Common question words in inglese
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Common question words
Parole interrogative di uso comune:
What?
What are you doing?
(-I am playing tennis.)
Who?
Who is this boy?
(-This boy is my brother.)
Where?
Where are you going?
(-I am going to the cinema.)
When?
When does the train arrive?
(-The train arrives at 4 o'clock.)
Why?
Why is Bruno angry?
(-Bruno is angry because his grandfather died.)
How?
How is your Dad?
(-My dad is tired.)
How much? How many?
How many children do you have?
(-I have eight children.)
Which?
Which of the following is correct?
(-The first one is correct.)
Whose?
Whose pencil is this?
(-This is Icarus' pencil.)
How è seguito spesso da un aggettivo o un avverbio:
How long have you been married? Da quanto tempo siete sposati?
How far is the Golden Gate Bridge from here? Quanto dista da qui il Gate Bridge?
How often does Kevin go to Asia? Con che frequenza Kevin va da Asia?
How many times must I tell you to clean up your desk? Quante volte ti ho detto di pulire la tua scrivania?
How old are you? Quanti anni hai?
How tall are you? Quanto sei alto?
How come? Come mai?
Esercizio 1
Bob: old are you, Luna?
Luna: do you ask?
Bob: My son's 3rd birthday is coming up. He wants one of those new Ipods. They are a bit expensive, though. kind of gift do you think I should give him?
Luna: Well, when I was 3, I was looking for spiritual guidance.
Bob: did that cost?
Luna: do you ask?
Bob: My son's 3rd birthday is coming up. He wants one of those new Ipods. They are a bit expensive, though. kind of gift do you think I should give him?
Luna: Well, when I was 3, I was looking for spiritual guidance.
Bob: did that cost?
Bob: How 1 old are you, Luna?
Luna: Why 2 do you ask?
Bob: My son's 3rd birthday is coming up. He wants one of those new Ipods. They are a bit expensive, though. What 3 kind of gift do you think I should give him?
Luna: Well, when I was 3, I was looking for spiritual guidance.
Bob: How much 4 did that cost?
Luna: Why 2 do you ask?
Bob: My son's 3rd birthday is coming up. He wants one of those new Ipods. They are a bit expensive, though. What 3 kind of gift do you think I should give him?
Luna: Well, when I was 3, I was looking for spiritual guidance.
Bob: How much 4 did that cost?
1 How: 'How' is the interrogative term used to ask a question about age: How old are you?
1 What: 'What old' does not make sense, and is grammatically incorrect. To ask a question about age, we use the interrogative term 'how', not 'what'.
1 Which: 'Which old' does not make sense, and is grammatically incorrect. To ask a question about age, we use the interrogative term 'how', not 'which'.
2 Why: 'Why' is used to ask questions about reason, cause or purpose. Here Luna is asking Bob about the reason for his question.
2 What: Although it is grammatically correct in this question, Luna is asking Bob about the reason for his question. If Luna were to ask Bob for more information, the proper construction would be: 'What are you asking me?'
2 How: 'How' generally asks a question about the 'way' or 'manner' in which something is done. Here Luna is asking Bob about the reason for his question, and not about the way in which he asked it.
3 What: 'What' is used to ask general questions, including questions about objects. Here Bob is asking Luna to suggest a gift (an object) for his son.
3 How many: 'How many' is incorrect, because Bob is not asking Luna for a quantity or an amount of something. Also, because the word kind is singular, we know that we could not use 'How many?' in this question.
3 How much: 'How much' is incorrect because Bob is not asking Luna the amount of what he should give his daughter.
4 How much: 'How much' is the correct answer because Bob is asking for the cost of 'spiritual guidance.' To ask a question about the cost or price of something, we use the interrogative construction 'how much...?'
4 How many: 'How many' is incorrect here because it is grammatically incorrect to ask 'how many' does that cost. The interrogative construction 'how many' is used to ask questions about the amount or quantity of something. However we can't use it to refer to money, which is an considered an uncountable noun.
4 How often: The interrogative construction 'how often' is used to ask a question about the frequency of an action. It can't be used to ask about the cost of an object or service.
Esercizio 2
Polly: often do you go to the gym, Susie?
Susie: Oh, never. you?
Polly: I rarely go, myself. So, do you stay so fit?
Susie: Genetics. I blame my parents for many things, but genetics is not one of them.
Susie: Oh, never. you?
Polly: I rarely go, myself. So, do you stay so fit?
