`Wh`-questions
Main points
* You use `who`, `whom`, and `whose` to ask about people, and `which` to ask about people or things.
* You use `what` to ask about things, and `what for` to ask about reasons and purposes.
* You use `how` to ask about the way something happens.
* You use `when` to ask about times, `why` to ask about reasons, and `where` to ask about places and directions.
1 You use `who`, `whom`, or `whose` in questions about people. `Who` is used to ask questions about the subject or object of the verb, or about the object of a preposition.
Who discovered this?
Who did he marry?
Who did you talk to?
In formal English, `whom` is used as the object of a verb or preposition. The preposition always comes in front of `whom`.
Whom did you see?
For whom were they supposed to do it?
You use `whose` to ask which person something belongs to or is related to. `Whose` can be the subject or the object.
Whose is nearer?
Whose did you prefer, hers or mine?
2 You use `which` to ask about one person or thing, out of a number of people or things. `Which` can be the subject or object.
Which is your son?
Which does she want?
3 You use `what` to ask about things, for example about actions and events. `What` can be the subject or object.
What has happened to him?
What is he selling?
What will you talk about?
You use `what...for` to ask about the reason for an action, or the purpose of an object.
What are you going there for?
What are those lights for?
4 You use `how` to ask about the way in which something happens or is done.
How did you know we were coming?
How are you going to get home?
You also use `how` to ask about the way a person or thing feels or looks.
`How are you?` - `Well, how do I look?`
5 `How` is also used:
* with adjectives to ask about the degree of quality that someone or something has
How good are you at Maths?
How hot shall I make the soup?
* with adjectives such as `big`, `old`, and `far` to ask about size, age, and distance
How old are your children?
How far is it to Montreal from here?
Note that you do not normally use `How small`, `How young`, or `How near`.
* with adverbs such as `long` and `often` to ask about time, or `well` to ask about abilities
How long have you lived here?
How well can you read?
* with `many` and `much` to ask about the number or amount of something
How many were there?
How much did he tell you?
6 You use `when` to ask about points in time or periods of time, `why` to ask about the reason for an action, and `where` to ask about place and direction.
When are you coming home?
When were you in London?
Why are you here?
Where is the station?
Where are you going?
You can also ask about direction using `which direction...in` or `which way`.
Which direction did he go in?
Which way did he go?
Main points
* You use `who`, `whom`, and `whose` to ask about people, and `which` to ask about people or things.
* You use `what` to ask about things, and `what for` to ask about reasons and purposes.
* You use `how` to ask about the way something happens.
* You use `when` to ask about times, `why` to ask about reasons, and `where` to ask about places and directions.
1 You use `who`, `whom`, or `whose` in questions about people. `Who` is used to ask questions about the subject or object of the verb, or about the object of a preposition.
Who discovered this?
Who did he marry?
Who did you talk to?
In formal English, `whom` is used as the object of a verb or preposition. The preposition always comes in front of `whom`.
Whom did you see?
For whom were they supposed to do it?
You use `whose` to ask which person something belongs to or is related to. `Whose` can be the subject or the object.
Whose is nearer?
Whose did you prefer, hers or mine?
2 You use `which` to ask about one person or thing, out of a number of people or things. `Which` can be the subject or object.
Which is your son?
Which does she want?
3 You use `what` to ask about things, for example about actions and events. `What` can be the subject or object.
What has happened to him?
What is he selling?
What will you talk about?
You use `what...for` to ask about the reason for an action, or the purpose of an object.
What are you going there for?
What are those lights for?
4 You use `how` to ask about the way in which something happens or is done.
How did you know we were coming?
How are you going to get home?
You also use `how` to ask about the way a person or thing feels or looks.
`How are you?` - `Well, how do I look?`
5 `How` is also used:
* with adjectives to ask about the degree of quality that someone or something has
How good are you at Maths?
How hot shall I make the soup?
* with adjectives such as `big`, `old`, and `far` to ask about size, age, and distance
How old are your children?
How far is it to Montreal from here?
Note that you do not normally use `How small`, `How young`, or `How near`.
* with adverbs such as `long` and `often` to ask about time, or `well` to ask about abilities
How long have you lived here?
How well can you read?
* with `many` and `much` to ask about the number or amount of something
How many were there?
How much did he tell you?
6 You use `when` to ask about points in time or periods of time, `why` to ask about the reason for an action, and `where` to ask about place and direction.
When are you coming home?
When were you in London?
Why are you here?
Where is the station?
Where are you going?
You can also ask about direction using `which direction...in` or `which way`.
Which direction did he go in?
Which way did he go?
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