WH Question Words Glennysha Jurado-Moran. WH Question Words We use question words to ask certain types of questions. The most common questions in English.

WH Question Words

Glennysha Jurado-Moran

WH Question Words

• We use question words to ask certain types of questions.

• The most common questions in English are often referred to as ‘WH' questions.

Can you name the WH question words?

• We often refer to them as WH words because they include the letters WH – WHo– WHat, – WHen– WHere– WHy, – HoW.

Purpose

• 'Wh' questions ask for specific responses as to the time, place, reason, thing or person.

• Who - asks questions about people • What - asks questions about things or objects• When - asks questions about time • Where - asks a question about place• Why - asks questions about reasons• How – asks about manner or condition

Question Word

Function Example

what asking for information about something What is your name?

asking for repetition or confirmation What? I can't hear you.You did what?

what...for asking for a reason, asking why What did you do that for?

when asking about time When did he leave?

where asking in or at what place or position Where do they live?

which asking about choice Which color do you want?

who asking what or which person or people (subject)

Who opened the door?

whom asking what or which person or people (object)

Whom did you see?

whose asking about ownership Whose are these keys?Whose turn is it?

why asking for reason, asking what...for Why do you say that?

why don't making a suggestion Why don't I help you?

how asking about manner How does this work?

asking about condition or quality How was your exam?

Question Word Function Example

how + adj/adv asking about extent or degree

see examples below

•how far distance How far is Pattaya from Bangkok?

•how long length (time or space)

How long will it take?

•how many quantity (countable) How many cars are there?

•how much quantity (uncountable)

How much money do you have?

•how old age How old are you?

how come (informal) asking for reason, asking why

How come I can't see her?

Forming question words

• Most wh – questions begin with a…

question word + an auxiliary verb + the subject.

Ex: What is Kitty doing? Where are you from?

The grammar

• The "grammar" used with wh- questions depends on whether the topic being asked about is the "subject" or "predicate" of a sentence.

Grammar…subject

• For the subject pattern, simply replace the person or thing being asked about with the appropriate wh-word.– (Someone has my baseball.)– Who has my baseball?– (Something is bothering you.)– What is bothering you?

Grammar…predicate

• For the predicate pattern, wh- question formation depends on whether there is an "auxiliary" verb in the original sentence.

• Auxiliary or "helping" verbs are verbs that precede main verbs.

• Auxiliary verbs are italicized in the following sentences.– I can do it.– They are leaving.– I have eaten my lunch.– I should have finished my homework.

Responding to WH question

• The answer to 'wh' questions often repeats the same subject as in the question form.

Examples:

– Where does he live? He lives in New York.

– When did they have dinner?They had dinner at six o'clock.

– Why is he going to study French?He is going to study French because he wants to go to Paris.

– What does she use to clean her clothes?She uses a washing machine.

– Who do they like?They like Mr. Smith.

– How does he play tennis?He plays tennis well.

Responding to WH question• The answer to 'wh' questions often repeats the same verb as in the

question form.Examples:

– Where does he live? He lives in New York.

– When did they have dinner?They had dinner at six o'clock.

– Why is he going to study French?He is going to study French because he wants to go to Paris.

– What does she use to clean her clothes?She uses a washing machine.

– Who do they like?They like Mr. Smith.

– How does he play tennis?He plays tennis well.

Advanced Learning on 'Wh' Questions

• Note that the verb is repeated when it expresses a specific action.

• However, when more general verbs such as 'do' and 'go' are used, it's common to use a more specific verb in the reply.Examples:– Where did he go?

He caught a flight to Mexico.– What does she do?

She works as an engineer.– Why did he do it?

He wanted to get a raise.

Wh Questions - Special Case Why

• Questions with 'why' are often replied to using ___________?

'because'.

Examples:• Why are you working so hard?

Because I need to finish this project soon.• Why did he move to New York?

Because he wanted to be closer to his parents.

More on WHY?• Questions with 'why' are often replied to using the

imperative (to do). • In this case, the clause with 'because' is

understood to be included in the answer.Examples:– Why does he get up so early?

To get in shape. = Because he wants to get in shape.– Why are they coming next week?

To make a presentation. = Because they are going to make a presentation.

Wh Questions - Short Forms• 'What', 'who' and 'where' are often combined with a preposition

to ask short, follow-up questions.Examples:

– Are you busy next weekend?Yes, I'm working next weekend?What for?Because I need to finish the project.

– Jennifer is writing a new article?Who for?She's writing it for Jane Magazine.

– I have to go away on business next week.Where to?I'm flying to Seattle on Friday.

– With Who(who)

Be cognizant of…

• Languages that do not have the same sounds• Allophones of the same phoneme• Digraphs

Digraphs

2 volunteers• Who• What• Who can tell me the difference?

PROBLEM ENGLISH SOUNDS FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

• /h/ - glottal fricative– French, Italian, Japanese

• /w/ - velar glide– Greek, Japanese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong

Digraphs…continued

• When students see two letters many times they want to make two sounds

• When “wh” is encountered for the first time in the curriculum,– students should be taught that it represents a single sound, /hw/,– which is different from the /h/ and /w/ sounds that has already

been taught for the letters “h” and “w.” – Students need only be told that the sound of “wh” is the “blowing

out a candle sound”

when/where/what

Practice with me…

Be sure to differentiate the sounds for…

who, whose, and whole

Uses the / h/ not the /hw/

Allophones of the same phoneme

• Phonemes are the smallest units of sound (mainly, consonants and vowels) that contrast meaningfully with each other.

• Allophones are the different pronunciations a phoneme can have.

Why it matters?

• What

• Chinese learners of English– Intonation changes the meaning. They need to be

made aware that this is not the case in English

Lead with culture, language will follow

Asking for information about something

• What• What is your name?

Asking for repetition or confirmation

• What?• What? I can't hear you.

You did what?

Asking for a reason, asking why

• what...for

•What did you do that for?

Asking about time

• When

•When did he leave?

Asking in or at what place or position

• Where

•Where do they live?

Asking about choice

• Which

•Which color do you want?

Asking what or which person or people (subject)

•Who

•Who opened the door?

Asking what or which person or people (object)

• Whom

•Whom did you see?

Asking about ownership

• Whose

•Whose are these keys?Whose turn is it?

Asking for reason, asking what...For

• Why

•Why do you say that?

why don't

• Making a suggestion

•Why don't I help you?

Asking about manner, condition or quality.

• How

• How does this work?

•How was your exam?

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On line quiz

WHO?

WHAT?

WHEN?

WHERE?

WHY?

HOW?