WH – QUESTIONS: SUBJECT AND OBJECT
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUBJECT Wh- Word Subject
Verb
Object
Who
saw
Harry? The box?
ANSWERS Subject
Verb
Object
Marta
Saw
him
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OBJECT Wh- Word Object
Auxiliary Verb
Subject
Main verb
Who (m) What
did
Marta
See?
ANSWERS Subject
Verb
Object
She
Saw
Harry. The box.
USAGE • Used to ask for information questions: – – – – – –
Who What Where When Why Which
– – – – –
Whose How How many How much How long
When asking about the subject: • A wh- Word in place of the subject. • Statement Word order: subject + verb • For questions beginning with which, whose, how much, how many: use a whWord + noun in place of the subject
• Someone saw you (Who saw you?) • Something happened. (What happened?) • Which witness told the truth? • How many people saw the trial?
When the verb is a form of be: • Wh – Word + be
• Who is the defendant?
• Who is Harry Adams?
When asking about the object: • A wh- Word and this order: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb • For questions with which, whose, how much, how many:use wh- Word + noun in place of the object.
• Who did you see? • What did he say? • Which witness did you believe? • How much time did the jury need?
Important • In very formal English, when asking about the object, whom is sometimes used instead of who. • Whom did you see? • Who did you see? • **If the main verb is a form of be, you cannot use whom**
Wh- questions with why, when or where: • Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb
• Why does she want to defend him? • When did she arrive? • Where will she go?