English grammar: Wh- questions

What this grammar point covers

Wh- questions are questions in English that start with a word like who, what, where, when, why, or how. These words ask for specific information, not just yes or no.

When to use it

Use Wh- questions when you want to ask for information, such as about a person, place, time, reason, manner, or thing.

Key forms

• Wh- word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb? (e.g. Where are you from?)
• Wh- word + verb? (for 'be' as main verb, e.g. Who is she?)

Examples

Tips

• Remember to use the auxiliary verb (do/does) in Wh- questions, except with the verb 'be'.
• Do not use 'do/does' with 'Who' when it is the subject (e.g. Who likes pizza?).
• The Wh- word always comes at the beginning of the question.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Sometimes, 'how' is used with other words (e.g. How old, How many, How much) to ask for different information.