【1st Year English】Magic Words to Unlock Information! The "WH-Question" Master Guide
Hello! How is your English study going?
Up until now, we’ve learned how to ask questions that can be answered with "Yes" or "No," like "Are you a student?" But in everyday conversation, there are many times when you want to ask for more specific information, such as "What is that?", "Who is he?", or "Where do you live?"
That’s when "WH-questions" (interrogative words) come in super handy!
They might feel a bit tricky at first, but the rules are actually quite simple. Let’s master them together on this page!
1. What are WH-questions?
WH-questions are words used to ask for specific information, such as "what, who, where, when, and how."
Here are the key ones you should learn first in your first year of junior high school:
・What
・Who
・Where
・When
・How
The golden rule for all of these is that they must be placed at the "very beginning of the sentence." Let’s call this the "WH-First Rule!"
【Key Point】
You cannot answer questions that start with a WH-word with Yes or No.
If someone asks, "What is your name?", you wouldn't reply with "Yes, it is," right? The rule is to provide specific information in your answer.
2. Using "What" to ask about things
What is the most commonly used WH-word.
Use it when you want to know what something is that someone is holding or that is right in front of you.
Basic Sentence Structure
What is this?
It is a pen.
【Explanation】
Place the object you are asking about (like this) after \(is\). It is common to answer with It is ~ .
【Pro Tip: Master the contractions】
What is is often shortened to What's. This will make you sound much more natural when speaking!
3. Using "Who" to ask about people
When you want to know the identity of someone—like "Who is that person?"—use Who.
Basic Sentence Structure
Who is that boy?
He is Ken.
【Common Mistake】
In your answer, don't forget to include the verb! For example, in She is my friend, make sure you don't forget the is!
4. Using "Where" and "When" for places and time
Use Where to ask about a location, and When to ask about time. It’s efficient to learn them as a pair!
Example with "Where"
Where is my bag?
It is under the table.
Example with "When"
When is your birthday?
It is October 10th.
【Key Point: Learn your prepositions!】
When answering location questions, words like in, on, and under (prepositions) will pop up often. Make sure to review these as well.
5. Using "How" to ask about condition or method
How is used to ask about someone’s state, health, or the way something is done.
Basic Sentence Structure
How are you?
I am fine, thank you.
It is also used when asking how someone does something, like how they get to school:
How do you go to school?
By bus.
6. 【Important】 Steps to build a WH-question
If you find it difficult to construct a WH-question, try these 3 steps!
① First, think of a regular Yes/No question.
(e.g., Is that your book?)
② Change the part you want to ask about into a WH-word.
(e.g., If you want to know about "your book," change it to "What.")
③ Move that WH-word to the very front of the sentence!
(e.g., What is that?)
With this, you won't be afraid of any WH-question ever again!
Summary: The Keys to Success
・Always put WH-questions (What, Who, Where, etc.) at the 【beginning】 of the sentence!
・When asked a WH-question, don't answer Yes/No; provide specific information!
・Learn contractions like "What is → What's" as part of your study!
At first, you might get What and Where mixed up, but if you practice saying them out loud, they will naturally roll off your tongue. Take it one step at a time and enjoy the process! I'm rooting for you!