MASTER THE ART OF FRAMING WH-QUESTIONS
Think • Identify • Frame • Practise
Learn to frame questions independently!
1. What are WH-Questions?
WH-questions are questions used to get specific information. They generally begin with words such as Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
WHO
Person (subject)
Who teaches English?
Person (subject)
Who teaches English?
WHOM
Person (object)
Whom did you meet?
Person (object)
Whom did you meet?
WHAT
Thing or action
What do you want?
Thing or action
What do you want?
WHEN
Time
When will you arrive?
Time
When will you arrive?
WHERE
Place
Where do you live?
Place
Where do you live?
WHY
Reason
Why are you absent?
Reason
Why are you absent?
HOW
Manner or condition
How do you travel?
Manner or condition
How do you travel?
WHICH
Choice or selection
Which book do you prefer?
Choice or selection
Which book do you prefer?
WHOSE
Possession
Whose bag is this?
Possession
Whose bag is this?
HOW MANY
Countable quantity
How many books?
Countable quantity
How many books?
HOW MUCH
Uncountable quantity
How much water?
Uncountable quantity
How much water?
HOW OFTEN
Frequency
How often do you read?
Frequency
How often do you read?
2. Identify the Underlined Information
First, understand what information the underlined part gives.
Example 1: Ramesh goes to school by bicycle.
Information: Manner → How
Question: How does Ramesh go to school?
Information: Manner → How
Question: How does Ramesh go to school?
Example 2: She visited Pune yesterday.
Information: Time → When
Question: When did she visit Pune?
Information: Time → When
Question: When did she visit Pune?
Example 3: Rahul is absent because he is ill.
Information: Reason → Why
Question: Why is Rahul absent?
Information: Reason → Why
Question: Why is Rahul absent?
Example 4: Meena won the first prize.
Information: Subject/person → Who
Question: Who won the first prize?
Information: Subject/person → Who
Question: Who won the first prize?
3. Five Golden Rules
1. Identify the underlined part and select the appropriate WH-word.
2. Put the WH-word at the beginning of the question.
3. Use the correct helping verb: is, am, are, was, were, has, have, will, etc.
4. If there is no helping verb, use do, does or did as required.
5. Place the subject after the helping verb and use the base form of the main verb after do, does or did.
Basic structure:
WH-word + Helping Verb + Subject + Main Verb + …?
Important exception: When the WH-word itself is the subject, do not use do/does/did.
Example: Sita sings a song.
Who sings a song?
4. Learn the Difference
Subject question:
Rohit plays cricket.
Who plays cricket?
Rohit plays cricket.
Who plays cricket?
Object question:
Rohit plays cricket.
What does Rohit play?
Rohit plays cricket.
What does Rohit play?
Present continuous:
She is reading a novel.
What is she reading?
She is reading a novel.
What is she reading?
Past simple:
They visited Delhi.
Where did they visit?
They visited Delhi.
Where did they visit?
5. Interactive Challenge – Choose the Correct Question
Read each sentence. Choose the correct question to get the underlined part as the answer.
Question 1 of 10
6. Become a Question Creator
Now frame questions on your own. Type the complete question using the correct WH-word.
Target information:
7. Final Practice Test
Test your understanding. Select the correct WH-word.
