WH questions – English Grammar Profiler

7 WHAT DO YOU MEAN? 6202
8 WHAT CAN YOU DO ? 6159
9 WHAT WOULD IT BE ? 5931
10 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 5013
11 WHAT WOULD YOU DO ? 4978
12 WHAT CAN I SAY ? 4856
13 WHAT SHOULD YOU DO ? 3426
14 WHAT DO WE DO ? 3282
15 WHAT DO YOU WANT? 3165
16 WHAT DOES IT DO ? 3036

17 WHAT AM I MISSING? 2739

18 WHAT CAN WE DO ? 2723
19 WHAT DO YOU SEE ? 2506
20 WHAT DID YOU DO ? 2488
21 WHAT DO YOU SAY ? 2213
22 WHAT DO THEY DO ? 2201

What do people do at the floating market?

23 WHAT DO I KNOW ? 1825
24 WHAT DID YOU ORDER ? 1579
25 WHAT SHOULD WE DO ? 1553
26 WHAT DID YOU THINK ? 1531
27 WHAT DID I DO ? 1482
28 WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ? 1351
29 WHAT DO YOU GET ? 1346
30 WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND ? 1313
31 WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST ? 1240
32 WHAT WILL YOU DO ? 1229
33 WHAT DO YOU NEED ? 1182
34 WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND ? 1175
35 WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ? 1159
36 WHAT DID YOU SAY ? 1112
37 WHAT COULD IT BE ? 1081
38 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ? 1024

39 WHAT AM I DOING ? 962

40 WHAT HAVE I DONE ? 936
41 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ? 918

42 WHAT WERE THEY THINKING ? 886
43 WHAT ARE THEY DOING ? 881

44 WHAT SHALL I DO ? 873
45 WHAT DO THEY MEAN ? 860
46 WHAT DID HE SAY ? 854
47 WHAT DID HE DO ? 853
48 WHAT WOULD THEY BE ? 849
49 WHAT DOES IT COST ? 840
50 WHAT DID YOU EXPECT ? 835
51 WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST ? 813
52 WHAT DID THEY DO ? 807

53 WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ? 782

54 WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE ? 732
55 WHAT DOES HE DO ? 730

56 WHAT ARE WE DOING ? 726

57 WHAT DO I MEAN ? 685

58 WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ? 684

59 WHAT DOES IT MATTER ? 674
60 WHAT DO I NEED ? 671
61 WHAT DO YOU HAVE ? 640
62 WHAT WILL I LEARN ? 625
63 WHAT DID YOU LEARN ? 613
64 WHAT SHALL WE DO ? 592
65 WHICH DO YOU PREFER ? 580
66 WHAT COULD I DO ? 564

67 WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ? 561

68 WHAT DO THEY WANT ? 557
69 WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT ? 551
70 WHAT CAN WE SAY ? 543
71 WHAT WOULD I DO ? 538
72 WHAT SHOULD I WEAR ? 522
73 WHAT DID I MISS ? 505
74 WHAT DOES IT SAY ? 498
75 WHAT DO WE KNOW ? 451
76 WHAT DO I GET ? 447
77 WHAT DO YOU USE ? 444
78 WHAT DO WE WANT ? 443
79 WHAT DID WE DO ? 441
80 WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ? 416
81 WHAT CAN YOU SAY ? 391
82 WHAT CAN I EXPECT ? 389
83 WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE ? 380

84 WHAT AM I SAYING ? 374

85 WHAT CAN THEY DO ? 371
86 WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ? 358
87 WHAT DID YOU SEE ? 354
88 WHAT CAN WE EXPECT ? 344
89 WHAT DID WE LEARN ? 341
90 WHAT DO WE HAVE ? 341
91 WHAT WOULD YOU BE ? 337
92 WHAT HAVE WE DONE ? 335

93 WHAT IS HE DOING ? 333

94 WHAT HAVE YOU GOT ? 332
95 WHAT SHOULD THEY DO ? 331
96 WHICH WOULD IT BE ? 330
97 WHAT WILL IT COST ? 326
98 WHAT DO I WANT ? 325
99 WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE ? 323
100 WHAT WILL YOU LEARN ? 322

_rrq

1 HOW DOES IT WORK ? 17883
2 WHERE DO YOU START ? 2801
3 HOW DO YOU KNOW ? 2532
4 WHERE DO I START ? 2456

5 WHERE ARE YOU GOING ? 2135

6 HOW DO THEY WORK ? 1939
7 WHY DOES IT MATTER ? 1884

8 HOW ARE YOU DOING ? 1879

9 HOW DO I APPLY ? 1878
10 HOW DO I KNOW ? 1554
11 WHERE DO YOU LIVE ? 1469
12 WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ? 1252
13 HOW DO YOU FEEL ? 1188
14 HOW CAN WE HELP ? 1171
15 WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ? 1125

