Home Grammar Wh- Questions ExercisesWh- Question Words (Medium) — All 8 Wh- Words

Wh- Question Words (Medium) — All 8 Wh- Words

A2-B1 Level

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English has eight wh- question words: who, what, where, when, why, how, which, and whose. At this level, the key words to master are which (for choosing between options), whose (for asking about possession), and how combined with other words. 'Which colour do you prefer — red or blue?' limits the choice, while 'What colour do you like?' is open-ended. 'Whose bag is this?' asks who owns the bag. 'How much' and 'how many' ask about quantity.

The most common mistake is confusing which and what. Use 'which' when there is a small, defined group to choose from: 'Which teacher do you have — Mr Smith or Mrs Jones?' Use 'what' when the possibilities are open: 'What is your favourite food?' Another frequent error is writing 'who's' (who is) instead of 'whose' (belonging to whom): 'Whose phone is ringing?' not 'Who's phone is ringing?' This distinction is regularly tested in Cambridge A2 Key and B1 Preliminary examinations.

Quick Rule

which + noun (limited choice) | whose + noun (possession) | how + much/many/often/long (quantity/frequency/duration)

1.Which bus goes to the city centre — the 42 or the 15? (which — choosing between known options)
2.Whose jacket is hanging on the back of the door? (whose — asking about possession)
3.How many languages does she speak? (how many — countable quantity)
4.How much time haven't we got before the exam starts? (how much — negative, uncountable quantity)
5.How long does the film last? (how long — asking about duration)