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Question words

Chapter 6: a) Question Words

b) Question Tags
c) Articles: A/An, The
d) One/ One, Another / The Other

6.a Questions Words

Question words are: what, who, where, when, why, how, which,
and whose.

What asks about actions or things.

□ What are you doing?- I'm looking for something.

Who asks about people.

□ Who told you?- Peter.

Where asks about place.

□ Where is the manager?- In Tehran.

When asks about time.

□ When did this happen?- Yesterday afternoon.

Why asks about reason or purpose.

□ Why have you come?- Because I want to talk to you.

How asks about means, manner or degree.

□ How did you get here?- By car
□ How long did it take?- About an hour.

Which asks about things or people.

□ Which do you play best, the guitar or the violin?-The violin.
□ Which box are your photos in?- This one here.
Whose asks about possession.
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□ Whose(dog) is that ?- It's mine.

When what or who asks about the subject, the verb is the same as
in statement:
□ What's making that noise? - The washing-machine.
□ Who invited you?- Ben invited me.

When what or who asks about the object, an auxiliary or modal

verb comes before the subject. We use a form of do in the simple
present or simple past tense.
□ What's David making?- A table.
□ Who do you know here?- Well, I know Mary.
□ Who did you invite?- Oh, a few friends.

We use which when there is a limited (and often very small)

number of possible answers to choose from.
□ Which of these girls / Which one is your friend?- The one on
the left.

In a question, we usually put a preposition in the same place as in

a statement.
□ Mary is working in the small office now.
Which office is Mary working in now?
□ Who did you speak to?
We spoke to the manager.

In more formal or written English we can put a preposition at the

beginning of a question.
□ In Which office is Mary working now?

In written or formal English we use whom, instead of who. Whom

is specially used after a preposition.
□ To whom did you speak?
What ….for?= Why?
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□ What did she want you for?- Oh, nothing important.

What ….like? asks a question that we can answer with adjective.

□ What's she like?- She's very nice.

Exercises:

1. Make information questions using where, why, when, or what

time.
1. I got up at 7:30 this morning.
…..What time did you get up this morning?............................ .
2. I ate lunch at the cafeteria today.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
3. I ate lunch at noon.
……………………………………………………………………….……..…………….… .
4. I eat lunch at the cafeteria because the food is good.
………………………………………………………………………………………….…… .
5. My aunt and uncle live in Chicago.
…………………………………………………………….…………………………………. .
6. I'm going to visit my aunt and uncle next week.
……………………………………………………….………………………………………. .
7. I'll get home around six tonight.
………………………………………………….……………………………………………. .
8. You can catch a bus at that corner.
…………………………………………….…………………………………………………. .

2. Make questions using what, who, or who(m).

1. I saw an accident.
….What did you see?............................................................... .
2. Mary saw an accident.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
3. Mary saw an accident.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
4. Mary saw John.
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………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
5. An accident happened.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
6. Alice bought a new coat.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
7. Alice bought a new coat.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
8. I'm looking at a map of the world.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
9. I'm looking at Jane.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
10. I talked to the secretary.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
11. Tom talked about his problems.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
12. The teacher looked at the board.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
13. The teacher looked at the board.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .
14. The teacher looked at the students.
………………………………………………………..……………………………………… .

We use question phrases with what and how to ask about the
details of a person, a thing or an action.

□ What time did you leave?- Half past five.

□ What color is the carpet?- Green
□ What kind of /sort of shop is it?- It's a shoe store.
□ I'm hungry. What about you?- Yes, me too.
□ How much is this table?- Sixty pounds.
□ How many children have they got?- Two, I think.
□ How old is Mr. Hall?- About forty.
□ How often do you go out? – About once a week.
What + a form of do is used to ask questions about activities.
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□ What does Bob do every morning?- He goes to class.

□ What did you do yesterday?- I went downtown.

Exercises:

1. Make questions using what + a form of do.

1. ….What are you doing…..right now? - I'm studying.
2. ……………………………………..last night? - I studied.
3. ……………………………………..tomorrow?- I'm going to visit my
relatives.
4. ……………………………………..tomorrow? - I want to go to the beach.
5. ……………………………………..in class every day? - I study English.
6. ………………………………………………last week? - I made a toy car.
7. …………………………………..after the class yesterday?
- He (Bob) went to the post office.

