Questions (modal, or, which/whose)

Welcome to Question Sentences: Asking Like a Pro!

In daily life, we ask questions all the time: Can I borrow a pen? Do you like tea or coffee? Which shirt is yours? Whose bag is this?
Asking questions is one of the most powerful tools in English because it allows you to get help, learn about other people, and make everyday choices.
In this chapter, we will master three special kinds of questions:
1. Questions starting with modal verbs such as May and Will.
2. Choice questions that use or.
3. Wh-questions that start with Which and Whose.
Don't worry if this seems a bit tricky at first—we will break each one down step by step with easy examples!

1. Questions Starting with Modal Verbs (May, Will, etc.)

What is a Modal Verb?

Modal verbs (助動詞) are helper words that add special feelings or meanings to a verb, such as asking for permission, offering help, or making a polite request. The most common ones you will use to ask questions are May, Will, Can, and Shall.

The Golden Pattern

When you make a question with a modal verb, simply move the modal verb to the very front of the sentence:
[Modal Verb] + [Subject] + [Base Verb (原形)] ...?
Important tip: The main verb that follows must always be in its original dictionary form (base form). Never add -s or -ed to it!

Key Modal Questions in Daily Life

1. May I ...? (Asking for permission politely)
Use this when you want to ask, "May I do this?" or "Is it okay if I do this?"
• Example: May I come in? (入ってもいいですか。)
• Example: May I ask a question? (質問してもいいですか。)
• How to answer: Sure! / Of course. / Yes, you may.

2. Will you ...? (Making a request or invitation)
Use this to politely ask someone to do something: "Will you please...?"
• Example: Will you help me with this box? (この箱を運ぶのを手伝ってくれますか。)
• Example: Will you come to my birthday party? (私の誕生日パーティーに来てくれますか。)
• How to answer: Sure, I'd love to! / All right. / I'm sorry, but I can't.

3. Shall I ...? and Shall we ...? (Offering and suggesting)
• Shall I open the window? (窓を開けましょうか。— Offering your help)
• Shall we start our lunch? (お昼ご飯を始めましょうか。— Inviting someone together)

4. Can you ...? / Can I ...? (Friendly requests and permission)
• Can you pass the salt? (塩を取ってくれる？)
• Can I use your eraser? (消しゴムを使ってもいい？)

Key Takeaway for Modal Questions

Put the modal verb right at the beginning: Modal + Person + Base Verb?
Always remember to keep the action word in its simple, plain form!

2. Questions with "or" (Choice Questions)

How to Offer a Choice

Sometimes you want to give someone two or more choices. To do this, we connect the choices with the word or (または・それとも).
• Pattern: [Question sentence] A or B?

Here are everyday examples:
• Do you like dogs or cats? (犬と猫、どちらが好きですか。)
• Is that a bus or a train? (あれはバスですか、それとも電車ですか。)
• Will you have tea or juice? (お茶にしますか、それともジュースにしますか。)

The Number One Rule: Never Say "Yes" or "No"!

Think about this in real life: If a friend asks you, "Do you want an apple or an orange?" and you answer, "Yes!", your friend will be confused!
Because it is a choice question, you must choose one of the options:
• Question: Do you want milk or water?
• Natural Answer: Milk, please. (または I want milk, please.)
• Question: Are you free on Saturday or Sunday?
• Natural Answer: I am free on Sunday.

Pronunciation Tip: The Voice Roller Coaster

In English questions with or, your voice naturally goes UP on the first option and DOWN at the end of the second option:
• Do you like dogs [↗ rise] or cats? [↘ fall]
This voice pattern signals to the listener that they need to pick one!

Key Takeaway for "or" Questions

Connect your options with or. Never answer with Yes or No—always answer by choosing an option!

3. Questions Starting with "Which"

When Do We Use "Which"?

We use Which (どちら / どれ) when there is a limited set of choices. If someone is picking between two, three, or a specific group of things, use Which rather than What.

