WH-Question Rules
WH-questions are questions that begin with words like What, Where, When, Why, Who,
Whom, Which, Whose, and How. They are used to ask for specific information.
Basic Rule
WH-word + Helping Verb + Subject + Main Verb + ?
Examples
• What are you doing?
• Where do you live?
• When will they arrive?
• Why did she leave early?
• How can I help you?
Common WH-Words and Examples
WH-Word Use Example
What Things, actions, information What is your name?
Who People (subject) Who wrote this letter?
Whom People (object) Whom did you meet yesterday?
Whose Possession Whose book is this?
Which Choice among options Which color do you prefer?
Where Place Where do you study?
When Time When will the exam start?
Why Reason Why are you late?
How Manner/condition How do you travel to school?
Rules According to Tense
1. Present Simple
WH-word + do/does + subject + verb?
• Where do you live?
• Why does he work hard?
• What do they eat for breakfast?
2. Past Simple
WH-word + did + subject + verb?
• When did you arrive?
• Where did she go?
• Why did they cancel the match?
3. Future Simple
WH-word + will + subject + verb?
• When will you come?
• Where will they stay?
• What will she do tomorrow?
4. Present Continuous
WH-word + am/is/are + subject + verb-ing?
• What are you reading?
• Where is he going?
• Why are they laughing?
5. Present Perfect
WH-word + has/have + subject + past participle?
• What have you done?
• Where has she gone?
• Why have they left?
Special Rule: When "Who" Is the Subject
If who itself is the subject, do not use do/does/did.
Examples
Who called you?
Who broke the window?
Who teaches English here?
Who did call you?
How Many / How Much / How Long
How many (countable nouns)
• How many students are there in your class?
• How many books did you buy?
How much (uncountable nouns or price)
• How much water do you drink?
• How much does this bag cost?
How long (duration)
• How long have you lived here?
• How long will the meeting last?
How often (frequency)
• How often do you exercise?
• How often does she visit her grandparents?
Changing Statements into WH-Questions
Statement:
Rahim lives in Dhaka.
Question: Where does Rahim live?
Statement:
She arrived yesterday.
Question: When did she arrive?
Statement:
He was absent because he was sick.
Question: Why was he absent?
Statement:
The book belongs to Karim.
Question: Whose book is it?
Practice Questions
Make WH-questions for the underlined parts:
1. Rina won the prize. → Who won the prize?
2. We will meet tomorrow. → When will we meet?
3. He lives in Chattogram. → Where does he live?
4. She bought the dress because it was cheap. → Why did she buy the dress?
5. This is my pen. → Whose pen is this?
Quick Formula
WH-word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb + ?
Example:
• What do you want?
• Where did she go?
• Why are they waiting?