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Unit 47 · Questions

What ... ? Which ... ? How ... ?

Study

A

What + noun (What colour ... ? / What kind ... ? etc.)

›

What colour is your car?

›

What colour are your eyes?

›

What size is this shirt?

›

What make is your TV?

›

What time is it?

›

What day is it today?

›

What kind of job do you want?

(or What type of job ... ? / What sort of job ... ?)

What without a noun:

›

What's your favourite colour?

›

What do you want to do tonight?

B

Which + noun (things or people):

›

Which train did you catch — the 9.50 or the 10.30?

›

Which doctor did you see — Doctor Ellis, Doctor Gray or Doctor Hill?

We use which without a noun for things, not people:

›

Which is bigger — Canada or Australia?

We use who for people (without a noun):

›

Who is taller — Joe or Gary?

(not Which is taller?)

C

What or which?

We use which when we are thinking about a small number of possibilities (perhaps 2, 3 or 4):

›

We can go this way or that way.

›

Which way shall we go?

›

There are four umbrellas here.

›

Which is yours?

What is more general:

›

What's the capital of Argentina? (of all the cities in Argentina)

›

What sort of music do you like? (of all kinds of music)

Compare:

›

What colour are his eyes? (not Which colour?)

›

Which colour do you prefer, pink or yellow?

›

What is the longest river in the world?

›

Which is the longest river — the Mississippi, the Amazon or the Nile?

D

How ... ?

›

'How was the party last night?' 'It was great.'

›

'How do you usually go to work?' 'By bus.'

You can use how + adjective/adverb (how tall / how old / how often etc.):

'How tall are you?' 'I'm 1 metre 70.'
'How big is the house?' 'Not very big.'
'How old is your mother?' 'She's 45.'
'How far is it from here to the airport?' 'Five kilometres.'
'How often do you use your car?' 'Every day.'
'How long have they been married?' 'Ten years.'
'How much was the meal?' 'Thirty pounds.'

Exercises (5)

0/5 exercises checked
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47.1

Write questions with what.

  1. 1
    I've got a new TV.
    (make?) What make is it?example
  2. 2
    I want a job.
    (kind?) What kind of job do you want?example
  3. 3
    I bought a new sweater.
    (colour?) What colour is it?
  4. 4
    I got up early this morning.
    (time?) What time did you get up?
  5. 5
    I like music.
    (type?) What type of music do you like?
  6. 6
    I want to buy a car.
    (kind?) What kind of car do you want (to buy)?
47.2

Complete the questions. Use Which ... ?

  1. 1
    Which way shall we go?example
  2. 2
    is yours?
  3. 3
    do you want to see?
  4. 4
    goes to the centre?
47.3

Write what/which/who.

  1. 1
    is that man's name?example
  2. 2
    way shall we go? Left or right?example
  3. 3
    You can have tea or coffee. do you prefer?
  4. 4
    ' day is it today?' 'Friday.'
  5. 5
    This is a nice office. desk is yours?
  6. 6
    is your favourite sport?
  7. 7
    is more expensive, meat or fish?
  8. 8
    is older, Liz or Steve?
  9. 9
    kind of camera have you got?
  10. 10
    a: I have three cameras. b: camera do you use most?
  11. 11
    nationality are you?
47.4

Complete the questions with How + adjective or adverb (high/long etc.).

  1. 1
    How high is Mount Everest? Nearly 9000 metres.example
  2. 2
    is it to the station? It's about two kilometres from here.
  3. 3
    is Helen? She's 26.
  4. 4
    do the buses run? Every ten minutes.
  5. 5
    is the water in the pool? Two metres.
  6. 6
    have you lived here? Nearly three years.
47.5

Write questions with How ... ?

  1. 1
    Are you 1 metre 70? 1.75? 1.80? How tall are you?example
  2. 2
    Is this box one kilogram? Two? Three?
  3. 3
    Are you 20 years old? 22? 25?
  4. 4
    Did you spend £20? £30? £50?
  5. 5
    Do you watch TV every day? Once a week? Never?
  6. 6
    Is it 1000 miles from Paris to Moscow? 1500? 2000?