by Dr. Radut

Understanding and Using WH Questions in English

A Guide to Forming and Answering Questions Beginning with WH

WH questions, also known as "interrogative" questions, are a type of question that are used to gather information. They are formed by using one of the following words or phrases at the beginning of the sentence: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Here are some examples of WH questions and their corresponding answers:

  • Who: Who are you? (I am a person.)
  • What: What is your name? (My name is [name].)
  • Where: Where do you live? (I live in [city/country].)
  • When: When were you born? (I was born on [date].)
  • Why: Why are you here? (I am here for [reason].)
  • How: How are you today? (I am [feeling] today.)

It's important to note that the subject of the sentence typically comes after the verb in a WH question. For example, "Who is coming to the party?" rather than "Is who coming to the party?"

In addition to the basic WH questions listed above, there are also more complex versions that can be used to gather more specific information. For example:

  • Who + verb: Who is singing at the concert? (The singer is [name].)
  • What + verb: What are you doing? (I am [activity].)
  • Where + verb: Where are you going? (I am going to [place].)
  • When + verb: When will you be back? (I will be back at [time].)
  • Why + verb: Why are you crying? (I am crying because [reason].)
  • How + verb: How did you get here? (I got here by [method of transportation].)

It's also possible to use multiple WH words in a single question, such as "How and when did you finish the project?" or "Who, what, and why were involved in the decision?"

In order to properly answer a WH question, it's important to provide enough information to fully address the question. For example, if someone asks "Where did you go on vacation?", simply saying "I went to the beach" doesn't give a complete answer. A better response would be "I went to the beach in Mexico for a week."

In summary, WH questions are a useful tool for gathering information in English conversations. By using the appropriate WH word and including enough information in the answer, you can effectively communicate and learn new things through questioning.