am/is/are + subject + complement + ?Move be before the subject. The rest of the sentence stays after the subject.
Questions with Be and Have
A1For yes/no questions with be or auxiliary have, put the auxiliary before the subject: Is she...? Have you...?
What you'll learn
- Make yes/no questions with am, is, and are.
- Make yes/no questions with have and has.
- Build negative questions by adding not after the auxiliary.
- Give short answers with the same auxiliary.
- Match is/are and have/has to the subject.
Structure
have/has + subject + main verb + ?Move have or has before the subject. Keep the main verb after the subject.
isn't/aren't/haven't/hasn't + subject + ... + ?In negative questions, the negative stays with the auxiliary before the subject.
Yes, subject + auxiliary. / No, subject + auxiliary + not.Repeat the auxiliary from the question. Do not repeat the main verb or complement.
Build a sentence
Subject
Predicate
Issheready?
Is she ready?
With she, use is and put it before the subject.
When to use
With be
Ask about states, location, age, or identity with be: Is Lisa busy? Are they at work?
With have
Ask if something is complete or already happened with auxiliary have: Have you finished? Has Tom arrived?
Markers
IsAreAmHaveHasIsn'tAren'tHaven'tHasn't
Common mistakes
Wrong
She is at home?
Correct
Is she at home?
With be, yes/no questions start with the auxiliary, not with the subject.
Wrong
You have finished?
Correct
Have you finished?
With auxiliary have, move have before the subject to make the question.
Wrong
Have she arrived?
Correct
Has she arrived?
He, she, it and singular names take has, not have.
Wrong
Are he ready?
Correct
Is he ready?
He takes is, not are.
Wrong
Don't they have finished?
Correct
Haven't they finished?
When have is the auxiliary, make the question negative with haven't or hasn't before the subject.
Common misconceptions
❝ I can make a yes/no question just by using a rising voice. ❞
In standard English, be and auxiliary have move before the subject in yes/no questions: Is she...? Have they...?
❝ A short answer must repeat the whole sentence. ❞
A short answer repeats only the subject and the auxiliary: Yes, he is. No, she hasn't.
Skills in this rule (5)
PUT_BE_BEFORE_SUBJECTw5Put am, is, or are before the subject to make a yes/no question
With be, move the be word in front of the subject. Use this for questions like Is she ready? and Are they at home?
PUT_HAVE_BEFORE_SUBJECTw5Put have or has before the subject to make a yes/no question
With have as an auxiliary, move have or has in front of the subject. Use this for questions like Have you finished? and Has Tom arrived?
ADD_NOT_AFTER_AUXILIARYw4Add not after the auxiliary in negative questions
In negative yes/no questions, put not after be, have, or has. The subject comes after the auxiliary: Isn't Anna here? Haven't they left?
SHORT_ANSWERS_WITH_AUXILIARYw3Answer with the same auxiliary in short answers
Short answers repeat the auxiliary from the question: Yes, she is. No, they haven't. Do not repeat the main verb.
MATCH_SUBJECT_AND_AUXILIARYw5Choose the auxiliary that matches the subject
Use is with he, she, it and singular names; are with you, we, they; have with I, you, we, they; has with he, she, it and singular names.