WH Questions

“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 + 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?

Let’s practice?

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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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