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Learning Objectives

5 minutes reading
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Use Wh-question words correctly: What, Where, When, Who, Why, How
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Form questions with the correct word order: Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + verb
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Ask for specific information in professional situations (time, place, reason, method)
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Use "How" combinations: How often, How long, How much, How many
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Key Learning Tip

Remember the question word order: Wh-word + auxiliary verb (do/does/is/are) + subject + main verb. Example: "What do you need?"

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Grammar Explanation

10 minutes reading

Wh-questions are used to ask for specific information. Each question word asks about different things.

What / Which

Things & Choices

What + aux + subject + verb?
What do you need? (general)
What time is the meeting?
Which option do you prefer? (limited choice)
Where / When

Place & Time

Where/When + aux + subject + verb?
Where is the conference room?
Where do you work?
When does the project start?
Who / Why

People & Reasons

Who/Why + aux + subject + verb?
Who is your manager?
Who do you report to?
Why was the meeting cancelled?
How + Combinations

Manner, Frequency, Quantity

How (+ adjective/adverb) + aux + subject + verb?
How do you travel to work?
How often do you have meetings?
How long does the project take?
How much does it cost? (uncountable)
How many people work here? (countable)
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Word Order Rule

In most Wh-questions, use: Wh-word + auxiliary (do/does/is/are/was/were) + subject + main verb.
Exception: When "who" or "what" IS the subject, no auxiliary is needed: "Who manages this project?" (not "Who does manage...")

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Professional Contexts

5 minutes reading

Scheduling & Planning

📅 Meetings: "What time does the meeting start?" / "When is the deadline?"
📍 Location: "Where is the conference being held?" / "Which room are we in?"
⏰ Duration: "How long will the presentation take?" / "How many hours do you need?"
🔄 Frequency: "How often do you travel for work?" / "How many meetings do you have per week?"

Getting Information

👤 People: "Who is responsible for this project?" / "Who should I contact?"
❓ Reasons: "Why was the meeting postponed?" / "Why do we need approval?"
💰 Costs: "How much does the service cost?" / "What is the budget?"
⚙️ Process: "How do I submit an expense report?" / "What do I need to do first?"
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Examples - Correct & Incorrect Usage

5 minutes reading
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Correct Professional Usage

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"What time does the meeting start?"

Correct word order: Wh-word + auxiliary (does) + subject + verb

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"Where is the HR department?"

With "be", no additional auxiliary needed

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"How often do you work from home?"

How + adverb combination with correct auxiliary

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"Who manages the sales team?"

"Who" as subject: no auxiliary needed

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"How many employees work in this office?"

"How many employees" is the subject: no auxiliary needed

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"Why did the client cancel the order?"

Past tense question with "did" as auxiliary

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

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"What time starts the meeting?"

Use: "What time does the meeting start?" (Need auxiliary + subject before verb)

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"Where you work?"

Use: "Where do you work?" (Need auxiliary "do")

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"How much people are in the team?"

Use: "How many people are in the team?" (People is countable)

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Listening Exercise

10 minutes

Scenario: David (Manager) welcomes Anna (new Marketing Assistant) and answers her questions about her first week.

🎙️ Audio: First Day Questions
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Audio Transcript: First Day Questions

David: Hi Anna, welcome to the team. How are you finding your first week?

Anna: Hi David, thank you. It's going well, but I have a few questions.

David: Of course, ask away. That's what I'm here for.

Anna: Great. First, I need to look at the marketing plan for the new product. Where can I find the project files?

David: Good question. They are on the shared drive, in the folder named 'Q4-Product-Launch'.

Anna: Okay, 'Q4-Product-Launch'. Got it. And who is the main contact for the design team? I need to ask them about some images.

David: That's Maria. Her desk is over there, by the window. She is very helpful.

Anna: Perfect, thank you. Now, about my tasks. What is my first big task for this project?

David: We need you to create the social media plan. It's a very important part of the launch.

