Wh Questions (Question Words) - List and Examples (2024)

There are two main types of questions: Yes/No questions and WH- question. WH-questions are questions starting with WH-words including: what, when, where, who, whom, which, whose, why and how.

Question words are used to ask about specific qualities, times, places, people and so on. Below is a list of question words and example sentences:

Question words

Usages

Examples

What

Used to ask about things

- What are you doing?

- What do you think about the movie?

When

Used to ask about time

- When will the meeting start?

- When are you leaving?

Where

Used to ask about places

- Where’s my bag?

- Where do you live?

Who

Used to ask about people

- Who do you love the most in your family?

- Who told you that story?

Whom

Used to ask about people (object of verb)

- Whom did you see in the morning? I saw Mr. Mark, my English teacher.

- Whom was Jim talking to? He was talking to Jack, his new roommate.

Which

Used to ask about choices

- Which one do you choose? The left or right?

- Of all the drinks in the menu, which one would you like?

Whose

Used to ask about possession

- Whose pencil is this? Is it yours?

- Whose books are these?

Why

Used to ask about reasons/ causes

- Why did it happen? I didn’t understand.

- Why is he crying?

How

Used to ask about manner/ process

- How can you explain this problem? Please tell us.

- How can you get here?

I. How to form WH-questions?

1. with an auxiliary

WH-WORD + AUXILIARY + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB …?

  • Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs (not main verbs).
  • Common auxiliary verbs include be, do, have. Others are will, shall, would, can, could, must, should, may, might, etc.
  • What do you do for a living?
  • Why should we read books?
  • When is she coming?

2. without any auxiliary
(when WH-words replace subjects already)

WH-WORD + MAIN VERB …?

  • What happened to Peter?
  • A bad accident happened to him today.
  • Who won the game?
  • Tio won the game.
  • Who gave you this present?
  • My cousin gave me this present.

II. Responding to WH-questions

1. What
  • What color is your dress?
  • It’s purple.
  • What is your mom doing?
  • She’s cooking in the kitchen.
  • What do you think about the party?
  • Well. It’s fun. I like the music best.
  • What will happen if our team loses this time?
  • We’ll be out of the game.

2. When
  • When will the train arrive?
  • The train will arrive in 30 minutes.
  • When does she get up?
  • She gets up at 6 am.
  • When did the party end?
  • It ended before 8 pm.
  • When are you going to visit James?
  • I’m going to see him tomorrow.

3. Where
  • Where do you live?
  • I live in Washington D.C.
  • Where are you going?
  • I’m going to the zoo.
  • Where’s the coffee bar?
  • It’s between the supermarket and the cinema.
  • Where did you leave my jacket?
  • I left it in my bedroom.
  • Where have you been?
  • I’ve been in the library reading books.

4. Who
  • Who’s this?
  • She’s my new roommate.
  • Who wants to be a scientist in the future?
  • My sister does. I don’t.
  • Who would you like to travel with?
  • I would like to travel with my best friend, Kim.
  • Who told you that secret?
  • Jenny did. She told me everything.
  • Who do you like the most in this class?
  • I like Henry. He’s so friendly.

5. Whom
  • Whom should we talk to?
  • We should talk to the principal. She’s responsible for student issues.
  • Whom did you see yesterday?
  • I saw Kevin and his girlfriend.
  • Whom would you like to interview?
  • I would like to interview Mr.Patrick, the director.
  • Whom do we have to contact?
  • We have to contact the representative of that company.
  • Whom did you meet in front of the building last week?
  • That was Annie, my secretary.
  • Whom do you know in this class?
  • I only know Danny.
  • Whom are you going to invite?
  • I’m going to invite all of my classmates
  • With whom do you agree?
  • I agree with Henry’s team.

6. Which
  • Which shirt do you like?
  • I like the one with the big yellow star on it.
  • Which color do you choose?
  • I choose red.
  • Which part do you like the most in this story?
  • I love the 2nd part when the prince came and proposed to the princess.
  • Which is the longest river in the world?
  • That’s the Nile.
  • Which one is yours?
  • Mine is the biggest one.

7. Whose
  • Whose jacket is this?
  • It’s my mom’s.
  • Whose birthday is today?
  • It’s Jenny’s.
  • Whose pencil is on the floor?
  • That’s mine.
  • Whose team is better?
  • Will’s team is much better.

8. Why
  • Why don’t we visit him now?
  • It’s a good idea.
  • Why did you leave so early?
  • Because I didn’t enjoy the party.
  • Why do you think that he loves you?
  • Because he’s given me lots of chocolate on Valentine’s day.
  • Why do people celebrate Thanksgiving?
  • Because it’s a special day.
  • Why can’t I go to the cinema now?
  • Because you haven’t done your homework.
  • Why are you so late?
  • Sorry, teacher. I missed the bus.

