Start with a real moment.
You want to know when a café opens. “What time does it open?” is the direct question. Notice that does carries the present-tense agreement, while open stays in its base form. Building the question in two steps — choosing the helper, then ordering the words — prevents many common errors.
See how the sentence works.
Question word + auxiliary + subject + main verb?
Read the sentence as one idea, then notice the job each part does.
Understand the choices.
With an ordinary main verb in the present or past simple, use do, does or did: “Do you drive?” “Where did she park?” After does or did, use the base verb, not a second tense marker.
With be, move the existing verb before the subject: “Are you ready?” “Where is the station?” With a modal, move the modal: “Can you help?” Do not add do when a suitable auxiliary is already there.
Subject questions are different: “Who called you?” asks for the subject, so it does not need did in an ordinary positive question. In an indirect question, use statement order: “Could you tell me where the station is?” The polite opening already supplies the question frame.
Useful sentences, in context.
What time does the meeting start?
Does is followed by start, not starts.
Who sent the invitation?
Who is the subject of sent.
Do you know where Maya works?
Where Maya works uses statement word order.
A small change makes a difference.
AvoidWhere did you went?
UseWhere did you go?
Did already marks the past; use the base form go.
A MOMENT TO PRACTISE
Your turn.
Choose an answer, then check the explanation. There is no timer and nothing to sign up for.
TAKE IT INTO YOUR DAY
Make it yours.
Turn “She works nearby” into a yes/no question, a where-question and an indirect question. Notice which verb changes in each version.
Further reading · Cambridge Dictionary — English Grammar Today
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