Grammar Explanation: The Wh-

I kept running across wh- this and wh- that and decided to confirm what I thought.

It’s simple enough, as it’s any question word that begins with wh- — the who, what, where, when, why, which, whose, whom, and how, asking for content — asking for information about specific qualities, times, places, people, things, facts, reasons, manners, qualities, etc. and so on.

The question must be worded so that the answer cannot be yes or no.

When does the movie start?	At seven.
What is your favorite flower?	I adore California poppies.
Who’s that at the door?	It’s me. George.

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Grammar Explanations is . . .

. . . an evolving list of the structural rules and principles that determines where words are placed in phrases or sentences as well as how the language is spoken. Sometimes I run across an example that helps explain better or another “also known as”. Heck, there’s always a better way to explain it, so if it makes quicker and/or better sense, I would appreciate suggestions and comments from anyone on an area of grammar with which you struggle or on which you can contribute more understanding.

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The Wh-
Part of Speech: Grammar
Definition: A question that is a request for information, usually beginning with a wh- word. A wh-question depends on the structure of the sentence, its syntax. With wh-, its position is [almost] always to the left with the wh-word in a position not normally occupied by its non-wh- counterpart. POST CONTENTS: List of Wh- Words Direct Questions Prepositions and Particles Uses Auxiliary Verbs Do Adds Emphasis to Wh- Questions The Negative Do When wh- is the Subject Indirect Questions Asking a Favor Information Requests Question Pronouns Statement Questions Yes or No Questions A.k.a. WH word, wh-word
List of Wh- Words
Wh- Word Used to . . . Examples how Asks about manner/ process How can you explain this problem? Please tell us. How can you get here? what Asks about things What are you doing? What do you think about the movie? when Asks about time When will the meeting start? When are you leaving? where Asks about places Where’s my bag? Where do you live? which Asks about choices Which one do you choose? The left or right? Of all the drinks in the menu, which one would you like? who Asks about people Who do you love the most in your family? Who told you that story? whom Asks about people (as the object of a verb) Whom did you see in the morning? I saw Mr. Mark, my English teacher. To whom was Jim speaking? He was speaking to Jack, his new roommate. whose Asks about possession Whose pencil is this? Is it yours? Whose books are these? why Asks about reasons/ causes Why did it happen? Why is he crying? Credit to: WH-Questions
Direct Questions	Rule: Includes a wh-question word and the noun clause uses a verb-subject word order. A.k.a. open question
Return to top or post contents	Where can I find the tomatoes? Why would you ask me that? Who was that masked man? How can you say that? Legend: Dark blue indicates the wh- Purple indicates the modal verb Pale blue indicates the verb-subject (noun clause)
Prepositions and Particles	Rule: Wh-questions can be separated into formal and informal when the wh- question includes a preposition or a particle. Formal – the preposition/particle comes at the start Informal – the preposition/particle comes at the end
Return to top or post contents	Formal Informal From where do you come? Where are you from? With whom were you speaking? Who were you speaking to? From where will the money come? Where will the money come from? To whom should we send the invitation? Who should we send the invitation to? Legend: Dark blue indicates the wh- Green indicates the subject-verb Purple indicates the preposition or participle
Uses Auxiliary Verbs	Rule: Most wh-questions use an auxiliary verb — be, do, have: wh- + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb, or wh- + modal verb + subject + main verb
Return to top or post contents	be do have modal When are you leaving? Where do they live? What has she done now? Who would she stay with? Who’s been paying the bills? Why didn’t you call me? What have they decided? Where should I park?
Do Adds Emphasis to Wh- Questions	Definition: Add emphasis by stressing the auxiliary verb do. This is useful when we have not already received the information that we expected from an earlier question, or to show strong interest.
Return to top or post contents	How was your weekend in Edinburgh? I didn’t go to Edinburgh. Really. Where did you go? We decided to go to Glasgow instead. Ronald Price lives in that house, doesn’t he? No. He moved out. So who does live there? Actually, his son is living there now. Credit to: Questions
The Negative Do	Rule: Use the auxiliary verb do when asking negative wh-questions — when there is no other auxiliary or modal verb, even when the wh-word is the subject of the clause.
Return to top or post contents	Affirmative with No Auxiliary Negative with Auxiliary Do Who wants an ice cream? Who doesn’t want an ice cream? Which door opened? Which door didn’t open? Credit to: Questions
When wh- is the Subject	Rule: Do not use an auxiliary verb when what, who, which or whose is the subject or part of the subject. It uses the word order subject + verb.
Return to top or post contents	How was this done? Which horse won? Who should I see? Whose phone rang? Legend: Dark blue indicates the wh- Purple indicates the modal verb Green indicates the subject-verb
Turning the Direct Question into the Indirect
Definition: The direct wh- question is, well, direct. When you want to be more polite or ask a favor, etc., you want to change that direct question to the indirect.
Indirect Questions	Definition: A polite way to ask for information or make requests. Such questions are used when: Asking or requesting something of strangers, co-workers, or people we don’t know well Asking for favors from friends When we want to avoid sounding demanding
Return to top or post contents	Rule: Start an indirect question with a modal verb: can, could, should, would.
	Can/Could you tell me . . .? Do you know . . .? Would you mind . . .? Do you have any idea . . .? Would it be possible . . .? Should we go ahead with . . .?
	Rule: Change the word order to convert direct questions to indirect using can you tell me . . .? and changing the word order of the noun clause to subject-verb.
	Convert from Direct Questions to Indirect Direct Indirect Where can I find the tomatoes? Can you tell me where the tomatoes can be found? What time is it? Can you tell me what time it is? Who was that masked man? Can you tell me who that masked man was? Where is the music shop? Could you tell me where the music shop is? Legend: Dark blue indicates the wh- Pale blue indicates the verb-subject (noun clause) Pale green indicates the indirect wh- Green indicates the subject-verb
Asking a Favor	Definition: Indirect questions are also useful when asking friends or other people we know for a favor, especially when the favor requires a lot of effort. Without sounding too demanding, use I was wondering or I wonder to politely ask a favor or seek information. There is no question mark, for it is not a question, but the I wonder indicates that a question is being asked.
Return to top or post contents	Rule: Use I wonder or I was wondering to politely ask a favor that you know is a huge request.
	Convert a Direct Request to a Polite One Direct Indirect Did you finish the report? I was wondering if you finished the report. Can you please help me move on Saturday? I was wondering if you could help me move on Saturday.
	Rule: Use Is there any chance . . .? or Would it be possible . . .? to politely ask a favor that you know is a huge request.
	Convert a Direct Request to a Polite One Direct Indirect Can you please help me move on Saturday? Is there any chance you could help me move on Saturday? Would it be possible for you to help me move on Saturday?
Information Requests	Definition: Asks for specific information.
Return to top or post contents	Where are you parked? What’s the time? What did you do? Who is that? When is dinner? Why aren’t you here yet? How did you do that?
Question Pronouns	Definition: A wh-word, an interrogative pronoun is used as a question pronoun to represent the questioned content.
Return to top or post contents	List of Question Pronouns
	what which (interrogative and relative) who whom whose (possessive pronoun)
	Examples:
	Who did you see last night? Who did this? For whom do I ask at the desk? What did you do when you couldn’t get on the Internet? Whose keys are these? With whom did you speak? Which dress did you buy? Who is the best actor in the world? Which one is your brother?
Statement Question	Definition: When speaking, we sometimes turn wh-questions into informal statement questions by adding a wh-word at the end. It’s especially used when we want to verify information that we have already been given or when we want to quickly check a particular detail.
Return to top or post contents	Direct Statement What’s today’s date? Today’s date is what? When will we be there? So we’re all going to be there at eight? Who are you traveling with? [More formal] With whom are you traveling? You’re traveling with who? Who’s there with you? Is your sister here too or just your mother? When is she here until? [More formal] Until when is she here? And she’s here until when?
Yes or No Questions	Definition: Most yes or no questions are direct questions because they do not include wh-question words. That means a wh-question cannot have a yes or no answer. It must be converted from direct to indirect.
	Rule: Convert direct yes or no questions into indirect questions by using if or whether.
	Convert Yes/No Questions from Direct to Indirect Direct Indirect Are they coming with us? Do you know whether they’re coming with us? Has the game started yet? Do you know if the game has started yet? Do you know whether the game has started yet? Legend: Green indicates the if / whether

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

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Resources for Wh-

Some of these links may be affiliate links, and I will earn a small percentage, if you should buy it. It does not affect the price you pay.

Bryant, Alice. Caty Weaver (ed.) “Do You Know What an Indirect Question Is?” Learning English. 14 June 2018. Web. 3 Apr 2023. <https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/do-you-know-what-an-indirect-question-is/4439120.html>.

Haspelmath, Martin. “Why is Language Typology Possible?.” Max Planck Institute. n.d. Web. 20 Apr 2023. <https://www.eva.mpg.de/lingua/conference/08_springschool/pdf/course_materials/haspelmath.pdf>.

Nordquist, Richard. “What are ‘Wh- Words’ in Grammar?” Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms. ThoughtCo. 4 Nov 2019. Web. 20 Apr 2023. <https://www.thoughtco.com/wh-word-grammar-1692497>.

“Questions: wh-questions.” Cambridge Dictionary. n.d. Web. 23 Apr 2023. <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/questions-wh-questions>.

“Wh-questions.” Questions. Words, sentences and clauses. Grammar. Cambridge Dictionary. n.d. Web. n.d. <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/questions-wh-questions>.

“WH- Questions (Question Words).” Basic English Learning. n.d. Web. 23 Apr 2023. <https://basicenglishspeaking.com/wh-questions/>.

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Ask the Who, What, Where, When, Why, How by geralt is under the Pixabay License, via Pixabay.