Mis Ensayos

GRAMMAR WORKSHOP ENGLISH 3
Wh- Questions allow a speaker to find out more information about topics. They are as follows:
When?Where? Who? Why? How? What? | | TimePlace Person Reason Manner Object/Idea/Action |
Other words can also be used to inquire about specific information:
Which (one)?Whose? Whom? How much? How many? How long? How often? How far? What kind (of)? | | Choice ofalternativesPossession Person (objective formal) Price, amount (non-count) Quantity (count) Duration Frequency Distance Description |
The "grammar" used with wh- questions depends on whether the topic being asked about is the "subject" or "predicate" of a sentence. For the subject pattern, simply replace the person or thing being asked about with the appropriate wh-word.
(Someone has mybaseball.)(Something is bothering you.) | | Who has my baseball?What is bothering you? |
For the predicate pattern, wh- question formation depends on whether there is an "auxiliary" verb in the original sentence. Auxiliary or "helping" verbs are verbs that precede main verbs. Auxiliary verbs are italicized in the following sentences.
I can do it.
They are leaving.
I have eaten my lunch.
Ishould have finished my homework.
To make a question using the predicate pattern, first form a yes/no question by inverting the subject and (first) auxiliary verb. Then, add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence.
(You will leave some time.) | | ? will you leave
When will you leave? |
(He is doing something.) | | ? is he doing
What is he doing? |
(They have beensomewhere.) | | ? have they been
Where have they been? |
If there is no auxiliary and the verb is "be," invert the subject and verb, then add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence.
(He is someone.) | | ? is he
Who is he? |
(The meeting was some time.) | | ? was the meeting
When was the meeting? |
If there is no auxiliary and the verb is not "be," add do tothe beginning of the sentence. Then add the appropriate wh-question word. Be sure to "transfer" the tense and number from the main verb to the word do.
(You want something.) | | ? do you want
What do you want? |
(You went somewhere.) | | ? did you go (past tense)
Where did you go? |
| | |
(She likes something.) | | ? does she like (third person -s)
What does she like? |

WHQuestion Words
We use question words to ask certain types of questions (question word questions). We often refer to them as WH words because they include the letters WH (for example WHy, HoW).
Question Word | Function | Example |
what | asking for information about something | What is your name? |
  | asking for repetition or confirmation | What? I can't hear you.
You did what? |what...for | asking for a reason, asking why | What did you do that for? |
when | asking about time | When did he leave? |
where | asking in or at what place or position | Where do they live? |
which | asking about choice | Which colour do you want? |
who | asking what or which person or people (subject) | Who opened the door? |
whom | asking what or which person or people (object) |Whom did you see? |
whose | asking about ownership | Whose are these keys?
Whose turn is it? |
why | asking for reason, asking what...for | Why do you say that? |
why don't | making a suggestion | Why don't I help you? |
how | asking about manner | How does this work? |
  | asking about condition or quality | How was your exam? |
how + adj/adv | asking about extent or degree |see examples below |
how far | distance | How far is Pattaya from Bangkok? |
how long | length (time or space) | How long will it take? |
how many | quantity (countable) | How many cars are there? |
how much | quantity (uncountable) | How much money do you have? |
how old | age | How old are you? |
how come (informal) | asking for reason, asking why | How come I can't see her? |...