Introduction ❓
Question words are essential tools for having conversations in English. Let’s explore how to use these important words to ask questions naturally and effectively!
Basic Question Words 🤔
Common Question Words
- What
- Where
- When
- Who
- Why
- Which
- How
- Whose
- Whom
Question Word Combinations
- How much
- How many
- How long
- How often
- How far
- What time
- What kind
- Which one
Question Patterns and Examples 💭
Using “What”
Example 1: “What is your favorite food?”
“What do you like to do on weekends?”
Using “Where”
Example 2: “Where do you live?”
“Where are you going?”
Using “When”
Example 3: “When is your birthday?”
“When did you arrive?”
Conversation Examples 🗣️
At a Party
A: “What’s your name?”
B: “I’m Sarah. Where are you from?”
A: “I’m from Canada. How long have you been here?”
B: “About two years now.”
At a Restaurant
A: “What would you like to order?”
B: “Which dish do you recommend?”
A: “How spicy do you like your food?”
B: “Not too spicy, please.”
Grammar Points 📝
Question Word Order
-
Question word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb Example: “Where do you work?”
-
Question word + be verb + subject Example: “How are you today?”
-
Question word + modal verb + subject + main verb Example: “When should I call you?”
Common Mistakes ❌
Incorrect: “Where you are going?” Correct: “Where are you going?”
Incorrect: “What time you wake up?” Correct: “What time do you wake up?”
Situational Questions 🎯
Making Small Talk
- “How’s your day going?”
- “What brings you here?”
- “How do you know [person’s name]?”
Getting Information
- “Where can I find…?”
- “How much does it cost?”
- “When does it open?”
Follow-up Questions 🌟
Showing Interest
- “Oh really? Why is that?”
- “How come?”
- “What made you decide that?”
Question Tags 🎭
Common Question Tags
- ”…, isn’t it?”
- ”…, don’t you?”
- ”…, aren’t they?”
Cultural Tips 🌏
Polite Questions
- “Would you mind telling me…?”
- “Could you please let me know…?”
- “I was wondering if…”
Using Intonation 🎵
Rising Intonation
- Yes/No questions Example: “Are you ready?”
Falling Intonation
- Information questions Example: “What time is it?”
Summary 💡
Key Points to Remember
- Start with the question word
- Use correct word order
- Choose appropriate question words for context
- Pay attention to intonation
Practice these question patterns regularly in your conversations to become more natural at asking questions in English!