English for remedial students

Unit one
1.2.6 Asking questions
1.2.6.1 wh-questions
Questions that start with what, which, who, whom, whose, etc are called Wh-questions.
Interrogative adjectives and pronoun
Who (pronoun) subject/object for person
Whom(pronoun) only object for person
Whose(pronoun/adjective) possessive for things/person
what (pronoun/adjective) subject/object for person
which(pronoun/adjective) subject/object for person or things
when the choice is
restricted

 Some question words can be used as adjectives and pronoun in the questions.
 The wh-word used as a pronoun and it can be used as a subject and an object in the
question.
A. Wh-words as a subject
When a question word is used as a subject, it is normally followed by: Main verb or auxiliary
verb + main verb. This means
Wh- word + main verb or
wh-word + auxiliary verb + main verb

E.g.1.Question: What causes pollution?

Answer: A vehicle causes pollution.
 A vehicle is used in place of what. There for what and a vehicle are a subject.
E.g.2. Question: who is writing the letter?
Answer: Almaz is writing the letter.
 Who and Almaz are subjects. So, who is used in the question as the subject.
E.g.3. Question: who broke the chair?
Question: whom broke the chair? wrong
Answer: Ayele broke the chair.
 Ayele is used in the place of who. so, who is the subject of the question.
NB. Did, do and does are not used when a wh-word is used as a subject.
E.g. Question: who broke the glass? Right
Answer: Who did break the glass? It is not common / unusual.
B. wh-words as an object
When a question word is used as object, it is normally followed by: an auxiliary verb +
noun/pronoun + main verb. This means
Wh-word + an auxiliary verb+ noun or pronoun + main verb
E.g.1. Question: who was he advising?
Answer: He was advising his brother.
  His brother is an object and it is used to replace who. So, who is an object of the
question.
NB. Do/does/did (in addition to other auxiliaries) are used when wh-words are used as an object
in the questions.
E.g. Question: Who/whom did he help?
Answer: He helped Ayele.
 Ayele is an object and it is used to replace who. So, who is an object of the question.
C. Wh-word as interrogative adjectives
What/which/whose can be used as interrogatives adjectives/determiners.
When wh- words used as adjectives, these question words are followed by a noun.
 What colour do you prefer?
 Which book do you want?
 Which people do you like most?
 Whose car is it?
NB. Who/whom are not used as interrogative adjectives i.e. they are not immediately followed
by a noun or pronoun.
E.g. who boy broke the glass? Wrong
Who broke the glass? Correct
D. Interrogative adverbs
When, where, why, how, and how often are interrogatives adverbs.

When refers to time and it means at what time or in which week, month year etc.
Why can mean for what reason or purpose
Where refers to places to mean in what place or to what place
How means in what way
How often is used for frequently (how many times)

When, where, why, how, and how often + auxiliary verb +noun/pronoun (subject) + main verb

e.g. question: where are you going?

Answer: I am going to school.
Where and school are adverbs that refers to place.

Question: how does Abebe answer questions?

Answer: Abebe answers the questions by referring different books
How and by referring different books are adverbs of manner
 E. Wh-question words with prepositions

In an informal style
A question word comes at the beginning and prepositions are placed at the end of the question
e.g. 1. which town is he in?
2. who/whom does she work for?
3. which of these boys do you play with?
4. what country did the singer come from?

In an formal style
A preposition is placed at the beginning of the question before the question word.
e.g. 1. In which town is he?
2. for who/whom does she work?
3. with which of these boys do you play?
4. from what country did the singer come?

NB. Who is used if the preposition is placed before wh-word in the question.

Related questions
1. Abebe: ………child broke the chair.
Alemu: Fatima’s child broke the chair.
A. Who
B. Whom
C. Which
D. Whose
2. ……………..in Gonder.
A. Who does live
B. Who lives
C. Who did live
D. All
3. Which of the following is correct?
A. Who did kill the lion?
B. Who killed the lion?
C. Who was killed the lion?
D. Who is killed the lion?
4. A: ………Abebe love?
B: Selam
A. Whom
B. Which
C. Whose
D. What
5. A: …………was she typing yesterday?
B: A letter.
A. Whom
B. Which
C. Whose
D. What
6. A: what………… to play at weekends?
B: They want to play basket ball at weekends.
A. They want
B. They do want
C. Want they
D. Do they want
7. A: …………… does it take you to reach school?
B: about thirty minutes.
A. How often
B. How far
C. How long
D. How much
8. ……..book do you want?
A. Who
B. Whom
C. Where
D. Which
9. ……. boy broke the glass? This or that one.
A. Who
B. Whom
C. Whose
D. Which
10. …………..does she work for?
A. Who/whom
B. Whose
C. Which
D. All
11. For …….does she work?
A. whom
B. Whose
C. Which
D. Who
12. John: ……………their wedding ceremony?
Sosina: Two thousand people will attend it?
A. How many people will attend
B. How many will people attend
C. How much people will attend
D. How much people

13. Megersa: ………………..last week?

Fasil: They invited a lot of questions.
A. How many guests they invited
B. How many guests did they invite
C. How much guests did they invite
D. How much guests they did invite
14. A: ……………do you visit your parents?
B: twice a month.
A. How long
B. How often
C. How far
D. How
15. Tseday: ……….is your home from the stadium?
Ahmed: It is about three kilometers.
A. How long
B. How often
C. How far
D. How
16. ……………….in Gonder?
A. Who does live
B. Who lives
C. Who did live
D. All
17. A: What…………….to play at weekends?
B: They want to play basket ball at weekends?
A. They want
B. They do want
C. Want they
D. Do they want
18. A: ………………..yesterday?
B: To Bishoftu
A. When did your father go?
B. Where your father went?
C. Why did your father go?
D. Where did your father go?
19. Would you mind telling me………….
A. Where is the bus station.
B. Where the bus station is?
C. Where is the bus station?
D. Where the bus station is.
20. ……………..how you helped your mother?
A. Could you tell me
B. You could tell me
C. Would you mind tell me
D. You would mind telling me

21. Could you tell me if ……………?

A. Are you thirsty
B. You are thirsty
C. What are you thirsty
D. What you are thirsty
22. A: why did you move to Europe?
B: I was wondering…………….
A. Why did you move to Europe.
B. Why you move to Europe.
C. Why you moved to Europe.
D. All are possible answers