The wh-question toolkit: question word + do/does/did or be, plus how + adjective combos (how old, how much)
I can ask wh-questions with do-support and use how-combinations.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Excuse me, where is the nearest subway station? - Two blocks that way.
Excuse me, where is the nearest subway station? - Two blocks that way.
Who made these pancakes? - Grandma did, and she won't share the recipe.
Who made these pancakes? - Grandma did, and she won't share the recipe.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Question word first, then the question machinery:
| Word | Asks about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| what | things | What do you do? |
| where | places | Where are you from? |
| when | time | When does the film start? |
| who | people | Who is that? |
| why | reasons | Why are you late? |
| how | manner + combos | How are you? How old is he? How much is it? |
Pattern: Wh-word + do/does/did + subject + verb or Wh-word + be + subject. When who/what IS the subject, no do: Who knows? What happened?
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesAuxiliary dropped after wh-word
Wh-word + do/does/did + subject + verb
do in subject questions
Who/what as subject: no do
Excuse me, where is the nearest subway station? - Two blocks that way.
Excuse me, where is the nearest subway station? - Two blocks that way.
where + be: no do needed with the verb be.
Who made these pancakes? - Grandma did, and she won't share the recipe.
Who made these pancakes? - Grandma did, and she won't share the recipe.
Who as subject: no do in the question.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises