How to Ask Questions with "What" and "Where"

Learning how to ask questions is an important part of speaking English. In this post, we will learn how to use "what" and "where" to ask questions. We will also go over some basic grammar rules to help you understand better.

Important Grammar Rules

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

When asking questions, it’s important to match the subject with the right verb.

• Example: What does he like? (He is singular, so we use "does")
• Example: Where do they go? (They is plural, so we use "do")

2. Present Simple Tense

In the present simple tense, we change the verb based on the subject.

• I walk, you walk, he/she/it walks, we walk, they walk
• Examples of Questions:
  • What do you do on weekends?
  • Where does she work?

3. Starting Questions

Questions usually begin with a question word, followed by a helper verb.

• What: This is used to ask about something.
  • What is your name?
• Where: This is used to ask about a place.
  • Where do you live?

4. Past Simple Tense

When talking about the past, we change the verbs to reflect that.

• I walked, you walked, he/she/it walked, we walked, they walked
• Examples of Questions:
  • What did you do yesterday?
  • Where did they go on vacation?

5. Place Adjectives

In English, adjectives usually come before the nouns they describe.

• Examples:
  • The big dog is friendly.
  • What kind of car do you have? (Adjective: kind)

6. Using Conjunctions

We use conjunctions like “and,” “but,” and “because” to connect ideas in sentences.

• Examples:
  • I like pizza and pasta.
  • What do you want to eat but don’t have?
  • Where do you live because it’s so beautiful there?

7. Showing Possession

Possessive forms show ownership.

• my, your, his, her
• Examples:
  • What is your favorite book?
  • Where is his car?

8. Using Contractions

In everyday speech, contractions make conversations sound smoother.

• I’m (I am), you’re (you are), he’s (he is), she’s (she is)
• Examples:
  • What’s your plan for tonight?
  • Where’s her house?

9. Talking About the Future with "Going to"

To express future plans, we use "going to."

• Structure: Subject + am/is/are going to + base verb
• Examples:
  • What are you going to do tomorrow?
  • Where is he going to travel this summer?

10. Using Negation

Negation helps us say that something is not true.

• Examples:
  • I do not like spicy food.
  • Where doesn’t she go often?

Conclusion

By learning these important grammar rules, you can ask questions using "what" and "where" in English. Remember to focus on matching subjects with verbs, using the right verb tenses, and placing adjectives correctly. Practice asking questions with your friends, and soon you'll be speaking English confidently!