What are English Question Words?
Question words are special words we use to ask questions. They help us get specific information.
These words usually come at the very beginning of a question.
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When Do We Use Who?
We use Who to ask about people.
You want to know the name or identity of a person.
- Who is your teacher?
- Who is that man?
When Do We Use What?
We use What to ask about things, ideas, or general information.
You want to know about an object, an action, or a fact.
- What is your name?
- What is this?
- What do you like?
When Do We Use Where?
We use Where to ask about places or locations.
You want to know the position or destination of something or someone.
- Where are you from?
- Where is the book?
- Where do you live?
When Do We Use When?
We use When to ask about time.
You want to know the day, date, or hour of an event.
- When is your birthday?
- When do you eat lunch?
- When does the class start?
How Do We Form Simple Questions?
For very simple questions, the question word comes first. Then comes the verb, and then the subject.
- Question word + verb (is/are) + subject?
- Example: Who is she?
- Example: Where are they?
For questions with other verbs, we often use do or does.
- Question word + do/does + subject + main verb?
- Example: What do you do?
- Example: When does he work?
| Question Word | What It Asks About |
|---|---|
| Who | People (e.g., Who is he?) |
| What | Things, ideas, information (e.g., What is this?) |
| Where | Places, locations (e.g., Where is the school?) |
| When | Time (e.g., When is the party?) |
Examples
- Who is your best friend?
- What is your favorite color?
- Where is the nearest park?
- When do you go to bed?
- What do you eat for breakfast?
- Who lives in that house?
Practice
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Chat with an Advisor on WhatsAppCommon mistakes for Spanish speakers
Spanish speakers sometimes make mistakes with word order in English questions.
- Incorrect word order: You might say Where you live? This is a direct translation from Spanish.
- Correct word order: In English, we need an auxiliary verb (do/does) or the verb to be after the question word. The correct way is Where do you live? or Where is he?
- Omitting auxiliary verbs: Another common error is to forget do or does. For example, What you want? is incorrect.
- Correct form: It should be What do you want?
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common question words for beginners?
For beginners, the most common and important question words are Who, What, Where, and When. These help you ask about people, things, places, and time.
Do question words always go at the beginning of a sentence?
Yes, in most standard English questions, the question word (Who, What, Where, When) comes at the very beginning of the sentence.
Why is word order important in English questions?
Word order is very important in English questions because it helps people understand your meaning clearly. If the words are in the wrong order, the question can sound confusing or incorrect, like You live where? instead of Where do you live?
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