Wh- Questions - English Hawk

Wh- questions are essential in English for obtaining information. They begin with a “wh-” word (and “how”) and help us ask about people, things, places, time, reasons, methods, and choices. This lesson covers the forms, various usages, and common mistakes of wh- questions, along with plenty of examples to boost your confidence in asking questions.

1. Forms of Wh- Questions

In English, most wh- questions are formed by placing a wh- word at the beginning of the question, followed by an auxiliary verb, the subject, and the main verb in its base form. However, when the verb “to be” is used, the structure is even simpler.

A. Basic Structure with Auxiliary Verbs

Structure: Wh-word + auxiliary (do/does) + subject + base verb + ?

Examples:

Who do you admire?
What do you want to eat?
Where do they live?
When do you start school?
Why do we need to exercise?
How do you go to work?
Which book do you prefer?
Who do they call in emergencies?
What do you do on weekends?
Where do we meet tomorrow?

B. Structure with the Verb “To Be”

Structure: Wh-word + form of “to be” + subject + ?

Examples:

Who is your best friend?
What is your favorite color?
Where is the library?
When is your birthday?
Why is the sky blue?
How is your day going?
Which is the correct answer?
Who are those people?
What are the rules for this game?
Where are the keys?

2. Usages of Wh- Questions

Wh- questions help us ask for specific information in a variety of situations. Below are several common usages with ten examples for each.

A. Asking About People

Who is your teacher?
Who is coming to the party?
Who did you meet at the concert?
Who is your best friend?
Who are your neighbors?
Who is the president of your country?
Who will join us for dinner?
Who is your role model?
Who is calling me?
Who is your favorite actor?

B. Asking About Things

What is your name?
What do you like to do?
What did you buy at the store?
What is your favorite food?
What are you reading?
What is this object?
What did you say?
What time is it?
What is the problem?
What do you need?

C. Asking About Places

Where do you live?
Where is the nearest restaurant?
Where did you go on vacation?
Where is the library located?
Where are you going?
Where is the bus stop?
Where can I find a supermarket?
Where did you buy that dress?
Where is your office?
Where is the museum?

D. Asking About Time

When is your birthday?
When do you usually wake up?
When did the event start?
When will you finish your homework?
When is the train scheduled to arrive?
When do we have our meeting?
When is dinner served?
When did you learn to swim?
When is the movie playing?
When do you go to bed?

E. Asking About Reasons

Why are you late?
Why do you study English?
Why did you choose that option?
Why is the class canceled?
Why are they arguing?
Why do you like that book?
Why is the room so noisy?
Why did she leave early?
Why are you upset?
Why did they cancel the event?

F. Asking About Manner

How are you?
How do you go to work?
How did you solve the problem?
How can I help you?
How does this machine work?
How do you make a cake?
How did you learn to play the guitar?
How do you feel today?
How are they doing?
How is the weather?

G. Asking About Choices

Which color do you prefer?
Which movie do you want to watch?
Which book is yours?
Which route is the shortest?
Which shirt looks better on me?
Which restaurant do you recommend?
Which team won the game?
Which subject do you like the most?
Which road should we take?
Which phone is the best?

H. Other Wh- Questions

How much does it cost?
How many siblings do you have?
How long does it take?
How often do you exercise?
Which one do you want?
Whose book is this?
Whom did you call?
What kind of music do you like?
Where exactly is the station?
Why exactly did that happen?

3. Common Mistakes and Tips

When forming wh- questions, avoid these common errors:

Mistake: Forgetting the auxiliary “do/does” when it’s needed.
Tip: Always include the auxiliary for non-“to be” verbs.
Mistake: Placing the wh- word in the wrong position.
Tip: Ensure the wh- word is at the beginning of the question.
Mistake: Using the wrong form of “to be.”
Tip: Remember to use “is” for he/she/it and “are” for plural subjects.
Mistake: Not inverting the subject and auxiliary in questions.
Tip: In wh- questions, the auxiliary comes before the subject.
Mistake: Overusing wh- words when a simple yes/no question is enough.
Tip: Use wh- questions only when specific information is needed.