QUESTION WORDS
Estructura
WH Question Words
We use question words to ask certain types of questions (question word questions). We often refer to them as WH words because they include the letters WH (for example WHy, HoW).
| Question Word | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| what | asking for information about something | What is your name? |
| asking for repetition or confirmation | What? I can't hear you. You did what? | |
| what...for | asking for a reason, asking why | What did you do that for? |
| when | asking about time | When did he leave? |
| where | asking in or at what place or position | Where do they live? |
| which | asking about choice | Which colour do you want? |
| who | asking what or which person or people (subject) | Who opened the door? |
| whom | asking what or which person or people (object) | Whom did you see? |
| whose | asking about ownership | Whose are these keys? Whose turn is it? |
| why | asking for reason, asking what...for | Why do you say that? |
| why don't | making a suggestion | Why don't I help you? |
| how | asking about manner | How does this work? |
| asking about condition or quality | How was your exam? | |
| how + adj/adv | asking about extent or degree | see examples below |
| how far | distance | How far is Pattaya from Bangkok? |
| how long | length (time or space) | How long will it take? |
| how many | quantity (countable) | How many cars are there? |
| how much | quantity (uncountable) | How much money do you have? |
| how old | age | How old are you? |
| how come (informal) | asking for reason, asking why | How come I can't see her? |
Con los verbos "to be" (ser/estar) y "have got" (tener).
Pronombre interogativo + verbo + sujeto + nombre, adjetivo...
- Ejemplos: What's the time? (¿Qué hora es?)
- Where are you? (¿Dónde estas?)
- When's he available? (¿Cuándo está disponsible?)
- How are the cookies? (¿Cómo estan las galletas?)Why are they tired? (¿Por qué estan cansados?)
El resto de verbos.
EstructuraPronombre interogativo + verbo auxiliar ("to do") + sujeto + verbo + nombre, adjetivo...
- Ejemplos: What do you like to eat? (¿Qué te gusta comer?)
- Where does she work? (¿Dónde trabaja?)
- When do they go on vacation? (¿Cuándo van de vacaciones?)
- How do you use this machine? (¿Cómo usas esta máquina?)
- Why o you study English? (¿Por qué estudias inglés?)
Grammatical Rules (Reglas gramaticales)
"Who" y "what" pueden actuar como objeto o como sujeto en una oración interrogativa. Si actúan como sujeto no utilizarán auxiliar (do, be...) para preguntar. En cambio, si actúan como objeto deberán preguntar con el auxiliar.
Cuando actúan como objeto:
EstructuraPronombre interrogativo+ auxilar + sujeto + verbo en infinitivo
Cuando actúan como sujeto:
EstructuraPronombre interrogativo + verbo + objeto
- Ejemplo 1:
- Oración principal: Danny asks the teacher. (Dani pregunta al profesor.)
- Preguntamos por el sujeto
- Who asks the teacher? Danny. (¿Quién pregunta al profesor? Dani.)
- Preguntamos por el objeto
- Who did Danny ask? The teacher. (¿A quién preguntó Dani? Al profesor.
- Ejemplo 2:
- Oración principal
- Something happens. (Algo pasa.)
- Preguntamos por el sujeto:
- What happens? Something. (¿Qué pasa? Algo.
- Ejemplo 3:
- Oración principal:
- Maria says "hello." (Maria dice "hola.")
- Preguntamos por el objeto
- What does Maria say? Hello. (¿Qué dice Maria? Hola.)
Nota sobre preposiciones: Generalmente ponemos las preposiciones al final de las oraciones interrogativas.
- Ejemplos:
- What are you thinking about? (¿En qué piensas?)
- Where's she driving to? (¿Hacia dónde está conduciendo?)
- Who are they laughing at? (¿De quién se están reiendo?)
