Special questions in English (wh-questions): how to build sentences with examples

In English, special questions are usually used when a detailed answer is needed. How to form them, which question words to use, and what to pay attention to when using this type of question are explained in this article with examples.

Contents

1. The concept of special questions in English
2. Table of question words
3. Formation of wh-questions
    3.1. Questions with the verb “to be”
    3.2. Questions with auxiliary/modal verbs
    3.3. Subject questions
    3.4. Negative special questions in English
    3.5. Use of prepositions
4. Features of intonation
5. Practice exercise
6. FAQ

The concept of special questions in English

A special question (also known as wh-question) is a type of interrogative sentence formed by using specific question words (what, when, where, why, who, how, which, whose, whom). This type of interrogative sentence requires a detailed answer.

Unlike general questions, a simple yes or no cannot serve as an answer. Special questions in English are used to obtain information, so the response is expected to include details about the topic being discussed:

– Where did you go on holiday last summer?
– We went to a tranquil picturesque town in Spain.

Table of question words

The name “wh-questions” is linked to the fact that this type of question is formed using question words, most of which begin with the letters “wh”.

There are a total of 9 wh-word typically used at the beginning of questions in English. Let's examine them with examples in the table below:

Important: “Whom” functions as an object in a sentence and is typically used in writing or formal style. In spoken English and informal contexts, the pronoun “who” is used instead of “whom”:

Whom did your mother talk to at the supermarket? = Who did your mother talk to at the supermarket?

In addition to these words, there are certain expressions derived from wh-words that are also used to form special questions in English. Below are examples of the most common interrogative phrases:

Formation of wh-questions

In English, wh-questions are formed similarly to general questions, but with the corresponding wh-word placed at the beginning of the sentence. Below, we will take a detailed look at how to form questions with the verb to be, auxiliary or modal verbs, how subject questions differ, and what to pay attention to when using prepositions.

Questions with the verb “to be”

In Present Simple and Past Simple tenses, when a sentence is formed using the verb “to be”, the corresponding form of to be switches places with the subject and is placed between the subject and the wh-word:

wh-word + to be + subject?

• Where are your friends? 
• Why were you so upset yesterday? 
• When is your birthday?

Questions with auxiliary/modal verbs

When sentences are formed using auxiliary verbs, the auxiliary verb takes the second position – between the wh-word and the subject:

wh-word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb?

• What are your cousins doing now?
• When will we go on vacation? 
• When are you going to propose to her? 

In Present Simple and Past Simple, special interrogative sentences in English use the auxiliary words “do”/“does” and “did”, respectively.

• How often do you go shopping? 
• What did they do last weekend?
• How much coffee do you drink a day?

In sentences with modal verbs, the modal verb changes its position in the sentence and is placed before the subject and after the wh-word

wh-word + modal verb + subject + main verb?

• What foreign languages can you speak? 
• Why should we buy flowers?
• Where can I find these headphones?

Subject questions

A special type of interrogative sentence in English is the subject question. These sentences also begin with wh-word (most often “who” or “what”), but in this case, these words as the subject and precedes the main verb in the appropriate form. The structure of a subject question is similar to that of a regular affirmative sentence (subject + verb):

wh-word + main verb?

• What happened at the conference? 
• Who is working on the new project? 
• What is going on here? 

Negative special questions in English

There are two ways to form wh-questions in the negative form:

1. Using the full form of the negative particle “not”, which is placed after the subject:

• Why did you not tell me the truth from the very beginning?
• Which places have you not visited lately?
• Who did you not meet at the party?

2. Using the contracted form “n't” with the auxiliary or modal verb before the subject:

• Why won’t you finish the task by yourself?
• Why couldn’t he keep his cool and ignore them?
• Why don’t you accept the truth?

The first method sounds more formal and creates an additional emphasis. The contracted form “n't” is more commonly used in everyday English.

Use of prepositions

Sometimes, the construction of a special question in English may require the use of a preposition:

• with;
• from;
• to;
• for;
• about.

In this case, the preposition can occupy one of two positions in the sentence:

1. The preposition is placed before the wh-word:

• From where are you going to get the equipment?
• For what reason do you require the documents on such short notice?
• To whom did he send the email?

2. The preposition is placed at the end of the question:

• Who is she going out with?
• Who did they intend to talk to?
• What do you want to talk about?

The first option is more formal, while placing the preposition at the end of the interrogative sentence is a more informal way, commonly used in spoken English.

Features of intonation

Special questions can be made more emphatic by stressing the auxiliary verbs “do”/“does”/“did”. This is usually done to show interest in the conversation or to seek information that was not provided in response to the previous question.

• How did you get to the hospital? (emphasis on did)
• Why do they keep insisting on that? (emphasis on do)

If the interrogative sentence is directed at the subject and there is no auxiliary verb, it can be deliberately added to create emphasis:

• Who does live in that house?
• Who did make that mistake?

As a rule, wh-questions are asked with a falling intonation, where the pitch of the voice drops at the end of the sentence:

• Where do you usually put your car? (↘)
• Why did you buy so many products at the supermarket? (↘)

However, when the goal is to check or confirm previously provided information, rising or rising-falling intonation can be used. In this case, the emphasis is placed on the wh-word:

• When (↗) are they leaving to the train station?
• Who (↘↗) painted the picture?

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Practice exercise

To practice forming wh-questions in English and better memorize all rules, add the appropriate wh-word to the following sentences:

FAQ

1. What is a special question in English?

A special question (wh-question, special question) is a type of interrogative sentence in English, where the appropriate wh-word is placed at the beginning of the sentence, and the expected answer provides specific information about the subject of the question (time, place, reason, person, event, etc.).

• Where did you meet your wife?
• Why didn’t you call me back?

2. How to form a special question in English?

To form a special question, you need to place the wh-word at the beginning of the sentence, followed by an auxiliary or modal verb, then the subject, and the main verb:

• Where are they going to spend their vacation? 
• How long have you been studying German?
• When can we talk to the dean?

If the main verb in the sentence is “to be”, the corresponding form of to be comes between the wh-word and the subject:

• What is your favourite movie?
• Where was she two days ago?

3. What are the question words (wh-words)?

In English, there are nine question words that can begin wh-questions: