WH Question Words

We use question words to ask certain types of questions. We often refer to them as WH words because they include the letters WH (for example WHy, HoW).

Question Word	Function	Example
what	asking for information about something	What is your name?
	asking for repetition or confirmation	What? I can't hear you. You did what?
what...for	asking for a reason, asking why	What did you do that for?
when	asking about time	When did he leave?
where	asking in or at what place or position	Where do they live?
which	asking about choice	Which colour do you want?
who	asking what or which person or people (subject)	Who opened the door?
whom	asking what or which person or people (object)	Whom did you see?
whose	asking about ownership	Whose are these keys? Whose turn is it?
why	asking for reason, asking what...for	Why do you say that?
why don't	making a suggestion	Why don't I help you?
how	asking about manner	How does this work?
	asking about condition or quality	How was your exam?
how + adj/adv	asking about extent or degree	see examples below
how far	distance	How far is Pattaya from Bangkok?
how long	length (time or space)	How long will it take?
how many	quantity (countable)	How many cars are there?
how much	quantity (uncountable)	How much money do you have?
how old	age	How old are you?
how come (informal)	asking for reason, asking why	How come I can't see her?

The "grammar" used with wh- questions depends on whether the topic being asked about is the "subject" or "predicate" of a sentence. For the subject pattern, simply replace the person or thing being asked about with the appropriate wh-word.

(Someone has my baseball.) (Something is bothering you.)

Who has my baseball? What is bothering you?

For the predicate pattern, wh- question formation depends on whether there is an "auxiliary" verb in the original sentence. Auxiliary or "helping" verbs are verbs that precede main verbs. Auxiliary verbs are italicized in the following sentences.

I can do it.

They are leaving.

I have eaten my lunch.

I should have finished my homework
.

To make a question using the predicate pattern, first form a yes/no question by inverting the subject and (first) auxiliaryverb. Then, add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence.

(You will leave some time.)		? will you leave When will you leave?
(He is doing something.)		? is he doing What is he doing?
(They have been somewhere.)		? have they been Where have they been?

If there is no auxiliary and the verb is "be," invertthe subject and verb, then add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence.

(He is someone.)		? is he Who is he?
(The meeting was some time.)		? was the meeting When was the meeting?

If there is no auxiliary and the verb is not "be," add do to the beginning of the sentence. Then add the appropriate wh-question word. Be sure to "transfer" the tense and number from the main verb to the word do.

(You want something.)		? do you want What do you want?
(You went somewhere.)		? did you go (past tense) Where did you go?
(She likes something.)		? does she like (third person -s) What does she like?

 until here how is the progress? is there something to ask? if you want to ask about this material please send the comment behind this material. for bonus i would like to give some material, exercises behind to ensure that you can master this lesson.

• Download material WH Question (ms word)
• Exercises WH Question material  1 (ms word)
• Exercises WH Question material  2 (ms word)