1. Confirmation Questions
Meaning: Used to confirm whether a person or thing is N.
✓ The question ends in ですか.
✓ Answer affirmatively with はい, or negatively with いいえ and give the correct information if needed.
→ Is this a newspaper?
→ Yes, that is a newspaper.
2. Questions with Interrogative Words
Meaning: Uses an interrogative word to ask for unknown information.
✓ Examples: だれ (who), 何（なん） (what), どこ (where).
✓ In the answer, replace the interrogative word with the specific information.
→ What is this?
→ It is a newspaper.
3. Alternative Questions
Meaning: Presents two or more alternatives and asks which one is correct.
✓ Do not answer with はい／いいえ; answer directly with the appropriate choice.
✓ If neither is correct, you can say どちらも違います and then give the correct answer.
→ Is that a mechanical pencil or a ballpoint pen?
→ It is a ballpoint pen.
4. Demonstratives: This, That, That over there
Meaning: Uses the こ・そ・あ・ど demonstrative system to refer to people or things according to their relation to the speaker and listener.
✓ これ／それ／あれ stand alone and mainly refer to things.
✓ この／その／あの + N must modify an N and can refer to people or things.
✓ こ: near the speaker; そ: near/on the listener’s side; あ: away from both.
→ That person over there is Teacher Yamada.
→ This book is not a Japanese book.
5. Interrogative なんの (What kind of)
Meaning: 何の + N asks what kind of N it is or what subject/content it concerns.
✓ Answer with N1 の N, where N1 modifies N.
→ What kind of book is this?
→ It is a computer book.
6. Interrogative だれの (Whose)
Meaning: 誰の + N asks who N belongs to.
✓ Answer with N1 の N; N1 is the person/owner.
→ Whose book is this?
→ It is my book.
→ That over there is Mr. Tanaka's dictionary.
7. Interrogative どこの (Where from / Which origin)
Meaning: どこの + N asks which country, place, or company N is from, often its origin or maker.
✓ Answer with N1 の N; N1 is usually a country, place, or company name.
→ Which country is that car from?
→ That is a German car.
