Assertive to Interrogative

Foolish Assumptions

We make some inescapable assumptions about you and your knowledge, including the following:

• ✦ You know what assertive sentences and interrogative sentences are. 
  
• ✦ You know how interrogative sentences are formed and where the question words used in sentences.
  
•  ✦ You know the difference between transformation of sentences and conversion of sentences.
  

Changing Sentences

There are two ways of changing assertive sentences into interrogative:

1. Transformation of Sentences: Transformation of sentences refers to changing the form or structure of a sentence without altering its meaning.
   
2. Conversion of Sentences: Conversion of sentences involves changing the grammatical form of a sentence without considering the change of meaning.
   

In this lesson, rules 1 to 4 deal with how questions are formed. Rule 5 deals with changing assertive sentences into interrogative without altering its meaning. 

Level: Intermediate

1. Change the Word Order: If there is any "auxiliary verb" or "be verb", move it to the beginning of the sentence (before the subject). 
2. Use Appropriate Verb Form: If there is no "auxiliary verb" or "be verb" in the sentence, use "do", does", or "did" as auxiliary verb before the subject. The main verb will be in its base form. 
   
3. Keep the Meaning Unchanged: To keep the meaning unchanged, turn the affirmative statement into a negative question. If the statement is negative, make the question affirmative. 
4. Add Question Marks: End the sentence with a question mark (?).

Examples:

Assertive: She is reading a book.
Interrogative: Isn't she reading a book?

Assertive: He plays the piano.
Interrogative: Doesn't he play the piano?

Assertive: I know how to swim.
Interrogative: Don't I know how to swim?

Assertive: Nobody trusts a liar.
Interrogative: Does anybody trust a liar?

Assertive: He is a rich man.
Interrogative: Isn’t he a rich man?

Assertive: He was very happy.

Interrogative: Wasn’t he very happy?

Assertive: He comes here every day.
Interrogative: Doesn’t he come here every day?

Assertive: She worked out the sum.
Interrogative: Didn’t she work out the sum?

Sometimes, you need to replace some words to keep the meaning unchanged. For example, "never" in assertive becomes "ever" in interrogative. "No" becomes "any". "Nothing" becomes "anything". 

Example:

Assertive: I have never been to Cox's Bazar.
Interrogative: Have I ever been to Cox's Bazar?

Assertive: There is no use of this book.
Interrogative: Is there any use of this book?

Statements to Questions/ Assertive to Interrogative

Exercise For Practice

Transform the following assertive sentences into interrogative without changing the meaning. 

1. He is a rich man.
2. He was very happy.
3. He is a great fool.
4. A tiger can see in the dark.
5. He has not done this.
6. I can never do it.
7. He has never been to London.
8. I can never forget a man like you.
9. I caught him by the hand. 
10. I know how to swim.
11. He comes here every day.
12. She sings a melodious song.
13. I caught him by the hand. 
14. I know how to swim. 
15. She worked out the sum. 
16. Everyone loves flowers. 
17. Nobody trusts a liar.
18. Nobody can have faith in a liar.
19. Everybody needs your help. 
20. All wish to be happy. 
21. None can do this. 
22. Nobody can have faith in such a liar. 
23. Everybody loves her mother. 
24. None likes to forget his country.
25. Everybody turned to look at Bahadur.
26. I have never been to Cox's Bazar. 
27. We eat to live. 
28. There is no use of this book. 
29. There is no use of this law. 
30. They spent a pleasant day. 
31. Their glory can never fade. 
32. He had nothing to say in this matter. 
33. I never drink tea. 
34. There is no use of wasting time. 
35. Nobody trusts a liar. 
36. Nobody believes a liar. 
37. Nobody trusts a liar. 
38. None believes a liar. 
39. None likes to forget his country. 
40. None could say that the shy boy would be the famous Einstein. 
41. Everybody hates a liar. 
42. Everybody wants to be rich. 
43. Everybody fears death. 
44. Everybody loves her mother. 
45. Everybody likes an honest man. 
46. Everybody turned to look at Bahadur. 

Answers

1. Assertive: He is a rich man.
Interrogative: Isn’t he a rich man?

2. Assertive:  He was very happy.
Interrogative: Wasn’t he very happy?

3. Assertive:  He is a great fool.
Interrogative: Isn’t he a great fool?

4. Assertive:  A tiger can see in the dark.
Interrogative: Can’t a tiger see in the dark?

5. Assertive: He has not done this.
Interrogative: Has he done this?

6. Assertive: I can never do it.
Interrogative: Can I ever do it?

7. Assertive:  He has never been to London.
Interrogative: Has he ever been to London?

8. Assertive: I can never forget a man like you.
Interrogative: Can I ever forget a man like you?

9. Assertive: I caught him by the hand.
Interrogative: Didn’t I catch him by the hand?

10. Assertive: I know how to swim.
Interrogative: Don’t I know how to swim?

11. Assertive: He comes here every day.
Interrogative: Doesn’t he come here every day?

12. Assertive: She sings a melodious song.
Interrogative: Doesn’t she sing a melodious song?

13. Assertive: I caught him by the hand.
Interrogative: Didn’t I catch him by the hand?

14. Assertive: I know how to swim.
Interrogative: Don’t I know how to swim?

15. Assertive: She worked out the sum.
Interrogative: Didn’t she work out the sum?

16. Assertive: Everyone loves flowers.
Interrogative: Doesn’t everyone love flowers?
Interrogative: Does anyone hate flowers?

