Question words are essential in English because they help us ask for specific information. Instead of just saying “yes” or “no”, we use question words to find out about people, places, time, reasons, methods, and more.
For example:
- What is your name? → (Asking for information)
- Where do you live? → (Asking about a place)
- Why are you late? → (Asking for a reason)
In this article, we will cover the most common question words, their uses, and examples so you can ask questions correctly in English.
List of Common Question Words in English
| Question Word | Used For | Example Question |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Asking about a person | Who is your best friend? |
| What | Asking for information | What is your favorite color? |
| Where | Asking about a place | Where do you live? |
| When | Asking about time | When is your birthday? |
| Why | Asking for a reason | Why are you late? |
| How | Asking about manner or method | How do you cook pasta? |
| Which | Asking for a choice | Which dress do you prefer? |
| Whose | Asking about possession | Whose book is this? |
| Whom | Asking about the object of a sentence (formal) | Whom did you invite to the party? |
| How much | Asking about quantity (uncountable) | How much water do you drink? |
| How many | Asking about quantity (countable) | How many books do you have? |
| How long | Asking about duration | How long have you been studying English? |
| How far | Asking about distance | How far is your school from here? |
| How old | Asking about age | How old are you? |
How to Use Question Words
Who
Used to ask about a person.
- Who is coming to the party?
- Who wrote this book?
What
Used to ask for information.
- What is your job?
- What do you want to eat?
Where
Used to ask about a place.
- Where do you live?
- Where is the nearest supermarket?
When
Used to ask about time.
- When does the movie start?
- When is your exam?
Why
Used to ask for a reason.
- Why are you laughing?
- Why did you leave early?
How
Used to ask about manner or method.
- How do you make pancakes?
- How can I get to the station?
Which
Used when choosing between two or more options.
- Which dress should I wear?
- Which is your favorite song?
Whose
Used to ask about possession.
- Whose phone is this?
- Whose car is parked outside?
Whom
Used in formal English when asking about the object of a verb.
- Whom did you meet at the event?
- Whom should I call for help?
How much
Used to ask about uncountable quantities, prices, or amounts.
- How much sugar do you need?
- How much is this bag?
How many
Used to ask about countable quantities.
- How many students are in the class?
- How many apples do you want?
How long
Used to ask about duration (time period).
- How long does it take to get there?
- How long have you been working here?
How far
Used to ask about distance.
- How far is your home from the office?
- How far can you run?
How old
Used to ask about age.
- How old is your brother?
- How old is this building?
Question Word Sentence Structure
1- Most questions using question words follow this sentence structure:
Question word + Auxiliary Verb (do, is, can) + Subject + Main Verb + (Rest of the sentence)?
Examples:
- Where do you live?
- What does she do?
- How can I help you?
- Why are they laughing?
2- For to be verbs (is, are, was, were), the structure is:
Question word + To Be Verb + Subject + (Rest of the sentence)?
Examples:
- Who is your teacher?
- Where is my phone?
- When was the party?
Quiz: Question Words in English
1. ______ is knocking on the door?
a) What
b) Who
c) When
2. ______ is your school located?
a) Where
b) How
c) Why
3. ______ are you crying?
a) What
b) Why
c) When
4. ______ does the train arrive?
a) When
b) Who
c) What
5. ______ do you usually wake up in the morning?
a) Why
b) Where
c) When
6. ______ is your favorite color?
a) Who
b) What
c) When
7. ______ do you travel to work?
a) How
b) Who
c) Where
8. ______ books are on the table?
a) Whose
b) How many
c) Which
9. ______ should I invite to the wedding?
a) Whom
b) Which
c) How
10. ______ is your little brother?
a) How long
b) How old
c) How far
Quiz Answers
1) Who
2) Where
3) Why
4) When
5) When
6) What
7) How
8) Whose
9) Whom
10) How old