2. Make questions using appropriate wh-words:

1."….Which…pen do you want?" "- I want this one with black ink."
2." ……….....pen is this?" "- Mary's."
3."………..…..is she?" "- Helen Smith."
4. "……..……. (book) is this?" "- It's Maria's."
5. "……..……do you go shopping?" "- Once a week."
6. "…………...are you?" "-I'm twenty-one."
7. "………..….is he?" " - About six feet."
8. "………....are you?" " - Very well, thanks."
9. "……..…is she?" "- An architect."
10."…....did you study last night?" "- Four hours."
11. "……………….is it from Tehran to Mashhad?"
" - It's about 900 kilometers."
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Question words

1. ………….does it take from your office to the underground?

a. How far b. How long c. What time d. What date
2. ……….…biscuits do you like?
a. Which b. How c. Who d. Whom
3. …………do you think of his work?
a. What b. Which c. Whose d. Who
4. …………will be the captain of the team?
a. How far b. How c. Which d. Who
5. "-………grows in the north of Iran?" "- a lot of tea."
a. How b. What c. Who d. Which
6. ………....goes to the city center?
a. How far b. How long c. What d. Where
7. "-Do you think she will buy enough cake for the guests?"
" -Yes, I told her………cake to buy for the guests."
a. how many b. how much c. what d. which
8. "-……has Mary been playing tennis?" "- since she was eight."
a. How much b. How fast c. How often d. How long
9. They should learn …………..to save their energy while playing.
a. how b. who c. what d. which
10. "-………….ink did you buy?" "-only a little."
a. how many b. how much c. how far d. how often
11."- …………..does Reza do every day?" "-study English."
a. Which b. What c. Where d. When
12. "-…………. do you usually study English?" "-in the library"
a. When b. Where c. What d. Whom
13. "-…………..did Alice go to bank?" "-to cash a check"
a. What b. Where c. Why d. When
14. "-Do you think he will get up early?" "-Yes, I told him……to get up."
a. where b. why c. what time d. how long
15."- …………… do you usually study English ?" "-every night"
a. When b. Where c. What d. Whom
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16. "-……………….are you ? "-an engineer "

a. Who b. What c. Where d. When
17. John meets his friends every day . ………….does John meet every day ?
a. Which b. Where c. When d. Whom
18. "………-did you do in the morning?" "-After shopping , I returned home . "
a. What b. When c. How d. Where
19. "- ……………books did you read last summer?" "- I read my teacher's ."
a. Where b. When c. What d. Whose
20. "- ………….did you send your package?" "- I sent it by air mail ."
a. When b. Why c. How d. What
21. "-……… watch did he find in class yesterday?" "- My watch."
a. Which b. Whose c. Who d. Where
22. "-………….sugar did you buy yesterday?" "- I bought only a little sugar ."
a. How much b. How many c. How often d. How far
23. "-…………….did he write the book?" "- He wrote it during the summer ."
a. Whom b. Which c. When d. Whose
24. Which sentence is wrong ?
a. Whose car will you buy next week ?
b. Where does Majid go everyday ?
c. What he ate last night ?
d. How many books has she bought ?
25."- …………….did he get up at 6 o'clock ?" "-in order to study. "
a. How b. When c. Why d. What
26. "-………….have you lived in Tabriz?" "- I lived a little while ."
a. How far b. How long c. How much d. How often
27. "-………….. books does Mina like to borrow ?" "-her friend's."
a. Whose b. Who c. What d. Which
28. "- ………… is it on the phone?" "-It's Mr. Amini ."
a. Who b. What c. Where d. Whose
29. "- ……………blouse did Sarah choose yesterday?" "- the green one ."
a. What b. When c. Which d. Whose
30. Which sentence is correct?
a. In which country is Paul living now?
b. Which country is Paul living?
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Question words

c. Which country Paul is living in?

d. Which country in is Paul living?
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Question words