English grammar: Question words

What this grammar point covers

Question words are words we use at the beginning of a question to ask for specific information, like 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', and 'how'.

When to use it

Use question words to ask about people, things, places, time, reasons, or ways something happens.

Key forms

• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• Why
• How

Examples

Tips

• Always put the question word at the beginning of the question.
• Use the correct auxiliary verb after the question word (like 'do', 'does', 'is', 'are').
• Do not use a question word if you only want a yes or no answer.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Sometimes, 'how' can be used with other words, like 'how old', 'how many', or 'how much'.