4.1.

‘WH’ question words

‘WH’ questions are ‘open’ questions. They are used to find information. This is
how the different ‘wh’ words are used. As in all questions, the verb comes first,
after the ‘WH’ word.

who person  Who is the duty manager today? John is.

 Who did you go with? I went with Martin and Jo.
when time  When is your flight to Singapore?
Tomorrow afternoon.
 When did you arrive in Dili? Last Thursday.
Whose owner  Whose bicycle is that? It belongs to Julia.
 Whose house did you go to? We went to auntie
Di’s.
what thing/event  What is this? It’s an ‘X box’.
 What did she say? She said, “No!”
 What happened? He resigned.
 What is the date today? Today is the 15th.
what + noun  What time is the meeting? It is at 8pm.
 What size are you looking for? A size 8.
 What kind of music do you like? Jazz and rock.
 What type of mobile did you buy? A Nokia.
why reason  Why is the plane late? Because there was a big
storm.
where place  Where is the meeting being held? At Hotel Timor.
 Where are you going? I’m going to the university.
which choice between  Which is the best cafe: Cafe Aroma or City
alternatives Cafe? I prefer Cafe Aroma.
 Which one do you prefer? I prefer that one.
how general information  How is your family? They’re all well.
 How was the meeting? It was long and boring.
means, method  How do you spell that please? It’s spelled ‘J O’.
 How do you turn this computer on? Press on
that button there.
how + degree  How long did you stay in Bali? Two weeks.
adjective  How old is your daughter? She is ten.
 How far is the airport from the city?
Eight kilometres.
 How many bags do you have? Three.
4.2. Forming ‘WH’ questions
With ‘WH’ questions the verb order is the same as in ‘yes/no’ questions except
that there is a ‘WH’ word or phrase before the auxiliary.
WH q u estion s w ith th e verb ‘to be’

‘WH’ ‘to be’ Subject Rest of sentence

Where is he now?
What type of bike is it?
How far is Brasov from Bucharest?

WH questions with other verbs

As in yes-no questions, you must use an auxiliary. If there is no auxiliary in a
statement, then add the auxiliary ‘do’.

Main verb Rest of

‘WH’ Auxiliary Subject
(infinitive) sentence

Where are you going?

When can you come to meet me?
What time does the meeting start?
Which one did you buy at the market?