Question Words
The most common question words in English are the following:
WHO
WHO is only used when referring to people. (= I want to know the person)
Examples:
Who is the best football player in the
world?
Who are your best friends?
Who is that strange guy over there?
WHERE
WHERE is used when referring to a place or location. (= I want to know the place)
Examples:
Where is the library?
Where do you live?
Where are my shoes?
WHEN
WHEN is used to refer to a time or an occasion. (= I want to know the
time)
Examples:
When do the shops open?
When is his birthday?
When are we going to finish?
WHY
WHY is used to obtain an explanation or a reason. (= I want to know the reason)
Examples:
Why do we need a nanny?
Why are they always late?
Why does he complain all the time?
Normally the response begins with
"Because..."
WHAT
WHAT is used to refer to specific information. (= I want to know the
thing)
Examples:
What is your name?
What is her favourite colour?
What is the time?
WHICH
WHICH is used when a choice needs to be made. (= I want to know the thing between
alternatives)
Examples:
Which drink did you order – the rum or the beer?
Which day do you prefer for a meeting – today or tomorrow?
Which is better - this one or that one?
HOW
HOW is used to describe the manner that something is done. (= I want to know the way)
Examples:
How do you cook
paella?
How does he know the answer?
How can I learn English quickly?
With HOW there are a number of other expressions that are used in questions:
How much – refers to a quantity or a price (uncountable nouns)
Examples:
How much time do you have to finish the test?
How much is the jacket on display in the window?
How much money will I need?
How many – refers to a quantity (countable nouns)
Examples:
How many days are there in April?
How many people live in this city?
How many brothers and sister do you have?
How often – refers to
frequency
Examples:
How often do you visit your grandmother?
How often does she study?
How often are you sick?
How far – refers to distance
Examples:
How far is the university from your house?
How far is the bus stop from here?
Question Words.
Exercises.
Fill in the question words What, Where, Why, When, How, Who to form the
question.
1. __________ do you like best?
2. __________ does Manolo get up in the morning?
3. __________ don´t you go by bus, Cristina?
4. __________ hobbies does Carlos like?
5. __________ do they go to every week?
6. __________ old are you Silvia?
7. __________ is Maria´s birthday?
8. __________ are my exercise books?
9. __________ are you doing at the moment, Harry?
10. __________ do the Petersons live?
Fill in the correct question word.
1. __________ sits next to Dries? Mo.
2. __________ does the boy come from? From Madrid.
3. __________ old are her children? Three and five.
4. __________ is Lola´s birthday? In March, I think.
5. __________ much is the shirt? It´s twenty euros.
6. __________ is best at playing tennis? Johann.
7. __________ are you going? To my parents.
8. __________ much is an soda? It´s one euro.
9. __________ does the restaurant open? At ten o´clock.
10. __________ can I get some ice cream? At the snack bar.
11. __________ are you going to order? Pasta.
12. __________ are you going to do on Monday? I don´t know.
13. __________ has got my sunglasses? I have got them.
14. __________ is your name? Rita.
15. __________ is Helen´s party? On Friday.
Complete with the correct question word.
1. _______ much are the patotoes? One dollar.
2. _______ can I do for you? I want two white T-shirts.
3. _______ can I get a newspaper? At Park street.
4. _______ is your best friend? It´s paul.
5. _______ does Lisa live? In Boston.
6. _______ colour is your new car? It´s white.
7. _______ do you collect? Stickers.
8. _______ can help me? I can.
9. _______ about some grapes? No, thanks.
10. _______ was your first word as a baby? Mama.
11. _______ were you born? On March 9th.
12. _______ were you born? In St. Maarten.
13. _______ were you last Sunday? I was working.
14. _______ can we have a picnic? I know a nice place near a pond.
15. _______ are you going to take with you? Some sandwiches and a coke.
Choose between What, Which and Whose.
1. ________ time is it?
2. ________ colour is her hair?
3. ________ kind of clothes do you like to wear?
4. ________ school do you go to?
5. ________ doll is your favourite?
6. ________ road leads to the Zoo?
7. ________ runner is the last one?
8. Do you know ________ girl won the prize?
9. ________ foot print´s are these?
10. ________ baby is this?
Choose between What, Which and Whose.
1. ________ kind of animal is that?
2. ________ runner is the winner?
3. ________ is the matter?
4. ________ desk is this?
5. ________ cell phone is ringing?
6. ________ is your name?
7. ________ twin is taller?
8. ________ hand is holding the pen?
Complete the questions with these words (When, Where, Who, What).
1. ________ is your favourite singer?
2. ________ is your house?
3. ________ is your favourite day of the week?
4. ________ is your favourite colour?
5. ________ are your English lessons?
6. ________ is your favourite movie?
7. ________ are you from?
8. ________ is near you house?
9. ________ do you live?
10. ________ is your favourite type of music?
11. ________ are your English lessons at school?
12. ________ is your favourite sportsperson?
13. ________ is your English teacher?
14. ________ is your favourite animal?
15. ________ do you like to do Saturdays?
16. ________ time do you got to school?
17. ________ is his name?
18. ________ is the museum?
19. ________ do you go to school?
20. ________ is he talking to?
21. ________ is your dog´s name?
22. ________ is the time?
23. ________ are those people?
24. ________ are you talking about?
25. ________ are you going to leave?
Choose between How, What, Where, When, Who.
1. ________ are you, Mr Gordon?
2. ________ is she doing?
3. ________ time is she coming home?
4. ________ are you going. I am going to the park.
5. ________ are you going. I´m going on Monday?
6. ________ do you go to school? I go to school in Málaga.
7. ________ does Pedro work? He works every evening.
8. ________ many cars does your family have? We have two cars.
9. ________ does the dog want? It wants a big bone.
10. ________ much is that? It costs 3 euros.
11. ________ do you like to eat? I like to eat chicken.
12. ________ is reading in the library. Sandra is reading in the library.
13. ________ time is it now? It´s nine o´clock.
14. ________ is your school? It is near the post office.
15. ________ is this lady? She is my favourite teacher.
16. ________ do you like better, cakes or chocolates?
17. ________ often do you go to the movies?