must.

If a statement contains a vector verb, we can reverse the word order:

Positive statement	Positive question
I am ready.	Am I ready?

If a statement does not contain a vector verb, we add a vector verb, usually do, as an auxiliary. The order of the subject and the vector verb is then reversed:

Positive statement	Positive question with do	Error: positive question without do
It works.	Does it work?	**Works it?

This error form, **works it?, was used hundreds of years ago. But if it is used now, it is deliberately old-fashioned. This is not living present-day English.

For further discussion and how to form negative questions, see:
Vector verbs.

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