Wh - Questions

Wh- Questions allow a speaker to find out more information about topics. They are as
follows:
When?
Where?
Who?
Why?
How?
What?
Time
Place
Person
Reason
Manner
Obect!"dea!#ction
Other words can also be used to in$uire about specific information:
Which %one&?
Whose?
Whom?
How much?
How many?
How lon'?
How often?
How far?
What kind %of&?
(hoice of alternati)es
Possession
Person %obecti)e formal&
Price* amount %non+count&
,uantity %count&
-uration
.re$uency
-istance
-escription
The /'rammar/ used with wh+ $uestions depends on whether the topic bein' asked about
is the /subect/ or /predicate/ of a sentence. .or the subject pattern* simply replace the
person or thin' bein' asked about with the appropriate wh+word.
%0omeone has my baseball.&
%0omethin' is botherin' you.&
Who has my baseball?
What is botherin' you?
.or the predicate pattern* wh+ $uestion formation depends on whether there is an
/au1iliary/ )erb in the ori'inal sentence. #u1iliary or /helpin'/ )erbs are )erbs
that precede main )erbs. #u1iliary )erbs areitalicized in the followin' sentences.
" can do it.
They are lea)in'.
" have eaten my lunch.
" should have finished my homework.
To make a $uestion usin' the predicate pattern* first form a yes!no $uestion
by inverting the subect and %first& auxiliary )erb. Then* add the appropriate wh+ word to
the be'innin' of the sentence.
%2ou will lea)e some time.&
? will you lea)e
When will you lea)e?
%He is doin' somethin'.&
? is he doin'
What is he doin'?
%They ha)e been somewhere.&
? ha)e they been
Where ha)e they been?
"f there is no auxiliary and the )erb is /be*/ invert the subect and )erb* then add the
appropriate wh+ word to the be'innin' of the sentence.
%He is someone.&
? is he
Who is he?
%The meetin' was some time.&
? was the meetin'
When was the meetin'?
"f there is no auxiliary and the )erb is not /be*/ add do to the be'innin' of the sentence.
Then add the appropriate wh+$uestion word. 3e sure to /transfer/ the tense and number
from the main )erb to the word do.
%2ou want somethin'.&
? do you want
What do you want?
%2ou went somewhere.&
? did you go %past tense&
Where did you 'o?
%0he likes somethin'.&
? does she like %third person -s&
What does she like?