LI. THE INTERROGATIVE FORM OF THE INDICATIVE MODE
Reading edition
196. The indicative mode is used not only in stating facts, but also in asking questions. In interrogative sentences the order of the words that make up the verb is changed somewhat. In a simple statement we say, I have paid. In a question we say, Have I paid? putting the auxiliary before the subject.
197. Conjugation of be in the indicative mode, interrogative form:—
Present Tense Past Tense
am I are we was I were we
art thou are you wast thou were you
is he are they was he were they
Future Tense Present Perfect Tense
shall I be shall we be have I been have we been
wilt thou be will you be hast thou been have you been
will he be will they be has he been have they been
Past Perfect Tense
had I been had we been
hadst thou been had you been
had he been had they been
Future Perfect Tense
shall I have been shall we have been
wilt thou have been will you have been
will he have been will they have been
198. When we use the present and past tenses of any verb except be for asking questions, we do not say sings she? or sang she? but does she sing? did she sing? that is, we use the auxiliaries do and did.
Conjugate the verb see in the indicative mode, interrogative form.
Exercise.—Conjugate the verbs in Exercise 2, p. 126, in the indicative mode, interrogative form.
199. The use of the negative word not after a verb gives rise to many contractions which are permissible in familiar conversation. The contractions for which incorrect forms are often used are the following:—
isn’t
wasn’t
aren’t
weren’t
don’t
doesn’t
haven’t
hasn’t
There is no contraction for am not; the word ain’t is incorrect.
Contractions are oftenest misused in questions. Notice the following correct forms:—
Isn’t it too bad?
Isn’t he tall?
Isn’t she pretty?
Aren’t you cold?
Aren’t they coming?
Wasn’t it long?
Weren’t you there?
Weren’t they slow?
Don’t you believe me?
Doesn’t it hurt?
Doesn’t she work hard?
Doesn’t he like it?
Haven’t you been there?
Hasn’t he any friends?
We should be careful never to say, you was or was you; for the pronoun you, even when it denotes one person, is followed by a verb in the plural form. We should say, “You were late,” “Were you late?” “Weren’t you late?”