QUESTION WORDS

WHEN(a) When did they arrive? When will you come?

YesterdayNext Monday

When is used to ask questions about time.

WHERE(b) Where is she?

Where can I find a pen?At homeIn that drawer

Where is used to ask questions about place.

WHY(c) Why did he leave early? Why aren’t you coming with us?

Because he is ill.I’m tired

Why is used to ask questions about reason.

HOW(d) How did you come to school? How does he drive?

By busCarefully

How generally asks about manner.

(e) How much money does it cost? How many people came?

Ten dollarsFifteen

How is used with much and many.

(f) How old are you?How cold is it?How soon can you get here?How fast were you driving?

(g) How long has he been here?

How often do you write home?

How far is it to Miami from here?

TwelveTen below zeroIn ten minutes50 miles an hourTwo years

Every week

500 miles

How is also used with adjectives and adverbs.

How long asks about length of timeHow often asks about frequencyHow far asks about distance.

WHO(h) Who can answer that question?

Who came to visit you?I canJane and Eric

Who is used as the subject of a question. It refers to people.

(i) Who is coming to dinner tonight?Who wants to come with me?

Ann, Bob, and AlWe do

Who is usually followed by a singular verb even if the speaker is asking about more than one person.

WHOM(j) Who(m) did you see?

Who(m) are you visiting?(k) Who(m) should I talk to?

To who(m) should I talk? (formal)

I saw GeorgeMy relativesThe secretary

Whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition. In spoken English, whom is rarely used; who is used instead. Whom is used only in formal questions. Note: Whom, not who, is used if preceded by a preposition.

Profesora: Eva Mª Ortiz Egea 1

QUESTION WORDS

WHOSE(l) Whose book did you borrow?

Whose key is this?(Whose is this?)

David’sIt’s mine

Whose asks questions about possession.

WHAT(m) What made you angry?

What went wrong?His rudenessEverything

What is used as the subject of a question. It refers to things.

(n) What do you need?What did Alice buy?

(o) What did he talk about?About what did he talk? (formal)

I need a pencilA bookHis vacation

What is also used as an object.

(p) What kind of soup is that?What kind of shoes did he buy?

It’s been soupSandals

What kind of asks about the particular variety or type of something.

(q) What did you do last night?What is Mary doing?

I studiedReading a book

What + a form of do is used to ask questions about activities.

(r) What countries did you visit?What time did she come?What colour is his hair?

Italy and SpainSeven o’clockDark brown

What may accompany a noun.

(s) What is Ed like?

(t) What is the weather like?

He’s kind and friendlyHot and humid

What + be like asks for a general description of qualities

(u) What does Ed look like?

(v) What does her house look like?

He’s tall and has dark hairIt’s two-story, red brick house

What + look like asks for a physical description.

WHICH

(w) I have two pensWhich pen do you want?Which one do you want?Which do you want?

(x) Which book should I buy?

The blue one

That one

Which is used instead of what when a question concerns choosing from a definite, known quantity or group.

(y) Which countries did he visit?What countries did he visit?

(z) Which class are you in?What class are you in?

Peru and Chile

This class

In some cases, there is little difference in meaning between which and what when they accompany a noun, as in (y) and (z).

1. In this exercise you have to ask questions about Ed and Liz.Examples: (Ed and Liz / be / married?) Are Ed and Liz married? ‘Yes, they are.’ (They / have / any children?) Have they got any children? ‘Yes, three.’

(where / Ed and Liz live?) ……………………………………………………. ‘In Nottingham.’

(how long / they / be / married?) ………………………………………………… ………………………… ’15 years.’

(they / go out very often?) ………………………………………………………. …………………. ‘No, not very often.’

Profesora: Eva Mª Ortiz Egea 2

QUESTION WORDS

(what / Ed do for a living?) ……………………………………………….. ………………………………. ‘He’s a policeman.’

(he / enjoy his job?) ………………………………………………………. ‘Yes, very much.’

(he / arrest anyone yesterday?) ………………………………………………….. …………………… ‘No.’

(they / have / a car?) ……………………………………………………. ‘Yes.’ (when / they / buy it?) ……………………………………………………. ‘A

year ago.’ (how much / it cost?) ………………………………………………………… ‘$

3,000.’ (they / go / on holiday next summer?) …………………………………………..

…………………………… ‘Yes.’ (where / they / go?) ………………………………………………………… ‘To

Scotland.’

2. This time you have to make questions with who or what.Examples: ‘Somebody hit me.’ ‘Who hit you?’ ‘I hit somebody.’ ‘Who did you hit ?’

‘Something happened.’ ‘What ………………………………………………..?’ ‘Someone lives in that house.’ ‘Who …………………………………………?’ ‘Somebody gave me this key.’ ‘Who …………………………………………?’ ‘Henry gave me something.’ ‘What ………………………………………..…?’ ‘Tom meets someone every day.’ ‘Who ………………………………………?’ ‘I fell over something.’ ‘What …………………………………………………?’ ‘Something fell on the floor.’ ‘What …………………………………………..?’ ‘This word means something.’ ‘What …………………………………………?’

3. Now you have to make negative questions. Each time you are surprised.Example: ‘We won’t see Ann this evening.’ ‘Oh! (she / not / come / to the party tonight?)’ Isn’t she coming to the party tonight?

‘I hope we don’t meet Brian tonight.’ ‘Why? (you / not / like him?)’………….. ……………………………………………………………

‘I’ll have to borrow some money.’ ‘Why? (you / not / have / any?)’ ……………. …………………………………………..

‘Don’t go and see that film.’ ‘Why? (it / not / be / good?)’ …………………….. …………………………………

Profesora: Eva Mª Ortiz Egea 3