Question Words Explained

Question Words Explained
Question words are used to ask about specific qualities, times, places, people, etc. They are different from yes / no questions (Do you live in France?). This chart provides question words, the use and example sentences. Study the question words, understand the uses and then look at the examples. Try to think of a few examples of your own. At the end, take the on the next page testing question words. 
Who 
Use: Asking about people 
Examples: 
Who do you like?
Who studies Russian? 
What 
Use: Asking about things or activities 
Examples: 
What does he do at weekends?
What is that? 
What kind of / type of 
Use: Asking about specific things or characteristics 
Examples: 
What type of car do you drive?
What kind of person is he? 
What time 
Use: Asking for a specific time 
Examples: 
What time is it?
What time does the show begin? 
What ... 
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like 
Use: Asking about characteristics 
Examples: 
What was the weather like?
What is Mary like? 
When 
Use: Asking about general or specific times 
Examples: 
When do you like going out?
When does the bus leave? 
Where 
Use: Asking about places 
Examples: 
Where do you live?
Where did you go on vacation? 
How 
Use: Combined with many words to ask questions about specific characteristics, qualities, quantities, etc. For example: How much (price, quantity), How long (length), How often (frequency) 
Examples: 
How often do you go to the movies?
How long was the film?
How much does it cost? 
Which 
Use: Asking to specify a thing or person from a number of things or people 
Examples: 
Which book did you buy?
Which boy won the race? 
Question Word Quiz
Provide the missing question word. When you have finished, check the answers on the answer page. 
____ is the weather like in July? 
____ much is the chocolate? 
____ did you get up this morning? 
____ team won the World Cup in 2002? 
____ does Janet live? 
____ food do you like? 
____ does it take to get to New York from Albany? 
____ does the movie begin this evening? 
____ is your favorite actor? 
____ house does he live in? 
____ is Jack like? 
____ does she study English with? 
____ do the people in your country go for vacation? 
____ do you play tennis? 
____ sports do you play? 
Question Word Quiz Answers
ANSWERS to the Question Word Quiz: 
____ is the weather like in July? ANSWER: What 
____ much is the chocolate? ANSWER: How 
____ did you get up this morning? ANSWER: What time / When 
____ team won the World Cup in 2002? ANSWER: Which 
____ does Janet live? ANSWER: Where 
____ food do you like? ANSWER: What kind of / What type of 
____ does it take to get to New York from Albany? ANSWER: How long 
____ does the movie begin this evening? ANSWER: What time / when 
____ is your favorite actor? ANSWER: Who 
____ house does he live in? ANSWER: Which 
____ is Jack like? ANSWER: What 
____ does she study English with? ANSWER: Who 
____ do the people in your country go for vacation? ANSWER: Where 
____ do you play tennis? ANSWER: How often / When 
____ sports do you play? ANSWER: Which / How many