Susie: Genetics. I blame my parents for many things, but genetics is not one of them.
Polly: How 1 often do you go to the gym, Susie?
Susie: Oh, never. How about 2 you?
Polly: I rarely go, myself. So, How 3 do you stay so fit?
Susie: Genetics. I blame my parents for many things, but genetics is not one of them.
Susie: Oh, never. How about 2 you?
Polly: I rarely go, myself. So, How 3 do you stay so fit?
Susie: Genetics. I blame my parents for many things, but genetics is not one of them.
1 How: 'How often' is the correct choice here. This is the best way to pose a question about frequency (How often? or How many times?).
1 How much: 'How much?' is used to ask about cost or quantity, not frequency. Also, this construction is grammatically incorrect because we cannot say 'How much often?.
1 Where: 'Where' is used to as questions about location. 'Where often?' is grammatically in correct.
1 Which: 'Which' is used to a question with a limited number of possible answers. It can't be used to ask about the frequency of an action.
2 How about: 'How about you' is the correct answer here. Susie is re-directing the same question which Polly posed to her earlier in the dialogue. 'How about you?' is a common construction used to ask a question about a subject which is already established.
2 How are: 'How are you' is incorrect here. To ask this question in the context of this particular dialogue would be strange. Also, 'I rarely go' is not an appropriate answer to the question 'How are you?'.
2 How come: 'How come' can be used to ask about the reason or cause of something, similar to 'why'. It is incorrect here because followed by 'you' it is grammatically incorrect. Also, Susie is not asking Polly about reason or purpose.
3 How: 'How' generally asks a question about the 'way' or 'manner' in which something is done. Here Polly is asking Susie about the way in which she stays so fit.
3 Why: Although 'why?' is grammatically correct, we can tell both by the context of the dialogue as well as the Susie's response, that Polly is not asking for the reason Susie stays so fit, but for information about 'how' she stays in good shape.
3 Where: 'Where' is used to ask a question about location. Polly is not asking 'where' Susie stays so fit, but 'how'.
Esercizio 3
Kevin: car is in my parking space? I want it removed immediately!
Luna: are you talking about, Kevin?
Kevin: I just want to find out parked their car in my spot.
Luna: are you talking about, Kevin?
Kevin: I just want to find out parked their car in my spot.
Kevin: Whose 1 car is in my parking space? I want it removed immediately!
Luna: What 2 are you talking about, Kevin?
Kevin: I just want to find out who 3 parked their car in my spot.
Luna: What 2 are you talking about, Kevin?
Kevin: I just want to find out who 3 parked their car in my spot.
1 Whose: 'Whose?' is used to ask 'to whom' the car belongs, or to ask about the owner of the car. We use 'whose' to ask questions about possession.
1 Whom: 'Whom' is a formal term, not frequently used in today's English. We cannot use 'whom' to ask about possession, the term is used to ask a question about an unknown person. Generally 'whom' is used as the object in a sentence (Whom did you kill? To whom did you give your rose? or Whom will you give your prize?). 'Who' is generally used as the subject in a sentence (Who did this to you?) or less frequently as the predicate noun of a sentence (He is the one who did this to me).
1 What: 'What?' asks a general question about a subject or topic. The term cannot be used to ask about possession.
1 Who: 'Who?' is used to ask questions about identity or people. The term cannot be used to ask a question about possession. We might ask 'who bought that new car?', but we must ask 'whose car is that?'.
2 What: 'What?' is used to asked general questions. Here Luna wants to know what Kevin is talking about, and probably the reason for his initial question.
2 Who: 'Who?' is used to ask about identity. Because Kevin isn't talking about anyone specifically, it doesn't make sense to use it here.
2 Why: 'Why?' is used to ask about cause or reason. The question 'why are talk about?' is grammatically incorrect.
2 Which: 'Which?' is used to ask questions with a limited number of possible answers. We often use it to ask about choice or preference: Which of the two candidates to you support?
3 who: In this sentence, who acts as a relative pronoun, referring to the person who has parked in Kevin's spot. As a relative pronoun, 'who' replaces people.
3 whose: 'Whose', as a relative term as well as an interrogative term, always refers to possession. Kevin's sentence refers to identity, for which 'who' is used.
3 what: As a relative pronoun, 'what' replaces objects, but never people. Kevin is referring to the person who parked in his spot, not an object.
3 where: As a relative pronoun, 'where' replaces locations, but never people. Kevin is referring to the person who parked in his spot, the spot itself.
