What are WH-Questions?

WH-questions are questions that begin with question words starting with “Wh” (and also “How”). These questions are used to get specific information, not just “yes” or “no” answers.

They help you ask about:

• People

• Places

• Time

• Reasons

• Things

• Manner or method

Each WH-word serves a different purpose. Let’s understand them one by one with detailed examples.

1. What 

Purpose: To ask about things, actions, or information in general.

Structure:
What + helping verb + subject + main verb...?

Examples:

• What is your name? 

• What are you doing? 

• What do you want to eat? 

Usage Tips:

• Use ‘What’ when you don’t know the thing or want to know more about something.

• Often used in interviews, conversations, and daily life.

2. Where 

Purpose: To ask about place or location.

Structure:
Where + helping verb + subject + main verb...?

Examples:

• Where do you live? 

• Where is the book? 

• Where are they going? 

Usage Tips:

• “Where” always points to a place—real or imaginary.

• Very useful in travel, directions, and location-based conversations.

3. When 

Purpose: To ask about time or date.

Structure:
When + helping verb + subject + main verb...?

Examples:

• When is your birthday? 

• When will the movie start? 

• When did you come home? 

Usage Tips:

• Always connected to time reference—past, present, or future.

• Useful in planning, scheduling, and organizing tasks.

4. Why 

Purpose: To ask about reason or cause.

Structure:
Why + helping verb + subject + main verb...?

Examples:

• Why are you late? 

• Why did she cry? 

• Why do you want to learn English? 

Usage Tips:

• “Why” always expects an explanation or reason in return.

• Great for understanding motivations or causes behind actions.

 5. Who 

Purpose: To ask about people.

Structure:

• If “Who” is the subject: Who + verb...?

• If “Who” is the object: Who + helping verb + subject + main verb...?

Examples:

• Who is your teacher? 

• Who called you? 

• Who are they talking about? 

Usage Tips:

• “Who” is always used to ask about people only, never for things or animals.

6. How 

Purpose: To ask about manner, method, condition, or quantity.

Structure:
How + helping verb + subject + main verb...?

Examples:

• How are you? 

• How does it work? 

• How did you solve the problem? 

Usage Variants:

• How much (for uncountable things) → How much money do you need?

• How many (for countable things) → How many books do you have?

• How often (for frequency) → How often do you exercise?

• How far (for distance) → How far is your office?

Usage Tips:

• “How” makes your questions more specific and is very flexible.

WH-questions are foundation tools in English communication. Mastering them helps you:

• Have meaningful conversations

• Ask detailed questions

• Improve your confidence in speaking

Practice each WH-question with real-life examples. You can even try answering your own WH-questions as practice.