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-WH questions - English lesson

«WH» questions:

They are "open" questions, requiring a long answer. The interrogative word is first: WHAT/ WHO/ WHOSE/ WHICH/ WHERE/ WHEN/ WHY/ HOW/ HOW + adjective or adverb...?

WHAT?	WHO?	WHOSE?	WHICH?	WHERE?	WHEN?	WHY?	HOW?
Object	Subject	Possession	Choice	Place	Time	Reason	Manner

I) "WH" questions are built directly, without an auxiliary: the interrogative word is the subject of the verb.

- What's the occasion for the party?

- Who wants to come with me ?

- Who will come to my birthday party?

II) When the interrogative term is a complement (either direct or indirect object or adverbial phrases expressing TIME, PLACE, MANNER), the structure of the interrogative requires the use of an auxiliary.

- Where did you buy your birthday cake?

- - When have you sent the invitations?

Pay attention to the construction of "WHOSE", indicating possession. It's followed by the possession WITHOUT A DETERMINER.

- Whose birthday are we celebrating? It's Lucy's.

WHERE? WHEN ? WHY?

III) Built with or without an auxiliary, what is the difference between WHAT and WHICH:

WHAT, expresses a wide choice, WHICH expresses a choice between two or few possibilities:

- What exercice should I do?

- Which cake do you prefer? The chocolate one, or the strawberry one ?

IV) Différence entre WHY? et WHAT FOR?

The answer to WHY is "because" ; that to the question WHAT FOR? is "TO".

- Why did you invite your friends? Because I want to celebrate my birthday!

- What did you ask Bob to come to your party directly for? To make sure he wouldn't refuse to come.

V) In "WH" questions, the preposition introducing the noun which follows the verb:

- Which car will you come with, your Dad's, or your Mom's?

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1. Lucy, your birthday invitations?' 'My mom did. She sent them 3 days ago.'

2. ' has been left here?' 'It's Bob's. I gave him directly, he's accepted, but left it behind, as expected! He's a scatterbrain!'

3. ' them?' 'At W. H. Smith's in London.'

4. ' the birthday decorations?' 'About two weeks ago.'

5. ' your mother about the cake?' 'Our baker did.'

6. ' to buy a cake and not make one?' 'Because there are too many guests and I can't bake for so many people.'

7. ' when you said you wanted to invite twelve friends to your birthday party?' 'She refused to have them all.'

8. 'Lucy, for your birthday party, the fruit one, or the chocolate one?...' 'We'll have both, Mom! '

9. 'Oh Mom! What a huge box! ?' 'To keep the different costumes of Super Heroes for your friends to dress up.'

10. ' to entertain my guests: a treasure hunt ? Dress-up and make-up activities? ' 'Your dad is planning a baking workshop where each kid will decorate his own cup-cake.' 'Great idea!'

11. ' to keep everyone busy and calm?' ' Don't worry, darling, you know that your dad is a magician...'

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