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Inversion: Exclamations and Questions - HOW / WHAT

Inversion: Exclamations and Questions - HOW / WHAT
Activity Yes-No
Activity Yes-No
Questions in English have inversion (the verb goes before the subject), but exclamations have no inversion! Practise the difference.
 

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Instructions

For every sentence mark if it is correct (YES) or wrong (NO).
 

We use inversion for questions. We don't use inversion for exclamations

Questions in English need an inversion, we put the verb before the subject:

- Mike is Scottish   (Mike + is)
- Is Mike Scottish?   (is + Mike)

Modal and auxiliary verbs (special verbs) can do the inversion

- Are you tired?
- Can you see me?
- Will you come with me?
- Have you seen this movie?
- May I come in?

But normal verbs can't, so they use the auxiliary verb DO for the inversion:

- Do you like this?  (Do + you)
- Does she live in Rome?
- Did you go to the party?

Questions can begin with an interrogative word:

- What is your name?
- What do you like?
- How is your mother?
- How do you open this door?
- When do you see your friends?
- Where do you live?

EXCLAMATIONS can also use WHAT and HOW, but they are not questions, so they don't use inversion:

- What a nice car you've got!
- What tall trees these are!
- How fantastic this song is!
- How tall your boyfriend is!

Compare:

How tall is your brother? (question, inversion)
How tall your brother is! (exclamation, no inversion)

- How difficult is that job?
- Oh, it's not very difficult

- How difficult that job is!
- Oh yea, you're right!

Exclamations with WHAT don't usually have an exact equivalent question:

What a nice girl you are!
Are you a nice girl?

Items

Question YES NO
How beautiful you are ! - Thanks    
How beautiful are you ! - Thanks    
How tall you are ! - Thanks    
How tall are you ! - Thanks    
How tall are you ? - I'm 1.8 metres    
How boring it is when you have nothing to do ! - Yes, I agree    
How big your house is ! - Yes, it is.    
How big is your house ! - Yes, it is.    
How big is your house ? - It's 240 square metres    
How big your house is ? - It's 240 square metres    
How lucky you are ! - I know.    
How lucky are you ! - I know.    
How interesting this book is ! - Yes, you can't stop reading.    
How fast your car is ! - Yes, I need to control myself    
How interesting is this book ? - Well, it's boring at first but then it's ok    
What nice chairs you have ! - Thanks, they are from Milan    
How old your grandmother is ! - Yes, she's 98.    
How old is your grandmother ! - Yes, she's 98.    
How old is your grandmother ? - She's 98.    
What strange birds they are? - I don't know, I've never seen them before.    
What a cool song this is! - Yea, I love it too.    
What a cool song is this ! - Yea, I love it too.    
What nice hair you've got ! - Thanks :)    
What nice hair have you got ! - Thanks :)    
What a nice river this is ! - Oh yea, it is!    
What a delicious soup this is ! - Oh yea, it is!    
What beautiful eyes you have ! - Thank you    
How beautiful the stars are tonight ! - Yea, I was thinking the same    
What short stories do you like ? - Traditional fairy tales, they're my favourite    
What short stories you like ? - Traditional fairy tales, they're my favourite    
Total number of items: 30

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