WH- Questions

A1 · BeginnerQuestions

Where do you live? What does she want? WH- questions start with a question word, then follow the same auxiliary + subject order as a yes/no question.

What you'll learn

A WH- question starts with a question word: what, where, when, why, who, which, how
After the question word, the word order is the same as a yes/no question: auxiliary + subject + main verb
Add do/does/did if there's no other auxiliary — exactly like yes/no questions
The question word itself never moves — it always stays at the very front

Question word + auxiliary + subject

A WH- question asks for a specific piece of information rather than a simple yes or no. It starts with a question word, and everything after that word follows the exact same auxiliary-inversion pattern as a yes/no question.

"Where do you live?"

"What does she want?"

The question words

What asks about a thing, where about a place, when about a time, why about a reason, who about a person, and how about a manner or method.

"When did they arrive?"

"Why are you late?"

"How does this work?"

Same inversion rule as yes/no questions

Just like a yes/no question, add do/does (present) or did (past) if there's no other auxiliary. If be, have, or a modal is already there, just move it — no extra 'do'.

"Where can I park?"

"Who has seen this movie?"

"What time does the train leave?"

Real English

"Why did she leave early?"

"How much does it cost?"

"Where were you last night?"

"Who did you meet?"

Watch out

✗Where you live?

✓Where do you live?

The question word doesn't replace the auxiliary — you still need do/does/did (or another auxiliary) right after it.

✗What she wants?

✓What does she want?

After the question word, invert the auxiliary and subject exactly as in a yes/no question.

✗Who did see this movie?

✓Who has seen this movie?

If an auxiliary like 'has' is already there, don't also add 'did' — one auxiliary is enough.

Real life — Getting directions

"Excuse me, where is the nearest pharmacy?"

"It's two blocks from here. How long does it take to walk there?"

"About ten minutes. What time does it close?"

"I think around eight. Why do you ask?"

Practice

Exercise 1 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 2 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 3 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 4 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question — with 'be'.

Exercise 5 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 6 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question — with a modal.

Exercise 7 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 8 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct question.

Exercise 9 · Ask about the missing information

Turn into a question with 'where': 'You put the keys ___.' → (ask where)

Exercise 10 · Ask about the missing information

Ask about the missing information: 'She is going ___.' → (ask where)

Exercise 11 · Put the words in the correct order

?????

Quick challenge

Five quick questions to check what stuck.

Question 1 / 5

Score: 0/0

Choose the correct question.

You learned

A WH- question starts with a question word: what, where, when, why, who, which, how.
After the question word, the word order matches a yes/no question: auxiliary + subject + verb.
Add do/does/did if there's no other auxiliary — same rule as yes/no questions.
The question word stays at the very front and never moves.

BeginnerQuestions

Short Answers

Learn how to answer a yes/no question naturally, by echoing back the same auxiliary verb the question used.

BeginnerQuestions

Yes/No Questions

Learn how to form questions that can be answered with yes or no, by moving the auxiliary verb before the subject.

ElementaryQuestions

Subject vs Object Questions

Learn the one case where a question needs NO do/does/did — when the question word itself is the subject of the sentence.

ElementaryQuestions

Question Tags

Learn how to add a short tag like 'isn't it?' or 'don't you?' to the end of a statement, flipping its polarity and matching its auxiliary.