Esercizio 4
Susie: I don't care opinion it is. Even if it were the president's opinion, I'd still disagree!
Bob: is the president these days anyway? Is it still Truman?
Susie: I don't know I even bother talking to you anymore.
Bob: is the president these days anyway? Is it still Truman?
Susie: I don't know I even bother talking to you anymore.
Susie: I don't care whose 1 opinion it is. Even if it were the president's opinion, I'd still disagree!
Bob: Who 2 is the president these days anyway? Is it still Truman?
Susie: I don't know why 3 I even bother talking to you anymore.
Bob: Who 2 is the president these days anyway? Is it still Truman?
Susie: I don't know why 3 I even bother talking to you anymore.
1 whose: 'Whose' is used to describe 'to whom' the opinion belongs. In this sentence, 'whose' acts as a relative adjective and refers to any person who expresses a certain opinion.
1 whom: 'Whom' is a formal term, not frequently used in today's English. Both as a relative term and an interrogative one, 'whom' cannot be used to refer to or ask about possession. If Susie were referring to a person (and not to whoever possesses an opinion), she might say 'I don't care to whom the opinion belongs'
1 who: 'Who?' is used to ask questions about identity or people. As a relative pronoun, it refers to a person or someone's identity. The term cannot be used to refer to possession.
1 which: Although grammatically correct, using 'which' here doesn't agree with the second clause of this sentence. We want to know about the possession of this opinion, and not 'which' opinion we are referring to.
2 Who: 'Who?' is used to ask about identity. Bob is inquiring about the president's identity or name.
2 Whose: 'Whose?' is used to ask questions about possession, not identity.
2 What: 'What' is used to ask questions of a general nature. It can't ask a question about a person's identity.
2 Which: 'Which?' is used to ask questions with a limited number of possible answers. For example: Which President do you prefer: Truman or Eisenhower?
3 why: In this sentence, 'why' is used as a relative term to refer to the purpose, reason or cause of Susie's conversations with Bob. Susie is questioning her decision to talk to Bob as he seems lost in the conversation.
3 what: As a relative term, 'what' refers to objects or general subjects. Example: What's done is done. 'What' can't refer to the reason for an action.
3 which: As a relative term, 'which' refers to specific subjects. Example: The report which I gave you this morning must be read by this afternoon. 'Which' can't refer to the reason for an action.
3 where: As a relative term, 'where' describes a location. Example: Meet me at the restaurant where we first met. 'Where' can't refer to the reason for an action.
Esercizio 5
Polly: Philip, time do you usually wake up in the morning?
Philip: It depends on the day of the week. On the weekdays, I like to read the papers early in the morning.
Polly: Oh, ones do you read?
Philip: The Crawl Street Journal, The SF Gazette, and Playboy ...for the articles, of course.
Polly: Right.
Philip: It depends on the day of the week. On the weekdays, I like to read the papers early in the morning.
Polly: Oh, ones do you read?
Philip: The Crawl Street Journal, The SF Gazette, and Playboy ...for the articles, of course.
Polly: Right.
Polly: Philip, what 1 time do you usually wake up in the morning?
Philip: It depends on the day of the week. On the weekdays, I like to read the papers early in the morning.
Polly: Oh, which 2 ones do you read?
Philip: The Crawl Street Journal, The SF Gazette, and Playboy ...for the articles, of course.
Polly: Right.
Philip: It depends on the day of the week. On the weekdays, I like to read the papers early in the morning.
Polly: Oh, which 2 ones do you read?
Philip: The Crawl Street Journal, The SF Gazette, and Playboy ...for the articles, of course.
Polly: Right.
1 what: 'What time is it?' is the only way to pose this question. As an interrogative term, 'what' is used to ask general questions.
1 which: 'Which' is used to ask a specific question with a limited number of answers (which room? which one?). Because 'what time is it' is a more general question, we use the 'what' in this case.
1 when: Although 'when' is used to ask questions about time, we cannot use 'when' in this case because of the noun 'time' which follows. 'When time' is grammatically incorrect, though we might say 'when do you wake up in the morning?'
2 which: 'Which?' is used to ask a specific question with a limited number of possible answers. Polly knows that Philip reads newspapers every morning, and she wants to know which ones he reads specifically.
2 what: 'What?' is used to ask a general question, so we would not use it in this case. We might ask 'what do you like read?' which is a more general question.
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