Pattern A: Which as a Stand-Alone Question Word

• Which is your notebook, this one or that one? (どちらがあなたのノートですか、これですか、それともあれですか。)
• Answer: This one is mine.
• Which do you like better, summer or winter? (夏と冬では、どちらのほうが好きですか。)
• Answer: I like summer better.

Pattern B: Which + Noun (Which book, Which bus, etc.)

You can also place a noun directly after Which to ask "Which [item] ...?":
• Which bus goes to the library? (どのバスが図書館へ行きますか。)
• Answer: Bus Number 3 does.
• Which season do you like the best? (どの季節が一番好きですか。)
• Answer: I like fall the best.

Memory Trick: "Which" vs. "What"

• What is for wide open choices from the whole world: What sports do you like? (Any sport!)
• Which is for picking from a small group: Which sport do you like, soccer or baseball? (Pick between these two!)

Key Takeaway for "Which"

Use Which when choosing from a specific, limited group. It can stand alone (Which is...?) or team up with a noun (Which cap is...?).

4. Questions Starting with "Whose"

Asking About Ownership

When you find an item on a desk or on the floor and want to know who owns it, use Whose (だれの / だれのもの).
Note: Do not confuse this with relative pronouns; here, Whose is a question word at the start of a sentence.

Pattern A: Whose + Noun (Whose pen is this?)

In this pattern, Whose attaches directly to the object:
Whose + [Noun] + is / are ...?
• Whose umbrella is this? (これはだれの傘ですか。)
• Whose shoes are those? (あれらはだれの靴ですか。)

Pattern B: Whose on Its Own (Whose is this?)

Here, Whose means "whose thing" or "whose property":
Whose + is / are + [Subject]?
• Whose is that red bicycle? (あの赤い自転車はだれのものですか。)
• Whose are these keys? (これらのかぎはだれのものですか。)

How to Answer "Whose" Questions

You answer by naming the owner. You can use a possessive pronoun (like mine, yours, hers) or add 's to a person's name:
• Question: Whose racket is this?
• Answer: It is mine. (私のものです。)
• Answer: It is Yuka's. (ゆかのものです。)
• Answer: It is my brother's. (私の兄のものです。)

Key Takeaway for "Whose"

Whose asks about ownership (だれの / だれのもの). Answer with a person's name plus 's (Ken's) or a possessive word (mine, hers, theirs).

5. Common Mistakes to Watch Out For!

Mistake 1: Changing the verb after a modal
• Incorrect: Will you helps me?
• Correct: Will you help me?
Why: Always use the base form (原形) right after modal verbs like will, may, and can.

Mistake 2: Answering an "or" question with "Yes" or "No"
• Incorrect: "Do you play tennis or soccer?" — "Yes, I do."
• Correct: "Do you play tennis or soccer?" — "I play soccer."
Why: The speaker gave you two choices, so choose one!

Mistake 3: Mixing up "Who" and "Whose"
• Who asks about a person: Who is that boy? (あの男の子はだれですか。)
• Whose asks about the owner: Whose racket is that? (あれはだれのラケットですか。)

Mistake 4: Mixing up "Whose" and "Who's"
They sound exactly the same, but their spellings and meanings are completely different:
• Whose = だれの (Whose cap is this?)
• Who's = Who is の短縮形 (Who's that teacher? = Who is that teacher?)

6. Quick Review Checklist

Use this handy checklist to test yourself before moving forward:
• Can you politely ask for permission using May I ...? (May I use your pen?)
• Can you politely ask someone for help using Will you ...? (Will you close the door?)
• Do you remember to respond to ... A or B? questions without saying Yes or No?
• Can you choose between two things using Which? (Which do you like, tea or milk?)
• Can you ask who owns a lost item using Whose? (Whose bag is this? — It's mine.)

You now have all the tools you need to ask clear, polite, and accurate questions in English. Great job!