13. ASKING FOR INFORMATION WITH WH QUESTIONS

 Asking Information

When we want to know about something, we can ask someone a question. So we can get for some information that we want to know. We can ask an information with using WH- question words (what, where, when, who, why, and how). They are called WH- question because they start with a question word.

What’s WH questions?

In journalism, WH-question is a concept in news style, research, and in police investigations that are regarded as basics in information-gathering. It is a formula for getting the specific information of something. WH-question is that for a report to be considered complete it must answer a checklist of six questions, each of which comprises an interrogative word. 

We can ask some information with WH- question. They are as follows:

•      What : asking for information about something.

•      Where : asking for information about place or position.

•      When : asking for information about time.

•      Who : asking for information about person or someone’s identity.

•      Why : asking for information about the reason for something.

•      How : asking for Information about the manner or way in which something is done.

Other words can also be used to inquire about specific information:

•      What kind : asking about description.

•      Whose : asking for information about possession or about ownership.

•      Which : asking about the choice of alternatives.

•      How much : asking for the quantity (uncountable).

•      How many : asking for the quantity (countable).

•      How far : asking for information about distance.

•      How old : asking about someone’s age.

•      Whom : asking about person.

Ø  Note: Whom can only be used to elicit information about the object of the sentence. Although using whom would be grammatically correct, we normally use who instead because it doesn’t sound so formal 

When we use WH- questions?

If you want information about a fact, person, thing, place, manner, etc, you can use a WH- question.

•      For example:

    You are not sure where and at what time you meet your friend.

    You ask him: “where do we meet?”  and “when do we meet?”

    So, he can give you the information.

Examples :

•      What is your name?

•      When is the party?

•      Where is the hotel?

•      Why is the road wet?

•      How do you drink your coffee?

•      Whose pen is this?

•      Whom did you see?

•      Which is your car?

•      How much money do you have?

•      How many cars are there?

There are a number of formulas used when asking for information :
Could you tell me...?
Do you know...?
Do you happen to know...?
I'd like to know...
Could you find out...?
I'm interested in...
I'm looking for..
 

Combined with to be

          What is ……. Your name?
 When was ……. He born?
 Where are ………. The tickets?
 Why were …………. They here?
 Who are ……….. Those people?
 How is ……. Helen? 

Combined with auxiliary verbs or Modals
What do …………
When did …………
Where shall ……..
Why does ……..
Who might ……
How could ……