Introduction to Interrogative Sentences
ପ୍ରଶ୍ନବାଚକ ବାକ୍ୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ ପଚାରିବା ପାଇଁ ବ୍ୟବହୃତ ହୁଏ। ଏଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଦୁଇ ପ୍ରକାରର ହୋଇଥାଏ: 'ହଁ-ନାହିଁ' ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ ଏବଂ 'Wh-' ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ।
Interrogative sentences (ପ୍ରଶ୍ନବାଚକ ବାକ୍ୟ) are used to ask questions. They are distinct from declarative (ବିବୃତ୍ତିମୂଳକ) sentences, which make statements. There are broadly two main types of interrogative sentences: Yes-no questions and Wh-questions. [[3]]
Yes-no Questions
'ହଁ-ନାହିଁ' ପ୍ରଶ୍ନଗୁଡ଼ିକର ଉତ୍ତର 'ହଁ' କିମ୍ବା 'ନାହିଁ' ରେ ଦିଆଯାଏ। ଏଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସାହାଯ୍ୟକାରୀ କ୍ରିୟା (auxiliary verb) କିମ୍ବା 'do' କ୍ରିୟା ସହିତ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହୁଏ।
Yes-no questions are those that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. [[3]] To construct a yes-no question from a declarative sentence, we typically follow these rules:
-
With an Auxiliary Verb (ସାହାଯ୍ୟକାରୀ କ୍ରିୟା): If the statement contains an auxiliary verb (such as is, are, was, were, has, have, had, can, will, should, must, may, might), we move the auxiliary verb to the beginning of the sentence, before the subject. [[3]]
- Statement: Rabi is sleeping. [[1]]
- Question: Is Rabi sleeping?
- Statement: Kajal can solve the problem. [[3]]
- Question: Can Kajal solve the problem?
-
Without an Auxiliary Verb: If the statement does not contain an auxiliary verb, we use an appropriate form of the 'do' verb (do, does, did) at the beginning of the sentence. [[1]], [[3]]
- 'Do' for plural subjects or 'I/you/we/they' in present tense.
- 'Does' for singular subjects ('he/she/it') in present tense.
- 'Did' for all subjects in past tense.
Important Rule: When 'do', 'does', or 'did' is used, the main verb (ମୁଖ୍ୟ କ୍ରିୟା) in the sentence must revert to its base form (ମୂଳ ରୂପ). [[3]]
- Statement: Hari reads well. [[3]]
- Question: Does Hari read well? (Not: Does Hari reads well?) Here, 'reads' changes to 'read'.
- Statement: Kamalini broke the glass. [[3]]
- Question: Did Kamalini break the glass? (Not: Did Kamalini broke the glass?) Here, 'broke' changes to 'break'.
Worked Example:
Statement: Reshma works at home. [[6]]
Analysis: This sentence is in the present tense and does not have an auxiliary verb. The subject 'Reshma' is singular. Therefore, we use 'does'. The main verb 'works' will change to its base form 'work'.
Question: Does Reshma work at home?
Wh-questions
'Wh-' ପ୍ରଶ୍ନଗୁଡ଼ିକ 'Wh-' ଶବ୍ଦ (ଯଥା: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, Which) ସହିତ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହୁଏ ଏବଂ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ସୂଚନା ମାଗେ।
Wh-questions are used to ask for specific information, not just a 'yes' or 'no' answer. [[3]] They begin with interrogative words (ପ୍ରଶ୍ନବାଚକ ଶବ୍ଦ) often called 'Wh-words', such as Who, What, When, Where, Why, Which, and How. [[6]], [[8]]
Common Wh-words and their usage:
- Who (କିଏ): Asks about a person.
- Statement: Dolagovinda is my best friend. [[6]]
- Question: Who is your best friend?
- What (କ'ଣ): Asks about a thing, action, or information.
- Statement: Her name is Avipsa. [[8]]
- Question: What is her name?
- When (କେବେ): Asks about time.
- Statement: Vijay married on 15 December. [[8]]
- Question: When did Vijay marry?
- Where (କେଉଁଠି): Asks about a place.
- Statement: He lives in Kolkata. [[8]]
- Question: Where does he live?
- Why (କାହିଁକି): Asks about a reason.
- Statement: He was absent for a long time because of fever. [[6]]
- Question: Why was he absent for a long time?
- How (କିପରି): Asks about manner, condition, or degree.
- Statement: Sanjay likes his profession very much. [[6]]
- Question: How does Sanjay like his profession?
- Which (କେଉଁଟି): Asks about a specific choice from a group.
- Statement: That red book is mine. [[8]]
- Question: Which book is yours?
Structure of Wh-questions:
The general structure is: Wh-word + Auxiliary Verb (or 'do' form) + Subject + Main Verb (base form if 'do' is used) + Rest of the sentence.
Worked Example:
Statement: Rajesh reached home at 7 p.m. [[8]]
Analysis: The underlined part is 'at 7 p.m.', which indicates time. So, we use 'When'. The sentence is in the past tense ('reached') and does not have an auxiliary verb, so we use 'did'. The main verb 'reached' will change to its base form 'reach'.
Question: When did Rajesh reach home?