Key Rule:
Subject question: No inversion. The WH-word itself is the subject.
Non-subject question (object, place, time, reason, manner, etc.): Invert the auxiliary verb and the
subject.
Statement
Tense Statement (Negative) Subject Question Non-subject Question
(Affirmative)
Who/What + WH + do/does + S + V₁ +
Present Simple S + V₁(s/es) + O S + do/does not + V₁ + O
V₁(s/es) + O? O?
Who/What + V₂ +
Past Simple S + V₂ + O S + did not + V₁ + O WH + did + S + V₁ + O?
O?
Who/What +
Present S + am/is/are + V-ing S + am/is/are not + V-ing + WH + am/is/are + S + V-ing
am/is/are + V-ing +
Continuous +O O + O?
O?
Who/What +
S + was/were + V-ing S + was/were not + V-ing + WH + was/were + S + V-ing
Past Continuous was/were + V-ing +
+O O + O?
O?
S + has/have + V₃ + Who/What + WH + has/have + S + V₃ +
Present Perfect S + has/have not + V₃ + O
O has/have + V₃ + O? O?
Who/What + had +
Past Perfect S + had + V₃ + O S + had not + V₃ + O WH + had + S + V₃ + O?
V₃ + O?
Who/What + will +
Future Simple S + will + V₁ + O S + will not + V₁ + O WH + will + S + V₁ + O?
V₁ + O?
Future S + will be + V-ing + Who/What + will be WH + will + S + be + V-ing
S + will not be + V-ing + O
Continuous O + V-ing + O? + O?
S + will have + V₃ + Who/What + will WH + will + S + have + V₃ +
Future Perfect S + will not have + V₃ + O
O have + V₃ + O? O?
WH-word Selection
Asking about WH-word Example
Person (subject/object) Who Who came? / Who did you meet?
Thing What What happened? / What did you buy?
Place Where Where do you live?
Time When When did they arrive?
Reason Why Why was he absent?
Manner How How did she solve it?
Choice Which Which book do you want?
Possession Whose Whose bag is this?
Countable quantity How many How many books do you have?
Uncountable quantity How much How much water did you drink?
Age How old How old is your sister?
Duration How long How long have you lived here?
Frequency How often How often do you exercise?
Distance How far How far is the station?
Special Notes
Situation Rule Example
Asking about the
Do not use do/does/did. Who broke the window?
subject
Asking about the
Use the appropriate auxiliary and invert it
object, place, time, What did Rahim buy?
with the subject.
reason, manner, etc.
The WH-question usually uses the same Statement: She did not come yesterday. →
Original statement is auxiliary, but the negative is normally When didn't she come? (asking about the
negative omitted unless you are specifically asking negative event) or When did she come? (if the
about the negative action. statement was actually affirmative)
Sentences with be as
Use be directly; do not add do/does/did. She is at home. → Where is she?
the main verb
Part of the sentence
WH-word Formula Example Statement WH-Question
asked about
Subject (Person) Who Who + verb + object...? Ali wrote a letter. Who wrote a letter?
Subject The storm damaged
What What + verb + object...? What damaged the house?
(Thing/Animal) the house.
Object (Person) Who/Whom Who/Whom + do/does/did + Ali met Rina. Who did Ali meet? (Whom
Part of the sentence
WH-word Formula Example Statement WH-Question
asked about
subject + verb...? is more formal.)
What + do/does/did + subject +
Object (Thing) What Ali bought a pen. What did Ali buy?
verb...?
Where + do/does/did + subject +
Place Where She lives in Dhaka. Where does she live?
verb...?
When + do/does/did + subject + They arrived
Time When When did they arrive?
verb...? yesterday.
Why + do/does/did + subject + He stayed home
Reason Why Why did he stay home?
verb...? because he was sick.
How + do/does/did + subject + She solved the How did she solve the
Manner How
verb...? problem carefully. problem?
Whose + noun + This is Rahim's
Possession Whose Whose book is this?
is/are/was/were...? book.
Which + noun + do/does/did + She chose the blue Which dress did she
Choice Which
subject + verb...? dress. choose?
How many + plural noun + How many books does he
Quantity (Countable) How many He has five books.
do/does/did + subject + verb...? have?
Quantity How much + uncountable noun + She drank two liters How much water did she
How much
(Uncountable) do/does/did + subject + verb...? of water. drink?
How old + is/are/was/were +
Age How old Rina is 15 years old. How old is Rina?
subject?
The school is 2 km
Distance How far How far + is/are + place...? How far is the school?
away.
How long + have/has/did + subject They stayed for
Duration How long How long did they stay?
+ verb...? three days.
How often + do/does/did + subject He visits us every How often does he visit
Frequency How often
+ verb...? week. you?
Price How much How much + is/are + noun...? The bag costs $20. How much is the bag?
Auxiliary Verb Rules
Tense Auxiliary Used Example
Present Simple do / does What does she eat?
Past Simple did Where did they go?
Present Continuous am / is / are What is he doing?
Past Continuous was / were Where were they waiting?
Present Perfect have / has What has she finished?
Past Perfect had Why had they left?
Future Simple will When will you come?
Modal Verbs can, could, may, should, must, etc. Where can I park?
Special Rule
If you ask about... Use do/does/did? Example
Subject ❌ No Who wrote the letter?
Object ✅ Yes (in simple tenses) What did Ali write?
Place ✅ Yes Where does he live?
Time ✅ Yes When did she arrive?
Reason ✅ Yes Why did they leave?
Manner ✅ Yes How did he do it?
Quick Formula
Subject question:
WH-word + verb + object + ?
Who called you?
Object question:
WH-word + auxiliary + subject + base verb + ?
What did you buy?
Questions with be (is/am/are/was/were):
WH-word + be + subject + ...?
Where is she? • How old are you?