WH Questions

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“A WH question is a question in English that is a request for information rather than to answer “yes” or “no”: typically introduced by the word who, which, what, where, when, or how “. https://dictionary.cambridge.org

Let’s see the difference between Yes/No questions, and WH questions.

Yes / No questions

Yes / No Questions can be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No” You may ou may not complement your answer, the question has been answered anyway.

Some examples:

  • Are they Russian? No, they are not.
  • Can you help me? Yes, I can.
  • Is she a politician? No, she is not.
  • Do you study English? Yes, I do.
  • Was it ok? Yes, it was.

Yes/No Questions – Structure

  1. sentence with the verb to be

To be + subject + complement

  • Is she nice? Yes, she is.
  • Are the cats hungry? No, they are not.
  • Was the house clean? Yes, it was.
  • Were they at home? No, they were not.
  • Am I late? No, you are not.

2. sentences with an auxiliary verb ( do; does; did; will; can…)

auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + complement

  • Can your students speak German? Yes, they can.
  • Did the clients like the new collection? No, they didn’t.
  • Will you come to the party? No, I won’t.
  • Does she travel a lot? Yes, she does.
  • Have you seen her? Yes, I have.

WH Questions

WH Questions are open questions, they need a proper specific answer. It is not possible to answer them using Yes or No.

  • What is your name? My name is John.
  • Where are you from? I am from London.
  • How old are you? I am 32.

Check the Word questions chart:

WH questions chart

WH questions + Be

These questions are formed by Question Words followed by the verb to be, then the complement.

WH question +

  • What is your name?
  • Where were they from?
  • When is your Emma’s color?
  • Who was there?
  • Why are your friends sad?

WH questions + Auxiliary verb

They are formed by a Question Words + an auxiliary verb ( do, does, did, can, could, will, should…)

  • Where do you live?
  • When did they come?
  • What can we do?
  • Which does Ellen prefer?
  • What should I do?

WH questions + object

They are formed by a WH question followed by an object:

  • Whose keys are those?
  • How much time do we have?
  • What movie is the best?
  • How many cousins does she have?
  • Which way is the correct?

Questions ending in prepositions

Observe the sentences ending in prepositions.

  • Where were you from?
  • Who are you going to the party with?
  • What are the kids waiting for?
  • What are you looking at?
  • What was Edmond talking about?

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WH Questions list

Questions with “What”

  • What is it?
  • What’s this?
  • What’s that?
  • What’s your name?
  • What’s your last name?
  • What’s his name?
  • What’s her name?
  • What is the capital of England?
  • What day is it today?
  • What’s the weather like today?
  • What’s the date?
  • what is your favorite dress?
  • What are you doing?
  • What is she doing?
  • What is the time?
  • What are they doing?
  • What time is it? 
  • What do you want to eat?
  • What would you like to drink?
  • What do bees produce?
  • What is your hobby?
  • What do you want to be?
  • What’s your favorite food?
  • What do you do?
  • What’s your job?
  • What does your father do?
  • What does she look like? 
  • What do you have?
  • What do you have in your bag?
  • What grade are you in?
  • What did you do yesterday?
  • What time do you go to bed?
  • What do spiders build?
  • What is our homework today?
  • What is that?
  • What are you good at?
  • What do they eat in the morning?
  • What do you do for fun?
  • What do you do in your spare time?
  • What does she look like?

Questions with “Who”

  • Who are you?
  • Who is he?
  • Who is she?
  • Who is that guy?
  • Who do you like?
  • Who is your best friend?
  • Who is the best singer?
  • Who is on the phone?
  • Who did it?
  • Who did you meet?
  • Who told you that story?
  • Who painted the house?
  • Who made this cake?
  • Who do you think will win?
  • Who wants some ice cream?
  • Who teaches History at school?
  • Who delivers mail?
  • Who said that?
  • Who wants ice cream?
  • Who do you like the most?
  • Who cuts people’s hair?
  • Who is stronger?
  • Who is faster?
  • Who flies airplanes?
  • Who is more beautiful?
  • Who is the fastest?

Questions with “When”

  • When is your birthday?
  • When is their anniversary?
  • When were you born?
  • When do you sleep?
  • When is the trip?
  • When does the party start?
  • When did you buy the new TV?
  • When do you do your homework?
  • When do you wear sunglasses?
  • When is the soccer game on TV?
  • When was the last time you traveled?
  • When are the banks open?
  • When does the train arrive?
  • When does the class finish?
  • When are you free?
  • When do you come bach from work?
  • When should we meet?
  • When did you see the movie?
  • When will you finish work?

Questions with “Where”

  • Where is my pencil?
  • Where is your book?
  • Where are my glasses?
  • Where is the post office?
  • Where are you from?
  • Where is he from?
  • Where does she live?
  • Where do you keep your food?
  • Where are your friends from?
  • Where is Canada on the map?
  • Where do you eat lunch?
  • Where do you want to eat lunch?
  • Where do you work?
  • Where are you going?
  • Where can I sit?
  • Where are the baby’s clothes?
  • Where is your school?
  • Where did you go last weekend?
  • Where is the new mall?
  • Where did you buy that dress?
  • Where were you yesterday?
  • Where do you buy meat?
  • Where are they coming from?
  • Where was the meeting?

Questions with “Why”

  • Why are you happy?
  • Why are you laughing?
  • Why are you crying?
  • Why do we study?
  • Why were you late?
  • Why did you do that?
  • Why did you go there?
  • Why did you miss the class yesterday?
  • Why do we take a shower?
  • Why do you think he did that?
  • Why are you running?
  • Why did you leave early?
  • Why did she quit the diet?
  • Why are you late?
  • Why do we need to study English?
  • Why does he always complain?
  • Why do people exercise? 
  • Why did you lie?

Questions with “Which”

  • Which do you prefer? The red one or the blue one?
  • Which teacher do you like the most?
  • Which dish did you order, spaghetti or salad?
  • Which book would you like to borrow?
  • Which musical instrument do you play?
  • Which day do you prefer, Saturday or Sunday?
  • Which one is it?
  • Which way is it to the library?
  • Which is better, the round one or the square one?
  • Which restaurant shall we go to?
  • Which football team do you support?

Questions with “How”

  • How are you?
  • How old are you?
  • How many people are there?
  • How was your vacation?
  • How is he?
  • How big is the house?
  • How do you feel?
  • How long is the river?
  • How far is the restaurant?
  • How often do you exercise?
  • How can learn English fast?
  • How did you do that?
  • How do you know the answer?
  • How do you cook spaghetti?
  • How is your mother?
  • How can I improve my English?
  • how did you do that?
  • How do you make pizza?

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