Wh - Questions

Wh- Questions

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Wh- Questions allow a speaker to find out more information about topics. They are as follows: When? Where? Who? Why? How? What? Time Place Person Reason Manner Object/Idea/Action Other words can also be used to inquire about specific information: Which (one)? Whose? Whom? How much? How many? How long? How often? How far? What kind (of)? Choice of alternatives Possession Person (objective formal) Price, amount (non-count) Quantity (count) Duration Frequency Distance Description The "grammar" used with wh- questions depends on whether the topic being asked about is the "subject" or "predicate" of a sentence. For the subject pattern, simply replace the person or thing being asked about with the appropriate wh-word. (Someone has my baseball.) (Something is bothering you.) Who has my baseball? What is bothering you? For the predicate pattern, wh- question formation depends on whether there is an "auxiliary" verb in the original sentence. Auxiliary or "helping" verbs are verbs thatprecede main verbs. Auxiliary verbs are italicized in the following sentences. I can do it. They are leaving. I have eaten my lunch. I should have finished my homework. To make a question using the predicate pattern, first form a yes/no question byinverting the subject and (first) auxiliary verb. Then, add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence. (You will leave some time.) ? will you leave When will you leave? (He is doing something.) ? is he doing What is he doing? (They have been somewhere.) ? have they been Where have they been? If there is no auxiliary and the verb is "be," invert the subject and verb, then add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence. (He is someone.) ? is he Who is he? (The meeting was some time.) ? was the meeting When was the meeting? If there is no auxiliary and the verb is not "be," add do to the beginning of the sentence. Then add the appropriate wh-question word. Be sure to "transfer" the tense and number from the main verb to the word do. (You want something.) ? do you want What do you want? (You went somewhere.) ? did you go (past tense) Where did you go? (She likes something.) ? does she like (third person -s) What does she like?

Classroom Questions

Here are some questions, phrases, and sentences for use in the classroom.
See also: Free-English-Study: Classroom Questions

What's your name? What is this? What is that? How do you say it in English? How do you spell it? Please say it again. Please speak more slowly. I don't understand. I'm sorry.

My name is Robert. You can call me Bob That's a pencil It's a desk. Eraser. E-R-A-S-E-R. All right. Okay. Listen carefully. Let me explain. That's okay.

See also: For Conversation practice :
Sitautions: Classroom Questions
Grammar: Wh - Questions

This, That, These, Those

This, That, These, Those
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Demonstratives are used to point out a particular item. They are as follows:
This (indicates something close to the speaker)
That (indicates something away from the speaker)
These (indicates some things close to the speaker)
Those (indicates some things away from the speaker)
Example:
A: What is this? (pointing to something held in the speaker's hand or near the speaker)
B: A pencil.
A: What is that? (pointing to something at a distance from the speaker)
B: A tree.
Remember that demonstratives are used in reference to the speaker. (What is near
"you" may not be near "me" and vice versa.)

A: What's that you're holding? B: This is an egg. Here, catch! A: Oops. B: That's a mess. A: What are these (holding up a pair of slippers) B: Those are slippers.

Be sure to use this/that with singular and non-count nouns and these/those with
count nouns.

This orange is sour.	These oranges are sweet.
That truck is full.	Those trucks are empty.
This milk is fresh.

Sometimes demonstratives can be used as pronouns (to refer to a particular noun.)

Give me that!	Whose are these?
Give me that (spoon).	Whose are these (socks)?

This and that can also be used with one. However, these and those are more
commonly used alone.

I want this one.	I want these. (not these ones)
I'll take that one.	I'll take those.

On the telephone, this and that are used differently in British and American English to
identify callers. Example:

Receiver:	Hello.
Caller:	I was wondering if you would be interested in buying . . .
Receiver:	Who is this? (American)
	Who is that? (British)
	(Both expressions are used to ask the caller to identify himself/herself.)
Caller:	This is Mr. Fuller from the Acme Brush Company.
	(Same for both British and American English)
Caller:	Hi Jack. Long time no see!
Receiver:	Is this Bob? What a surprise! (American)
	Is that Bob? What a surprise! (British)

Asking for information

1. What is this?

2. What is that?

3. What's this?

4. What's it?

5. What are these?

6. What are those?

7. Where is Mr. Ravi?

8. Where is Miss. Geetha?

9. Where's your father?

10. How is the food?

1. This is a table.
2. That is a chair.
3. It's a pen.
4. It's an apple.
5. These are pencils.
6. Those are books.
7. He is over there.
8. She's (right) here.
9. He's in the house.
10. It's delicious

Grammar

 this, that, these, those

cock

crane

dove

duck

ducklings

eagle

flamingo

hen

stork

kingfisher

pheasant

ostrich

owl

parrot

peacock

peahen

pelican

penguins

pigeon

seagull

swallow

stork

swallow

swan

turkey

woodpecker

Fill in the blanks

1. d---g
2. c---t
3. c---w
4. p---g
5. f---x
6. li---n
7. be---r
8. ti---er
9. ho---se
10. cam---l
11. go---t
12. g---raffe
13. m---nkey
14. d---er
15. d---nkey