Understanding WH Question Words: Examples, Functions, and Usage

WH Question Words! WH-Question Words play a crucial role in everyday conversation. They support us in conducting thorough research, removing uncertainties, and having fruitful discussions. A key element of creating such questions is using WH question terms. In this post, we’ll examine the numerous WH Question Words, give examples, and describe how to use them.

We use question words to ask certain types of questions in English. We often refer to these words as WH words because they include the letters WH (for example Why, How).

The WH Question Words

WH question words are interrogative pronouns or adverbs that initiate questions. They encompass a range of words that inquire about different aspects of a situation, event, or topic. Here are the primary WH question words:

WH Question Word	Function	Usage
Who	Asks about people	Who is she?
What	Inquires about things	What is this?
When	Asks about time	When does it start?
Where	Inquires about place	Where are you going?
Why	Asks for reasons	Why did you do that?
How	Asks about manner	How does it work?
Which	Offers choices	Which one do you want?

100 WH Question Words with Sentences

Let’s now examine the purpose and application of each WH query word through examples of phrases.

1. Who

Function: The question word “who” is used to inquire about people.

Usage:

1. Who is she?
2. Who won the race?
3. Who is coming to the party?

2. What

Function: “What” is used to ask questions about things or ideas.

Usage:

1. What is this?
2. What do you want for dinner?
3. What’s your favorite color?

3. When

Function: “When” is used to inquire about time or a specific point in time.

Usage:

1. When does the movie start?
2. When did you meet him?
3. When is your birthday?

4. Where

Function: “Where” is used to ask about a location or place.

Usage:

1. Where are you going?
2. Where did you find that book?
3. Where is the nearest hospital?

5. Why

Function: “Why” is used to inquire about reasons or causes.

Usage:

1. Why did you choose this career?
2. Why is he upset?
3. Why did you skip the meeting?

6. How

Function: “How” is used to ask about the manner, method, or condition of something.

Usage:

1. How does this machine work?
2. How are you feeling today?
3. How did you solve the problem?

7. Which

Function: “Which” is used when offering choices or alternatives.

Usage:

1. Which movie do you want to watch?
2. Which book should I read first?
3. Which color do you prefer for the walls?

Less Common WH Words

Certainly! In addition to the primary WH question words mentioned earlier, there are a few more WH words that are less commonly used but are still important in specific contexts. Here are some additional WH question words:

8. Whose

Function: “Whose” is used to inquire about possession or ownership.

Usage:

1. Whose car is this?
2. Whose idea was it?
3. Whose book did you borrow?

9. Whom

Function: “Whom” is a less common form of “who” and is used as the object of a sentence.

Usage:

1. Whom did you invite to the party?
2. To whom should I address this letter?
3. Whom did you see at the store?

10. Whence

Function: “Whence” is an old-fashioned word that means “from where.”

Usage:

1. Whence did you come?
2. I know not whence he came.

11. Whither

Function: “Whither” is another older term that means “to where.”

Usage:

1. Whither are you going?
2. He asked, “Whither shall we journey?”

12. Whatsoever

Function: “Whatsoever” is an emphatic form of “what” and is used to emphasize the question.

Usage:

1. Whatsoever made you think that?
2. I will do whatsoever it takes to succeed.

13. Whoever

Function: “Whoever” is an emphatic form of “who” and is used to emphasize the question.

Usage:

1. Whoever told you that was mistaken.
2. Whoever can solve this puzzle is a genius.

14. Whatever

Function: “Whatever” is an emphatic form of “what” and is used to emphasize the question.

Usage:

1. Whatever happened to that old car?
2. I will eat whatever you cook for dinner.

15. Whichever

Function: “Whichever” is an emphatic form of “which” and is used to emphasize the question.

Usage:

1. Choose whichever dress you like best.
2. You can take whichever route you prefer.

These additional WH question words may not be as commonly used as the primary ones, but they serve specific purposes in more specialized contexts. Expanding your knowledge of these words can enhance your ability to ask questions and seek information effectively in various situations.

Interrogative Sentences in English

Responding To WH Questions

What What is it? It’s a table. What color is your dress? It’s purple. What is your mom doing? She’s cooking in the kitchen.	When When will the train arrive? The train will arrive in 30 minutes. When does she get up? She gets up at 6 am.	Where Where do you live? I live in Washington D.C. Where are you going? I’m going to the zoo. Where did you leave my jacket? I left it in my bedroom.
Who Who’s this? She’s my new roommate. Who wants to be a scientist in the future? My sister does. I don’t. Who would you like to travel with? I would like to travel with my best friend, Kim.	Whom Whom should we talk to? We should talk to the principal. She’s responsible for student issues. Whom did you see yesterday? I saw Kevin and his girlfriend.	Which Which shirt do you like? I like the one with the big yellow star on it. Which color do you choose? I choose red. Which is the longest river in the world? That’s the Nile.
Why Why don’t we visit him now? It’s a good idea. Why did you leave so early? Because I didn’t enjoy the party.	How How’s the weather? It’s sunny and hot. How do you feel? I feel much better now. How did you know him? We were old friends.	Whose Whose jacket is this? It’s my mom’s. Whose birthday is today? It’s Jenny’s. Whose pencil is on the floor? That’s mine.

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