Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

QUESTION TYPES

425

Five broad structural and functional aspects of questions can be used to

characterise the central and more marginal question types. These are:

1 whether the question is a complete clause or not

2 whether it has an interrogative structure

3 whether it elicits a verbal reply

4 whether it elicits information or not

5 whether it elicits new information, not known to the questioner.

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Complete and reduced forms

425a

Prototypical questions are complete clauses:

Are you ready?

When are you going to Manchester?

Other types of question may be reduced clauses, phrases, or single words:

A: You hungry?

B: Mm, a bit.

A: So I’d go to London if I were you. 

B: And what about Leeds? 

A: Oh hang on. Yeah. Yeah. That would be nearer.

A: I’m very nervous. 

B: Why? 

A: Cos I’ve never done anything like this before.