English Wh-Questions: What, Where, When (Wh-Questions)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Wh- words start questions to get specific information rather than just a 'yes' or 'no' answer.
- Use 'What' for things or actions: 'What is this?'
- Use 'Where' for locations or places: 'Where is the park?'
- Use 'When' for time or dates: 'When is the party?'
Overview
How This Grammar Works
Formation Pattern
be (am, is, are)
Wh-word + be (am/is/are) + Subject + (Extra Info)?
be (form) | Subject | Extra Info | Example |
What is your job? |
Where are they now? |
When is the party? |
What and is. Say: What is your name?.
Where and are. Say: Where are you?.
When and is. Say: When is the meeting?.
do or does)
Wh-word + do/does + Subject + Action Verb?
do/does | Subject | Action Verb | Example |
What do you want? |
Where does he live? |
When do they finish? |
What do you want?.
Where does she live?.
When do they finish?.
do or does shows it is a question.
When To Use It
What, Where, and When to get facts.What: UseWhatfor things, ideas, or actions.- Asking about a thing:
What is that?(Answer:That is my book.) - Asking about an action:
What are you doing?(Answer:I am writing.) - Asking for a fact:
What is your favorite food?(Answer:I like pizza.) - Asking for the time:
What time is it?(Answer:It is 10:00.)
Where: UseWherefor a place or location.- Asking about a place:
Where are you?(Answer:I am at home.) - Asking about a country:
Where are you from?(Answer:I am from Japan.) - Asking about a goal:
Where do you want to go?(Answer:To the park.)
When: UseWhenfor time, dates, or days.- Asking about a date:
When is your birthday?(Answer:It is in May.) - Asking about a schedule:
When does the shop open?(Answer:At 9 AM.) - Asking about a general time:
When do you usually study?(Answer:At night.)
3. Wh- Question Structure
| Wh- Word | Auxiliary | Subject | Main Verb |
|---|---|---|---|
|
What
|
is
|
your name
|
-
|
|
Where
|
are
|
you
|
from
|
|
When
|
is
|
the meeting
|
-
|
|
What
|
do
|
you
|
want
|
|
Where
|
does
|
he
|
work
|
|
When
|
do
|
they
|
arrive
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
What is
|
What's
|
Very common in speech
|
|
Where is
|
Where's
|
Very common in speech
|
|
When is
|
When's
|
Common in speech
|
|
What are
|
What're
|
Informal speech only
|
|
Where are
|
Where're
|
Informal speech only
|
Meanings
Wh-questions are used to request specific information. Unlike yes/no questions, they require a detailed response about an object, place, or time.
Identifying Objects/Actions
Using 'What' to ask about things, names, or activities.
“What is your name?”
“What are you doing?”
Asking about Locations
Using 'Where' to find the position or destination of someone or something.
“Where is my phone?”
“Where are we going?”
Asking about Time
Using 'When' to ask about the time, day, or period an event occurs.
“When is your birthday?”
“When do you wake up?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
What (Object)
|
What + be + subject?
|
What is that?
|
|
What (Action)
|
What + do + subject + verb?
|
What do you do?
|
|
Where (Place)
|
Where + be + subject?
|
Where is the exit?
|
|
Where (Direction)
|
Where + do + subject + go?
|
Where do you go?
|
|
When (Time)
|
When + be + subject?
|
When is the game?
|
|
When (Event)
|
When + do + subject + start?
|
When do we start?
|
|
Negative Question
|
Wh- + don't/doesn't + subject + verb?
|
Why don't you know?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Noun / Place / Time
|
At 5 PM / In London / A book
|
Formality Spectrum
Could you please inform me where the office is located? (Workplace)
Where is the office? (Workplace)
Where's the office? (Workplace)
Where's it at? (Workplace)
The 3 Ws of Information
What
- Things What is this?
- Actions What are you doing?
Where
- Places Where is it?
- Origins Where are you from?
When
- Time When is lunch?
- Dates When is your birthday?
Yes/No vs. Wh- Questions
Choosing the Right Wh- Word
Is it a place?
Is it a time?
Wh- Word Categories
Objects
- • What is it?
- • What's that?
- • What's this?
Locations
- • Where is...?
- • Where are...?
- • Where's...?
Time
- • When is...?
- • When's...?
- • When do...?
Examples by Level
What is this?
Where is the bus stop?
When is the movie?
What do you like?
Where did you buy that shirt?
When are you going to call me?
What time does the shop close?
Where were you yesterday?
Do you know where the library is?
What happens if I press this button?
When I arrive, where should I go?
What kind of music do you listen to?
What I don't understand is why he left.
Where on earth did I put my keys?
When exactly do you plan on finishing?
What makes you think that?
Whatever possessed you to say that?
Wherein lies the problem, in your opinion?
