Questions: Word order and question words
Learn how to ask questions correctly with 'what', 'where', 'when', 'who', 'why', and 'how'.
- check_circleI can ask questions to get information about people, places, and things.
- check_circleI can use the correct word order in English questions.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Sarah: Hi! Welcome to the English conversation club. I’m Sarah.
David: Hello, I’m David. Nice to meet you.
Sarah: Nice to meet you too. So, David, where do you come from?
David: I’m from Brazil, but I live in London now.
Sarah: Oh, wow! Why do you live in London?
David: Because I study at the university here.
Sarah: That’s awesome! What do you study?
David: I study computer science. It’s very interesting.
Sarah: How often do you have classes?
David: I have classes every day from Monday to Friday.
Sarah: And who is your favorite professor?
David: Dr. Smith. She is very smart.
Sarah: Oh, I know her! When does her class start?
David: It starts at 10:00 AM. Oh no, look at the clock. It’s 9:55 AM!
Sarah: You should hurry!
David: You’re right. See you later, Sarah!
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
Asking questions is essential in English! To get specific information, we use Wh- words and follow a special order.
The Question Words
Here are the most common question words:
- What = things (
What is your name?) - Where = places (
Where do you live?) - When = time (
When is your birthday?) - Who = people (
Who is that <W ipa="/ɡaɪ/" pos="noun" pron="GAI" def="An informal word for a man." es="chico, tipo" ctx="Who is that guy next to your brother?">guy</W>?) - Why = reasons (
Why are you learning English?) - How = manner or state (
How do you spell that?)
The Golden Rule: Question Word Order
In English, we don’t just change our tone to ask a question. We change the word order!
The most important formula to remember is: QUASM
QUASM stands for: Question word + Auxiliary verb + Subject + Main verb
Let’s look at how it works:
| Question Word (Qu) | Auxiliary (A) | Subject (S) | Main Verb (M) | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | do | you | work? | I work in London. |
| What | does | she | study? | She studies art. |
| When | do | they | wake up? | At 7:00 AM. |
| How | does | it | work? | It’s easy! |
The Exception: Verb ‘To Be’
When the main verb is to be (am, is, are), we don’t use an auxiliary verb. The verb “to be” changes places with the subject.
- What is your favorite color?
- Where are you from?
- Who are those people?
Common Mistake In Spanish, you can just use the question tone with normal word order. In English, you must use the auxiliary verb (do/does).
- ❌ Where you live?
- ✅ Where do you live?
Asking “Why”
When someone asks a question with Why, we usually respond using the word because.
A: Why do you study English? B: Because I want to travel!
- Use Wh- words for information: What (thing), Where (place), When (time), Who (person), Why (reason), How (manner).
- The golden rule for questions is QUASM: Question word + Auxiliary + Subject + Main verb.
- Auxiliary verbs for the present tense are do and does.
- Do not use an auxiliary verb with the verb to be (am/is/are).
- Answer “Why” questions with “Because”.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?