Anna: A social media plan, excellent. I have experience with that. When is the deadline for the first draft?

David: I need to see the first draft by next Friday. Is that possible?

Anna: Yes, next Friday is fine. Just one more thing about that... Why is this campaign so important for the company right now?

David: Because our competitor launched a similar product last month. We need to be fast and effective.

Anna: I understand. That makes sense. And finally, a practical question. How should I send the draft to you? As a PDF in an email?

David: Yes, an email with a PDF attachment is perfect. Oh, and don't forget our team meeting tomorrow.

Anna: Oh, right! What time is our team meeting tomorrow?

David: It's at 10 AM.

Anna: And where is the meeting room?

David: It's in Meeting Room 3, on this floor. I'll see you there.

Anna: Thank you, David. I feel much better now.

Question 1: Why does Anna ask David, "Who is the main contact for the design team?"

💡 Hint: 'Who' is used to ask about a person.

Question 2: What is Anna's first big task?

💡 Hint: David tells Anna, "We need you to create the social media plan."

Question 3: Complete the sentence from the audio: Anna asks: "______ can I find the project files?"

💡 Hint: Anna is asking about a location - which question word is used for places?
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Interactive Quiz

10 minutes

Choose the correct question word to complete each sentence:

1

______ does the project deadline fall?

A What
B When
C Where
2

______ money do we have in the budget?

A How many
B How much
C How often
3

______ is responsible for customer complaints?

A Who
B What
C Why
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Practice Exercises

10 minutes

Exercise A - Choose the Correct Question Word

Select the best Wh-word for each question:

1.

_____ do you usually have lunch? (time)

💡 Hint: We're asking about a time. Which word asks about time?
2.

_____ is the nearest printer? (location)

💡 Hint: We're asking about a place. Which word asks about location?
3.

_____ did the client cancel the order? (reason)

💡 Hint: We're asking for a reason. Which word asks "for what reason"?
4.

_____ do you travel to work? By car or train? (method)

💡 Hint: We're asking about the manner or method. Which word asks "in what way"?
5.

_____ should I ask about holiday requests? (person)

💡 Hint: We're asking about a person. Which word asks about people?

Exercise B - How Much vs How Many

Choose the correct form based on whether the noun is countable or uncountable:

1.

_____ employees work in the London office?

💡 Hint: Can you count employees? (1 employee, 2 employees...)
2.

_____ time do we have before the deadline?

💡 Hint: "Time" in general is uncountable.
3.

_____ does a new computer cost?

💡 Hint: We're asking about price/money - which is uncountable.
4.

_____ meetings do you have this week?

💡 Hint: Can you count meetings? (1 meeting, 2 meetings...)
5.

_____ experience do you have in marketing?

💡 Hint: "Experience" is uncountable.

Exercise C - Form the Question

Write the complete question using the given words:

1.

time / does / what / the / meeting / start

💡 Hint: Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + verb: What time does...
2.

where / is / department / the / finance

💡 Hint: With "be": Wh-word + is + subject: Where is...
3.

how often / you / do / clients / visit

💡 Hint: How often + do + subject + verb: How often do you...
4.

who / the / manages / project

💡 Hint: "Who" is the subject - no auxiliary needed: Who manages...
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Summary

2 minutes

🎓 Key Takeaways

  • What asks about things/information; Which asks about choices from a limited set.
  • Where asks about place; When asks about time.
  • Who asks about people; Why asks about reasons.
  • How asks about manner/method; combine with adjectives/adverbs for more specific questions.
  • How much = uncountable nouns (money, time, experience); How many = countable nouns (people, meetings, reports).
  • Word order: Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + verb (except when Wh-word IS the subject).
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Congratulations!

You've completed Lesson 4.1 on Wh-Questions & Information Gathering. You can now ask clear questions to get the information you need at work! Continue to Lesson 4.2 to learn about Subject vs Object Questions.

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