Practice
Wh-questions: question words and word order
Sign in to saveYou know a friend is late. To ask for a reason, start with why and then put the helper verb before the subject: Why are you late?
Choose a suitable question word and form clear present and past questions with the correct word order.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Where does your brother work? /weə dʌz jə ˈbrʌðə wɜːk/
The short answer
Choose the question word for the answer you need. Then use question word + be + subject, or question word + do, does, or did + subject + base verb.
Where does your brother work?
Why it works: Where asks for a place. Does comes before the singular subject your brother, and work stays in the base form.
6 more examples
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Where is the community center?
Where asks for a place, and is comes before the subject the community center.
Not this:
Whatis at the community center? What changes: What asks for information about a thing or activity there. -
When do your classes start?
When asks for a time. Do comes before the subject your classes.
Not this:
Whydo your classes start early? What changes: Why asks for the reason for the early start. -
What does Lina study at college?
Does is used with Lina, and study stays in the base form.
Not this:
Whichcourse does Lina study this term? What changes: Which points to a known or limited choice of courses. -
Why did the bus stop?
Did marks the past question, so stop stays in the base form.
Not this:
Whostopped the bus? What changes: Who is the subject in this question, so it does not need did. -
Who lives in that apartment?
Who is the subject of lives, so the question uses the same verb order as a statement.
Not this:
Whodo you visit in that apartment? What changes: Here, you is the subject, so do is needed before it. -
How often do you call your family?
How often asks about frequency.
Not this:
How longdo you call your family for? What changes: How long asks about the length of a call.
Read the full guide
First, think about the answer you expect. Use who for a person, where for a place, when for time, why for a reason, and how for a method or condition. Next, check the verb. Questions with be have one order, while many other questions need do, does, or did.
Choose the information you need
Start with the answer you want. If the answer is a person's name, use who. If it is a place, use where. A reason needs why, and a time needs when.
When is the meeting?
The answer can be a time or date, such as at three o'clock or on Friday.
You need the name of the person who manages a store. Which question word do you need?
Use who: Who manages the store?
Put be before the subject
When be is the main verb, put am, is, or are after the question word and before the subject. Do not add do or does.
Why is the door open?
Is comes before the subject the door.
Where are my glasses?
Are comes before the subject my glasses.
Choose the correct question: Where do the tickets are? or Where are the tickets?
Use Where are the tickets? The main verb is are, so do is not needed.
Use do and does with present simple verbs
With most present simple verbs, use do or does after the question word. Use does with he, she, it, and singular names. The main verb stays in its base form.
Where do you buy vegetables?
Do comes before the subject you.
When does the train arrive?
Does comes before the singular subject the train, and arrive has no s.
Choose the correct question: What does he needs? or What does he need?
Use What does he need? Does already marks the present simple.
Use did for past questions
Use did for many past simple questions. Did comes before the subject, and the main verb returns to the base form.
Why did you miss the bus?
Did marks the past. Miss does not change to missed.
What did they cook last night?
Cook stays in the base form after did.
Choose the correct question: When did she arrived? or When did she arrive?
Use When did she arrive? The past meaning is already in did.
Recognize subject questions
Sometimes who or what is the subject, which means it does the action. In that pattern, do not use do, does, or did.
Who sent the email?
Who is the subject of sent. The question asks for the person who acted.
What happened after lunch?
What is the subject of happened, so the word order stays simple.
Choose the correct question: Who did break the window? or Who broke the window?
Use Who broke the window? Who is the subject of broke.
Add detail with which, whose, and how
Use which for a choice from a smaller group and whose for an owner. Add another word after how when you need a particular detail, such as age, amount, distance, or frequency.
Which bus goes to the museum?
Which suggests that several buses are possible.
Whose phone is ringing?
Whose asks who owns the phone.
Which question asks about frequency: How old are you? or How often do you travel?
How often do you travel? asks how regularly something happens.
Before you go
Remember this
Choose the question word from the information you need. With be, put be before the subject. With many other verbs, use do, does, or did before the subject and keep the main verb in the base form. Leave out the helper when who or what is the subject.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Wh-questions: question words and word order"
What are wh-questions in English?
Wh-questions ask for particular information instead of a yes or no answer. Use who for a person, what for information about a thing or action, where for a place, when for time, and why for a reason. How, which, and whose ask for other kinds of detail.
Where is the community center?
How does word order work with be in a wh-question?
Put the question word first, then am, is, or are, then the subject. For example, say Where is the community center? and Why is the door open? Do not add do or does when be is the main verb.
What is at the community center?
Why do wh-questions use do, does, or did?
Many questions with ordinary verbs need a helper verb before the subject. Use do with I, you, we, and they. Use does with he, she, it, and a singular name. Use did for past questions. Keep the main verb in the base form after the helper.
When do your classes start?
When should I leave out do, does, or did?
Leave out the helper when be is the main verb. Also leave it out when who or what is the subject that performs the action. For example, Who sent the email? asks for the person who sent it, so who is the subject.
Why do your classes start early?
What is the difference between what, which, and whose?
Use what for an open question about information, a thing, or an action. Use which when you expect a choice from a smaller group. Use whose to ask about ownership. For example, Which bus goes to the museum? asks for a choice, while Whose phone is ringing? asks who owns the phone.
What does Lina study at college?