by R. S. Karunaratne

Be familiar with 'Wh- questions'

Question words or interrogative words are also known as 'Wh-words'. Most questions begin with a 'Wh' word. Here is a list of 'Wh-words': who, whom, whose, what, which, where, when, why, 'How' is also considered a 'wh-word' although it does not begin with 'wh'.

Who
Who are you?
Who taught you English?
Who is your father?
Who broke the window glass?
Who is going to give me a lift?

Whom
Traditionally, 'who' is used as the
subject of the verb in a question
and 'whom'
is used as the object of the verb.
Whom do you want to speak to?
Whom can we trust?
Whom did Maya call?
Whom do you want to consult?
Whom are we going with?

Nowadays, it is common to use 'who'
as both the subject and object of
the verb.
Who called the police?
Who do you want to speak?
Who are you meeting today?
Who can we trust for this post?
Who did Lambert call?

In a 'who' question, the 'be' verb must agree in tense and number with the noun it points to.
Who is your English teacher?
Who are your friends?
Who was that dancer?
Who were those speakers?

We use a singular verb in a 'who'
question in the present tense.
Who wants to climb Sigiriya?
Who knows the answer?
Who likes politics?
Who goes there?
Who sings this song?

We do not use a 'be' verb together with
a singular or plural main verb.
Who runs after the dog?
Who supplies your meals?
Who lives next door?
Who came first in the exam?
Who spends for your education?

We use a 'be' verb together with the
'ing' form of the main verb in a
'who' question.
Who is playing the guitar?
Who is living in Australia?
Who was using my computer?
Who was collecting the contributions?
Who is coming tomorrow?

Whose

We use a 'be' verb with 'whose'
questions.
Whose is this camera?
Whose house is this?
Whose umbrella is that?
Whose pen is this?
Whose life is in danger?

What
When we answer a question in which 'what' is the subject, we use a verb that
agrees with the subject.
What is in the box?
What is Janitha telling you?
What are those parcels?
What is your profession?
What are you carrying in that bag?

Which
We use a 'be' verb with a 'which' question.
Which is your account?
Which is your favourite film?
Which is her book?
Which is your bag?
Which are your books?

Where
We use a 'be' verb with a 'where' question.
Where are you going?
Where is the railway station?
Where are they? Where is Dr Rex?
Where are the nurses?

When
We use a 'be' verb with a 'when' question. When is your birthday?
When are they coming home?
When is she leaving the hospital?
When are they going to build a house?
When is he joining the Army?

Why
We use a 'be' verb with a 'why' question.
Why is she silent?
Why are you laughing?
Why is she absent?
Why are they running?
Why is Sam going alone?

How
We use 'how' with adjectives.
How far is Jaffna from Colombo?
How old is your grandmother?
How big is your house?
How long are you going to stay here?
How tall are you?

Activity

Use 'wh' question words in the blanks and check your answers with the key.

1. .............. is Tokyo?
2. .............. did she come?
3. .............. old is your father?
4. .............. are my shoes?
5. .............. is he coming here?
6. .............. book does she want?
7. .............. bicycle are you riding?
8. .............. time is it?
9. .............. owns that house?
10. ............ fell on your car?

*********

Key:
1. Where 2. When 3. How 4. Where
5. Why 6. Which 7. Whose 8. What
9. Who 10. What

*********

Starters:

'Am, is, are' in questions and answers

We begin a question with 'am, is,' or 'are'.

Am I a child? (First person singular)
Are you a child? (Second person
singular)
Is he a child? (third person singular)
Are we children? (First person plural)
Are you children? (Second person
plural)

Are they children? (Third person plural)

Questions and answers

Q: Am I right?
A: No, you're wrong.
Q: Is your teacher in the classroom?
A: No, she's not.
Q: How old is Sama?
A: She's 12.
Q: What colour is your shirt?
A: It's white.
Q: Where are you from?
A: China.
Q: How much are these postcards?
A: They're Rs 4 each.
Q: What's the time?
A: It's 5 o'clock.
Q: How's your sister?
A: She is better.
Short answers (Positive)

Yes, I am. (First person singular)
Yes, you're. (Second person singular)
Yes, he is (Third person singular)
Yes, we are (First person plural)
Yes, you are (second person plural)
Yes, they are (Third person plural)

Short answers (Negative)

No, I'm not
No, you're not.
No he's not.
No, we're not.
No, you're not.
No, they're not.

More examples

Q: Are you busy?
A: Yes, I am. (Positive)
No, I'm not. (Negative)
Q: Are you thirsty?
A: Yes, I am. (Positive)
No, I'm not. (Negative)
Q: Is your brother at work today?
A: Yes, he is. (Positive)
No, he isn't. (Negative)
Q: Are these your books?
A: Yes, they're. (Positive)
No, they aren't.(Negative)
Activity

Form questions using the following words and 'am, is, are'. Check your
answers with the key.
1. your/ father/ at/ home / ?
2. your/ friends/ at/ the/ party/ ?
3. this/ pen/ expensive/ ?
4. you/ interested/ in/ history/ ?
5. the / banks/ open/ today/ ?
6. the / post/ office/ open/ today/ ?
7. what/ colour/ your/ blouse/ ?
8. where/ my/ book/ ?
9. where/ my/ books/ ?
10. how/ old/ your/ sister/ ?

**************

Key:

1. Is your father at home?
2. Are your friends at the party?
3. Is this pen expensive?
4. Are you interested in history?
5. Are the banks open today?
6. Is the post office open today?
7. What colour is your blouse?
8. Where is my book?
9. Where are my books?
10. How old is your sister?

**************

Interesting similes

A simile is a figure of speech in which a person or thing is described by being
explicitly likened to another. In column 'A' you find parts of similes. Complete
them with the relevant words found in column 'B'.
Check your answers with the key.

[Column A]

1. as bald as a ...............
2. as black as ................
3. as blind as a ...................
4. as blue as the .................
5. as bold as ...................
6. as bright as a ...............
7. as brown as a ...................
8. as calm as a ....................
9. as clean as a ...................
10. as clear as a ...................
11. as cold as ...................
12. as cool as a ..................
13. as cross as two .................
14. as daft as a ...................
15. as dead as a ................
16. as deaf as a ..................
17. as different as ...................
18. as drunk as a ........................
19. as dry as a ....................
20. as dull as .................
21. as easy as falling off a ...................
22. as fair as a ..................
23. as fit as a ...............
24. as flat as a .................
25. as free as a ...................

[Column B]

A. bird
B. pancake
C. fiddle
D. rose
E. log
F. ditch-water
G. bone
H. lord
I. chalk and cheese
J. post
K. dodo
L. brush
M. sticks
N. cucumber
O. charity
P. bell
Q. whistle
R. millpond
S. berry
T. button
U. brass
V. sky
W. bat.
X. ink
Y. coot

************

Key:

1. Y, 2. X, 3. W, 4. V, 5. U, 6. T, 7. S,
8. R, 9. Q, 10. P, 11. O, 12. N,
13. M, 14. L, 15. K, 16. J, 17. I,
18. H, 19. G, 20. F, 21. E, 22. D,
23. C, 24. B, 25. A

************