Interrogative

Interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks about a question. The term is used in grammar to refer to features that form questions. Thus, an interrogative sentence is a sentence whose grammatical form shows that it is a question. Such sentences may exhibit an interrogative grammatical mood. This applies particularly to languages that use different inflected verb forms to make questions. Interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks about a question. The term is used in grammar to refer to features that form questions. Thus, an interrogative sentence is a sentence whose grammatical form shows that it is a question. Such sentences may exhibit an interrogative grammatical mood. This applies particularly to languages that use different inflected verb forms to make questions. Interrogative sentences can serve as yes–no questions or as wh-questions, the latter being formed using an interrogative word such as who, which, where or how to specify the information required. Different languages have various ways of forming questions, such as word order or the insertion of interrogative particles. Questions are frequently marked by intonation, in particular a rising intonation pattern – in some languages this may be the sole method of distinguishing a yes–no question from a declarative statement. Interrogative mood or other interrogative forms may be denoted by the glossing abbreviation INT. Interrogative sentences are generally divided between yes–no questions, which ask whether or not something is the case (and invite an answer of the yes/no type), and wh-questions, which specify the information being asked about using a word likewhich, who, how, etc. An intermediate form is the choice question,disjunctive questionoralternative question, which presents a number of alternative answers, such as 'Do you want tea or coffee?' Negative questions are formed from negative (grammar)|negative]] sentences, as in 'Aren't you coming?' and 'Why does he not answer?' Tag questions are questions 'tagged' onto the end of sentences to invite confirmation, as in 'She left earlier, didn't she?' Indirect questions (or interrogative content clauses) are subordinate clauses used within sentences to refer to a question (as opposed to direct questions, which are interrogative sentences themselves). An example of an indirect question is where Jack is in the sentence 'I wonder where Jack is.' Note that English and many other languages do not use inversion in indirect questions, even though they would in the corresponding direct question ('Where is Jack?'), as described in the following section. Languages may use both syntax and prosody to distinguish interrogative sentences (which pose questions) from declarative sentences (which state propositions). Syntax refers to grammatical changes, such as changing word order or adding question words; prosody refers to changes in intonation while speaking. Some languages also mark interrogatives morphologically, i.e. by inflection of the verb. A given language may use one or more of these methods in combination.