When all is said and done, what matters most?
What with the rain and the traffic, when will we arrive?
What, if anything, can be done to resolve this?
Whereby shall we know the truth of the matter?
Whence did this sudden change of heart come?
Whatsoever you do, do it with all your heart.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'What' when there is a limited choice.
The spelling and pronunciation are similar.
In some languages, these are the same word.
Common Mistakes
Where you live?
Where do you live?
What is the time?
What time is it?
Where the station is?
Where is the station?
When you come?
When do you come?
Where did you went?
Where did you go?
What means this word?
What does this word mean?
I wonder where is he.
I wonder where he is.
What ever you are doing?
Whatever are you doing?
Sentence Patterns
What is your ___?
Where is the ___?
When do you ___?
What do you think about ___?
Real World Usage
Where is your passport?
Where r u?
What are your strengths?
What is in the salad?
Where is the train station?
When is your birthday?
The 'Do' Rule
Word Order
Contractions
Politeness
Smart Tips
Check if there is another action verb. If yes, use 'do'. If no, use 'is'.
Start with 'Excuse me' to sound more natural and friendly.
Use contractions like 'What's' and 'Where's' in spoken English.
You don't need a full sentence. A short phrase is often more natural.
Pronunciation
Falling Intonation
Wh-questions usually end with a falling pitch, unlike Yes/No questions which rise.
Contraction Reduction
In 'What's', the 's' sounds like /s/ after 't'. In 'Where's', the 's' sounds like /z/.
Information Seek
Where is the ↘ bank?
Standard neutral inquiry
Surprise/Echo
You live ↗ WHERE?
Expressing shock or asking for repetition
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'W-W-W': What (Object), Where (Place), When (Time).
Visual Association
Imagine a box (What), a map (Where), and a clock (When) sitting on a shelf in that order.
Rhyme
What is a thing, Where is a place, When is the time, with a smile on your face!
Story
A detective arrives at a crime scene. He asks 'What happened?' (the thing), 'Where is the evidence?' (the place), and 'When did it occur?' (the time).
Word Web
Challenge
Look around the room. Ask three questions using What, Where, and When about three different objects you see.
Cultural Notes
British speakers often use 'Whereabouts' to ask for a more specific location than just 'Where'.
Americans frequently use 'What's up?' as a greeting, where 'What' doesn't really require a literal answer about an object.
Asking 'What is your salary?' or 'Where do you get your money?' is often considered too personal or rude in initial conversations.
Wh- words originate from the Proto-Indo-European root *kwo-, which also produced 'who' and 'why'.
Conversation Starters
What is your favorite food?
Where do you want to travel next year?
When is the best time to visit your city?
What do you do for fun on weekends?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
____ is the library? It is on Main Street.
What ____ you doing right now?
Find and fix the mistake:
When the party starts?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
¿Dónde está mi llave?
Answer starts with: Whe...
Where ____ your parents live?
____ time is the meeting?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises____ is the library? It is on Main Street.
What ____ you doing right now?
Find and fix the mistake:
When the party starts?
is / your / when / birthday / ?
1. What is it? 2. Where is it? 3. When is it?
¿Dónde está mi llave?
Where ____ your parents live?
____ time is the meeting?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercises___ is your phone?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: '¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños?'
What is you do?
Arrange these words into a sentence:
___ time is the train?
Match the Wh-words with their meanings:
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: '¿Dónde trabaja tu hermano?'
When you go home?
Arrange these words into a sentence:
What ___ she want?
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No, 'What's' is only for 'What is'. For 'What are', we usually don't use a contraction in writing, though in fast speech it sounds like 'What're'.
'What' is used to identify a specific thing (the time), while 'When' is used on its own to ask about the time of an event.
This is very informal slang. In standard English, you should say `Where are you?`.
No. If the main verb is 'to be' (am/is/are) or a modal verb (can/will), you do not use 'do'. Example: `Where is he?` vs `Where does he go?`.
Yes, in casual conversation, it is very common to answer 'Where are you?' with just 'At home'.
Use `What` for general questions and `Which` when you have a specific, limited set of options to choose from.
Yes, `When` can refer to a specific time, a day, a month, or a year. Example: 'When were you born?'
Add 'not' to the auxiliary verb. Example: `Why don't you like pizza?` or `What isn't working?`.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Qué, Dónde, Cuándo
Spanish lacks 'do-support'.
Que/Quoi, Où, Quand
French allows 'in-situ' questions (Wh-word at the end).
Was, Wo, Wann
German doesn't use 'do' as a helper verb.
Nani, Doko, Itsu
Japanese is SOV and uses sentence-final particles.
Mada, Ayna, Mata
Arabic uses different verb conjugations for questions.
Shénme, Nǎlǐ, Shénme shíhou
No movement of the question word to the front.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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