17. Assertive: Nobody trusts a liar.
Interrogative: Who trusts a liar?
Interrogative: Does anybody trust a liar?

18. Assertive: Nobody can have faith in a liar.
Interrogative: Who can have faith in a liar?
Interrogative: Can anybody have faith in a liar?

19. Assertive: Everybody needs your help.
Interrogative: Who doesn’t need your help?
Interrogative: Doesn’t everybody need your help?

20. Assertive: All wish to be happy.
Interrogative: Who don’t wish to be happy?
Interrogative: Don’t all wish to be happy?

21. Assertive: None can do this.
Interrogative: Who can do this?
Interrogative: Can anyone do this?

22. Assertive: Nobody can have faith in such a liar.
Interrogative: Who can have faith in such a liar?
Interrogative: Can anybody have faith in such a liar?

23. Assertive: Everybody loves her mother.
Interrogative: Who does not love her mother?
Interrogative: Doesn’t everybody love her mother?

24. Assertive: None likes to forget his country.
Interrogative: Who likes to forget his country?
Interrogative: Does anyone like to forget his country?

25. Assertive: Everybody turned to look at Bahadur.
Interrogative: Who didn’t turn to look at Bahadur?
Interrogative: Didn’t everybody turn to look at Bahadur?

26. Assertive: I have never been to Cox's Bazar.
Interrogative: Have I ever been to Cox's Bazar?

27. Assertive: We eat to live.
Interrogative: Don’t we eat to live?

28. Assertive: There is no use of this book.
Interrogative: Is there any use of this book?

29. Assertive: There is no use of this law.
Interrogative: Is there any use of this law?

30. Assertive: They spent a pleasant day.
Interrogative: Didn’t they spend a pleasant day?

31. Assertive: Their glory can never fade.
Interrogative: Can their glory ever fade?

32. Assertive: He had nothing to say in this matter.
Interrogative: Had he anything to say in this matter?

33. Assertive: I never drink tea.
Interrogative: Do I ever drink tea?

34. Assertive: There is no use of wasting time.
Interrogative: Is there any use of wasting time?

35. Assertive: Nobody trusts a liar.
Interrogative: Who trusts a liar?

36. Assertive: Nobody believes a liar.
Interrogative: Who believes a liar?

37. Assertive: Nobody trusts a liar.
Interrogative: Who trusts a liar?

38. Assertive: None believes a liar.
Interrogative: Who believes a liar?

39. Assertive: None likes to forget his country.
Interrogative: Who likes to forget his country?

40. Assertive: None could say that the shy boy would be the famous Einstein.
Interrogative: Who could say that the shy boy would be the famous Einstein?

41. Assertive: Everybody hates a liar.
Interrogative: Who doesn’t hate a liar?

42. Assertive: Everybody wants to be rich.
Interrogative: Who does not want to be rich?

43. Assertive: Everybody fears death.
Interrogative: Who does not fear death?

44. Assertive: Everybody loves her mother.
Interrogative: Who doesn’t love her mother?

45. Assertive: Everybody likes an honest man.
Interrogative: Who does not like an honest man?

46. Assertive: Everybody turned to look at Bahadur.
Interrogative: Who didn’t turn to look at Bahadur?

1. Reverse the Word Order:

Move the "be verb" or "auxiliary verb" after the subject.

Example:

Interrogative: Is she reading a book?
Assertive: She is reading a book.

2. Remove Question Words:

Eliminate question words like who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Example:

Interrogative: Where are they going?
Assertive: They are going somewhere.

3. Change the Verb Form:

If the sentence is in present tense, use the present form of the main verb. If the sentence is in the past tense, turn the main verb into past form.

Example:

Interrogative: Did he play the piano?
Assertive: He played the piano.

4. Maintain Subject-Verb Agreement:

Ensure that the subject and verb agree in number.

Example:

Interrogative: Does she enjoy hiking?
Assertive: She enjoys hiking.

5. Remove the Question Mark:

End the sentence with a period instead of a question mark.

Example:

Interrogative: Does the concert start at 7 PM?
Assertive: The concert starts at 7 PM.