9. How
  • How’s the weather?
  • It’s sunny and hot.
  • How do you feel?
  • I feel much better now.
  • How did you know him?
  • We were old friends.
  • How’s your new job?
  • It’s interesting. I enjoy it.
  • How often do you go to the movie theater?
  • I sometimes go there. I’m quite busy.
  • How far is it from your house to school?
  • Not too far. I walk to school every day.
  • How much did it cost?
  • It cost $4.
  • How many people are there in your class?
  • There are 30 of them.
  • How come you lost the game?
  • I couldn’t answer the first question well enough.

Wh Questions Test

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SELECT quiz_id, question_id, answer_array, question_answer_info, question_type_new, question_settingsFROM wp_9vtiwi_mlw_questionsWHERE question_id IN ()

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Wh Questions (Question Words) - List and Examples (2024)

FAQs

What are the 20 question words? ›

Question words in English
  • What (for a thing, when there are many things)
  • Which (for a thing, when there aren't many things)
  • Who (for a person)
  • Where (for a place)
  • Why (for a reason)
  • When (for a time)
  • How (for a method)
  • Whose (to ask about possession)

What are WH questions and examples? ›

Use of WH words :
WH wordsUsesExamples
WhyAsking for reasonWhy did they go?
WhenAsking for time of an eventWhen did you meet her ?
WhichAsking for a choiceWhich dress you like?
WhoseAsking for ownership or used to show possessionWhose are these books?
5 more rows
Mar 21, 2024

What are the 7 W and H questions? ›

Wh-questions begin with what, when, where, who, whom, which, whose, why and how. We use them to ask for information.

What are the 7 question words why we use them? ›

We use the question words who (for people), what/which (for things), when (for time), where (for places), why (for reasons) and how (for more details). What do I need to know about question words? I know you know the basics, but questions are quite tricky. Let's just go over the main rules.

What are 20 questions for kids? ›

Twenty questions is a classic game that can be played almost anywhere as players attempt to guess the secret person, place or thing – with only 20 questions to do so! This is a fun game to play on a road trip, one on one or with a group of kids (and adults) or all ages!

What are 10 examples of questions? ›

For example:
  • What is your name?
  • Why are you late?
  • Where are you from?
  • When can you come?
  • Whose book is this?
  • Whom did you meet?
  • Which book is it?
  • How will you do it?

What are 20 examples of question sentences? ›

Interrogative Sentences: Examples
  • Where are you coming from?
  • Would you like some coffee?
  • What are you wearing?
  • Aren't you going there?
  • Would you like to have tea or coffee?
  • Did John buy a present for the birthday party?

What are the 5 W and H questions and answers? ›

When you have completed your analysis using the concepts discussed in the previous steps, you should ask whether it meets the test of a good newspaper story. Does it adequately answer the 5 W and one H questions: what, where, when, who, why, and how?

How to answer WH questions? ›

Responding to wh-questions

Wh-questions ask for information and we do not expect a yes-no answer to a wh-question. We expect an answer which gives information: A: Where's the coffee machine? (We expect an answer about the location of the coffee machine.)

What are the 5 Double W questions? ›

(Who, what, when, where, why, in what way, by what means)

What are the 5 main questions? ›

5 W's and H Questions
  • Who was involved?
  • What happened?
  • When did it happen?
  • Where did it happen?
  • Why did it happen?
  • How did it happen?

What are examples of WH questions? ›

What are some examples of 5 W questions?
WhenWhen is dinner?When did they arrive?
WhereWhere did they go on holiday?Where was the fire?
WhatWhat did he say?What time is it?
WhyWhy did the tree fallWhy was Sarah mad at Sam?
WhoWho was at the door?Who was at the play

What are the 6 words for questions? ›

The words are Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. These posters give simple definition of what is required to answer these question starters.

What is the formula for the WH type question? ›

We form present perfect simple wh- questions with: Question word + have/has + subject + past participle?

What are some questions for 20 questions? ›

Sample questions could be: "Is it bigger than a breadbox?", "Is it alive?", and finally "Is it this pen?" Lying is not allowed. If a questioner guesses the correct answer, they win and become the answerer for the next round.

What is the 20 question format? ›

Part of a famous US radio quiz show in the 1940s and later adapted for television, "20 Questions" is a great combination of entertainment and learning. One player chooses a word (object/concept) and the other player/players have to guess the word by asking simple yes/no questions of the first player (maximum of 20).

What is the rule of 20 questions? ›

The premise of the game is simple: One person, called the “answerer,” thinks of an object. The other player — the “questioner” — asks up to 20 yes-or-no questions in order to determine what object the answerer is thinking about. If the questioner guesses correctly within 20 questions, they win.

What is a good item for 20 questions? ›

Make sure you choose a person, place, or thing that most people in your group know about. For example, your item could be “Marylin Monroe,” since she is famous enough that most people will be able to make guesses about her. You could also choose something like New York City, the Eiffel Tower, or even clouds or the sun.

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