Grammar
Wh questions: ask for precise information
You need one detail, not a yes-or-no answer. Choose a wh word that asks for that detail, then build the rest of the question around it.
Ask clear wh questions by choosing the question word that matches the information you need and using the right 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 do you usually have lunch? /weə duː juː ˈjuːʒuəli hæv lʌntʃ/
The short answer
Put the question word first. In many present and past questions, follow it with do, does, or did, then the subject and the base verb: Where does the bus stop? When did you arrive? With be, put be after the question word: Why are you late?
What time does the meeting start?
Why it works: What time asks for a specific time. Does comes before the subject, and start stays in the base form.
6 more examples
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Who teaches your English class?
Who asks for the person who does the teaching. Here, who is the subject, so no do or does is needed.
Not this:Who
does teachyour English class? What changes: This form can add strong emphasis, but it is not the usual neutral question. -
Where do you keep the spare keys?
Where asks for a place. Do comes before you, and keep stays in the base form.
Not this:
Where you keepthe spare keys? What changes: With an ordinary present-tense verb, use do before the subject in a question. -
When did the film begin?
When asks for a time in the past. Did carries the past meaning, so begin is in the base form.
Not this:When did the film
began? What changes: After did, use begin, not began. -
Why are the windows open?
The verb is be, so are comes before the subject without do.
Not this:Why
do the windows areopen? What changes: Do not add do when be already forms the question. -
Which jacket do you prefer, the blue one or the black one?
Which asks the listener to choose from the jackets named in the question.
Not this:
What jacketdo you prefer, the blue one or the black one? What changes: What can be possible in conversation, but which clearly points to the limited choice already given. -
How often do you call your family?
How often asks about frequency, so an answer may be every day, once a week, or rarely.
Not this:
How manydo you call your family? What changes: How many asks for a number of people or things, not how regularly an action happens.
Read the full guide
Begin with the answer you want. If you need a person, choose who. If you need a place, choose where. Then check the verb. Use do, does, or did with many ordinary verbs, but move be itself before the subject. This small check helps you ask a question that sounds natural.
Choose the information you need
Choose a question word by thinking about the answer you want. Who asks about a person. What asks about a thing or information. Where asks about a place, and when asks about a time.
Where is your nearest pharmacy?
The answer gives a place, such as ‘It is beside the bank.’
When is your appointment?
The answer gives a time or date, such as ‘It is on Thursday morning.’
Which question word asks for the name of a person?
Use who: ‘Who is your new neighbor?’
Use why, which, and how for other details
Use why to ask for a reason. Use which when the listener chooses from a known group. Use how to ask about a method or condition. Add another word after how when you need a particular kind of detail.
Why did the shop close early?
A reason can answer this question: ‘Because there was a power cut.’
How far is the airport from here?
How far asks for distance. How long asks for duration, and how often asks for frequency.
Choose the question word: ___ route should we take, the coastal road or the highway?
Which. The question gives two routes, so it asks for a choice from a limited group.
Put do, does, or did in the right place
With many ordinary verbs, the question word comes first, followed by do, does, or did. Then add the subject and the base form of the main verb. Use does for he, she, it, and a singular noun. Use did for a past question.
What does your brother study?
Your brother is singular, so the question uses does. Study remains in the base form.
Where did they park the car?
Did marks the past, so park stays in the base form.
Complete the question: When ___ the train leave? (does)
When does the train leave? Put does before the singular subject, then use leave.
Ask questions with be
Be makes questions without do, does, or did. Put the question word first, then am, is, are, was, or were, followed by the subject. This pattern is useful for questions about identity, location, age, and condition.
What is the problem?
Is comes before the subject the problem. Do is not needed.
How were the roads after the storm?
Were asks about the condition of the roads in the past.
Choose the natural question: Where do you are from or Where are you from?
Where are you from? Be moves before the subject to form the question.
Notice when who is the subject
Who can ask about the person who performs an action. When who is the subject, put the ordinary verb directly after it. Do not add do or does in a neutral present simple question.
Who lives in the apartment upstairs?
Who is the subject of lives. The answer might be ‘A family with two children lives there.’
Who did you invite to dinner?
Here, you is the subject and who is the object, so the question uses did.
Which question asks about the person doing the calling: Who called you or Who did you call?
Who called you. Who is the subject and does the calling in that question.
Use natural word order
After the question word, use question order. A helper verb or be usually comes before the subject. Keep short time and place phrases near the end. This order makes the missing information easy to hear.
Why is Mia waiting outside?
Is comes before Mia because this is a question with be.
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Do comes before you, while usually stays near the main verb eat.
Put the words in order: where / does / this bus / stop?
Where does this bus stop? The question word comes first, followed by does, the subject, and the base verb.
Before you go
Remember this
Choose the question word from the information you need. Put it first. With an ordinary verb, use do, does, or did before the subject and keep the main verb in the base form. With be, move be before the subject. Check whether who is the subject before adding do or does.
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: ask for precise information"
What are wh questions?
Wh questions ask for information instead of a yes-or-no reply. Common question words are who, what, where, when, why, which, and how. Each one asks for a different kind of detail.
Who teaches your English class?
Which question word asks about a place?
Use where to ask about a place or location. For example, ‘Where is the nearest pharmacy?’ asks the listener to name or describe a place.
Who does teach your English class?
When do I use do, does, or did in a wh question?
Use do, does, or did with many ordinary verbs. Put the helper after the question word and before the subject, then use the base form of the main verb. Use does with a singular present-tense subject and did for a past question.
Where do you keep the spare keys?
Why do questions with be not use do or does?
Be makes its own question form. Put am, is, are, was, or were after the question word and before the subject. For example, ‘Where are the keys?’ is the usual form.
Where you keep the spare keys?
Why does who sometimes have no do or does?
When who is the subject, it names the person who does the action. The verb follows who directly: ‘Who opened the window?’ When another subject does the action, who can be the object and a helper verb may be needed.
When did the film begin?