Wh Questions | Structure, Uses, Rules, Examples - (2024)

A question is asked either to seek information or to expect an affirmation or negation (yes or no) on a matter. In each of the cases, the structure of questions varies depending on the function they perform.

Hence questions are of two types: Yes-No Questions, and Wh Questions

Yes-No Questions

These questions are framed differently based on different types of sentences.

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Sentences with an auxiliary verb: If a sentence that turns into an affirmative or negative answer contains an auxiliary verb.

Example: Will they report the accident? Yes, They will report the accident.
(Subject: they; Auxiliary Verb: Will; Answer: Yes)

Sentences without an auxiliary verb: If the auxiliary verb is absent in the sentence, Verbs do, does or did are used before the subject and the original order of the sentence is maintained.

Example:

In such cases, the verbs do, does or did become the question words and do not need an additional Question word before them.

WH Questions

What are WH Questions?

When making a question to ask for information, the auxiliary verb is brought forward in the sentence and a question word is added before it. Such questions are also known as ‘Wh’ questions. They cannot be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

What are Wh-words?

Questions seeking information begin with words such as Who, Whom, Whose, Which, What, Why, When, Where, How, etc, start with ‘Wh’ and they are called Wh-words.

Exception: The word ‘How’ starts with ‘H’ and ends with ‘W’ but it is also called a Wh-word.

Sentence Structure of a WH Question

Structure: (Question word + Auxiliary Verb + Main Verb + Object) / (Question word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb)

Examples:

Wh Questions with prepositions

When asking for information regarding some location or position, the placement of the preposition determines the formality of the question. (Note: This is not a hard and fast rule.)

Formal Wh Questions with prepositions

Generally, if the preposition is placed just before the question word, it makes the sentence suitable for a formal conversation of inquiry.

Informal Wh Questions with prepositions

If the preposition is placed at the end of the question statement, it makes the statement acceptable for a casual conversation, although it may not always be grammatically correct.

Yes-No Questions Vs WH Questions

WH Questions Using ‘WHO’

Statement: Tom Hanks played the role of Forrest Gump in the movie.

Question: Who played Forrest Gump in the movie?

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Statement: Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist.

Question: Who was a German-born theoretical physicist?

Statement: Beyoncé is a popular singer and actress.

Question: Who is a popular singer and actress?

Statement: J.K. Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter book series.

Question: Who is the author of the Harry Potter book series?

Statement: Serena Williams is a professional tennis player.

Question: Who is a professional tennis player?

Statement: Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician.

Question: Who was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician?

Statement: Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla.

Question: Who is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla?

Statement: Marie Curie was a Polish-born physicist and chemist.

Question: Who was a Polish-born physicist and chemist?

Statement: William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet.

Question: Who was an English playwright and poet?

Statement: Oprah Winfrey is a media executive, talk show host, and philanthropist.

Question: Who is a media executive, talk show host, and philanthropist?

WH Questions Using ‘WHOM’

Statement: She gave the gift to her sister.

Question: To whom did she give the gift?

Statement: The teacher called on the student in the back row.

Question: Whom did the teacher call on in the back row?

Statement: They hired a new manager last week.

Question: Whom did they hire last week?

Statement: The company awarded the contract to the lowest bidder.

Question: To whom did the company award the contract?

Statement: The boss asked the employee for a progress report.

Question: To whom did the boss ask for a progress report?

Statement: The police officer arrested the suspect.

Question: Whom did the police officer arrest?

Statement: The committee elected John as its new chairman.

Question: Whom did the committee elect as its new chairman?

Statement: The doctor prescribed the medication to the patient.

Question: To whom did the doctor prescribe the medication?

Statement: The customer returned the defective product to the store.

Question: To whom did the customer return the defective product?

Statement: The party guests gave a gift to the host.

Question: Who did the party guests give a gift to?

WH Questions Using ‘WHAT’

Statement: A bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels.

Question: What is a bicycle?

Statement: The capital of France is Paris.

Question: What is the capital of France?

Statement: A triangle is a shape with three sides.

Question: What is a triangle?

Statement: A cell phone is a handheld electronic device used for communication.

Question: What is a cell phone?

Statement: Oxygen is a colourless, odourless gas that is essential for life.

Question: What is oxygen?

Statement: A virus is a tiny infectious agent that can replicate only inside the cells of living organisms.

Question: What is a virus?

Statement: Soccer is a sport played with a spherical ball between two teams of eleven players.

Question: What is soccer?

Statement: The Declaration of Independence is a document that declared the United States’ independence from Great Britain in 1776.

Question: What is the Declaration of Independence?

Statement: A microscope is an instrument used to observe objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye.

