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

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.