Question: What is a microscope?

Statement: Chocolate is a sweet food made from roasted and ground cacao beans.

Question: What is chocolate?

WH Questions Using ‘WHICH’

Statement: The book on the table, which has a blue cover, is mine.

Question: Which book on the table is yours, and what colour is its cover?

Statement: The restaurant, which serves Italian cuisine, is always crowded.

Question: Which restaurant is always crowded, and what kind of cuisine does it serve?

Statement: The car, which was parked outside, is no longer there.

Question: Which car was parked outside, and where is it now?

Statement: The building, which was built in the 19th century, is a historical landmark.

Question: Which building is a historical landmark, and when was it built?

Statement: The movie, which was directed by Steven Spielberg, won several awards.

Question: Which movie won several awards, and who directed it?

Statement: The dress, which was made of silk, looked stunning on her.

Question: Which dress looked stunning on her, and what was it made of?

Statement: The dog, which is a golden retriever, is very friendly.

Question: Which dog is very friendly, and what breed is it?

Statement: The song, which was released last year, topped the charts.

Question: Which song topped the charts, and when was it released?

Statement: The plant, which needs plenty of sunlight, should be placed near a window.

Question: Which plant needs plenty of sunlight, and where should it be placed?

Statement: The laptop, which has a touch screen, is more expensive than the regular one.

Question: Which laptop is more expensive, and what feature does it have that the regular one does not?

WH Questions Using ‘WHY’

Statement: I’m tired because I stayed up late last night.

Question: Why are you tired?

Statement: The cake didn’t turn out well because I forgot to add sugar.

Question: Why didn’t the cake turn out well?

Statement: He missed the bus because he overslept.

Question: Why did he miss the bus?

Statement: She got a promotion because she worked hard and showed dedication.

Question: Why did she get a promotion?

Statement: The store was closed because it was a national holiday.

Question: Why was the store closed?

Statement: I’m happy because I got good news today.

Question: Why are you happy?

Statement: He was late to the meeting because of heavy traffic.

Question: Why was he late to the meeting?

Statement: She’s upset because she lost her wallet.

Question: Why is she upset?

Statement: The project failed because of poor planning and execution.

Question: Why did the project fail?

Statement: He’s on a diet because he wants to lose weight.

Question: Why is he on a diet?

WH Questions Using ‘WHEN’

Statement: The party is tomorrow night.

Question: When is the party?

Statement: The train will arrive at 6 pm.

Question: When will the train arrive?

Statement: She started working at the company last year.

Question: When did she start working at the company?

Statement: They got married in June.

Question: When did they get married?

Statement: The concert starts at 8 pm.

Question: When does the concert start?

Statement: He will be back from vacation next week.

Question: When will he be back from vacation?

Statement: The museum is closed on Mondays.

Question: When is the museum closed?

Statement: The store opens at 9 am.

Question: When does the store open?

Statement: She will finish her project by Friday.

Question: When will she finish her project?

Statement: They met in college.

Question: When did they meet?

WH Questions Using ‘WHERE’

Statement: The party is at John’s house.

Question: Where is the party?

Statement: The library is on Main Street.

Question: Where is the library located?

Statement: She left her phone at the restaurant.

Question: Where did she leave her phone?

Statement: The hotel is near the beach.

Question: Where is the hotel located?

Statement: The keys are on the table.

Question: Where are the keys?

Statement: He works in the city centre.

Question: Where does he work?

Statement: The park is across the street.

Question: Where is the park located?

Statement: The store is next to the bank.

Question: Where is the store located in relation to the bank?

Statement: The restaurant is on the corner of Elm Street and Main Street.

Question: Where is the restaurant located?

Statement: The concert is at the arena.

Question: Where is the concert being held?

WH Questions Using ‘HOW’

Statement: She learned to play the piano by taking lessons.

Question: How did she learn to play the piano?

Statement: The cake was made from scratch.

Question: How was the cake made?

Statement: He won the race by training hard and staying focused.

Question: How did he win the race?

Statement: The company saved money by implementing cost-cutting measures.

Question: How did the company save money?

Statement: She improved her fitness by going to the gym regularly.

Question: How did she improve her fitness?

Statement: He fixed the broken faucet by replacing the washer.

Question: How did he fix the broken faucet?

Statement: The team won the game by playing well and working together.

Question: How did the team win the game?

Statement: She learned Spanish by studying every day.

Question: How did she learn Spanish?

Statement: The car was repaired by a mechanic.

Question: How was the car repaired?

Statement: He finished the project by working overtime.

Question: How did he finish the project?

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Also, Read

Time and Tense

Gerund

Determiners

Punctuation

Nominal Compound

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