16 WHERE ARE WE GOING ? 1088

17 HOW CAN I HELP ? 1065
18 HOW DID IT GO ? 1044
19 WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED ? 1037
20 HOW DO WE KNOW ? 943
21 WHERE DO I BEGIN ? 914
22 WHY SHOULD I CARE ? 889
23 HOW CAN YOU HELP ? 865
24 HOW ARE YOU FEELING ? 818
25 WHY DO YOU ASK ? 728
26 HOW DID IT HAPPEN ? 707
27 WHERE DO YOU BEGIN ? 701
28 HOW DOES IT FEEL ? 698
29 HOW CAN YOU TELL ? 665
30 WHERE DO WE START ? 665
31 HOW DO YOU DO ? 638
32 HOW DID YOU KNOW ? 630
33 HOW IS IT DONE ? 625
34 WHERE DID IT GO ? 578
35 WHERE WOULD YOU GO ? 551
36 HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ? 521
37 HOW IS IT USED ? 512
38 HOW DID YOU DO ? 492
39 HOW DO I REGISTER ? 491
40 WHERE DOES IT GO ? 477
41 WHERE DO YOU GO ? 476
42 WHERE DID YOU GO ? 467
43 WHERE DOES IT END ? 455
44 HOW WOULD YOU KNOW ? 450
45 WHERE DID THEY GO ? 450
46 WHERE DO THEY GO ? 445
47 HOW DO YOU CHOOSE ? 440
48 HOW IS IT TREATED ? 406
49 WHERE SHOULD I START ? 404

50 HOW ARE WE DOING ? 393

51 WHY SHOULD WE CARE ? 393
52 HOW DOES IT SOUND ? 388
53 WHERE IS IT LOCATED ? 387
54 WHY DOES IT WORK ? 377
55 HOW DO I START ? 374
56 WHERE DO I GO ? 365
57 WHY DOES IT HAPPEN ? 361
58 HOW DID YOU FEEL ? 356
59 WHERE DO THEY LIVE ? 353
60 HOW DO YOU RESPOND ? 351
61 HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ? 342
62 HOW DO I JOIN ? 338
63 WHY DO YOU CARE ? 336
64 WHY DID IT HAPPEN ? 331
65 WHERE SHOULD YOU START ? 330

66 WHERE AM I GOING ? 329

67 WHERE WERE YOU BORN ? 327

68 WHY ARE YOU CRYING ? 326

69 WHERE DO YOU STAND ? 312
70 HOW DOES IT LOOK ? 289
71 WHERE WOULD IT BE ? 289
72 HOW DOES IT HAPPEN ? 288
73 WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED ? 286
74 HOW DO THEY COMPARE ? 284
75 HOW DO I LOOK ? 284

76 WHERE ARE THEY GOING ? 282

77 WHY DO WE CARE ? 282
78 WHERE DID HE GO ? 276
79 WHERE DO YOU WORK ? 271
80 HOW WOULD I KNOW ? 269
81 WHERE DO WE BEGIN ? 268
82 HOW DO I PAY ? 263

83 HOW IS IT GOING ? 262

84 HOW DO THEY DIFFER ? 257
85 HOW DOES IT TASTE ? 255
86 HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED ? 255
87 WHEN WILL IT END ? 246
88 HOW DO YOU MEAN ? 245
89 HOW COULD IT BE ? 241
90 HOW WILL IT WORK ? 239
91 WHERE ARE YOU BASED ? 236
92 HOW DID IT WORK ? 235
93 WHERE DOES IT STOP ? 233
94 WHERE WILL IT END ? 232
95 HOW DO YOU START ? 229
96 WHY DO I CARE ? 228
97 WHERE DO WE GO ? 227

98 WHERE IS IT GOING ? 226

99 HOW DID IT START? 215
100 HOW IS IT CALCULATED? 210

The following search does not always contain full questions, but this is the limitation of iWeb online.

* * * _I ?

1 ARE YOU WAITING FOR? 16570 B2 in the EVP

What are you waiting for?

Listen

2 ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? 6136
3 ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? 2458
4 WHERE ARE YOU FROM? 2406
5 COULD YOU ASK FOR? 2377
6 IN THE REGION OF ? 1888
7 YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? 1844
8 YOU ‘RE LOOKING FOR ? 1822
9 ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ? 1544
10 WHO IS IT FOR ? 1377
11 TO THE VALUE OF ? 1265
12 AT A COST OF ? 1207
13 DOES IT LOOK LIKE ? 1202
14 ARE WE LOOKING FOR ? 1136
15 DID IT COME FROM ? 1051
16 CAN YOU ASK FOR ? 1021
17 ARE YOU REFERRING TO ? 998
18 DOES IT COME FROM ? 936
19 SHOULD BE AWARE OF ? 841
20 YOU MOST PROUD OF ? 781
21 DID THAT COME FROM ? 764
22 THE STORY COME FROM ? 752
23 AM I TALKING ABOUT ? 737
24 ARE YOU LOOKING AT ? 714
25 DID THEY COME FROM ? 714
26 ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ? 645
27 YOU WERE LOOKING FOR ? 637
28 DO THEY COME FROM ? 635
29 I ‘M TALKING ABOUT ? 608
30 YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ? 581
31 GOING TO COME FROM ? 578
32 DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ? 574
33 A VICTIM SURCHARGE OF ? 566
34 TO THE TUNE OF ? 555
35 WHAT WAS IT LIKE ? 553
36 TO BE AWARE OF ? 513
37 WOULD IT LOOK LIKE ? 510
38 TO PAY COMPENSATION OF ? 507
39 WHAT IS IT FOR ? 490
40 TO LOOK OUT FOR ? 489
41 YOU ‘RE TALKING ABOUT ? 485
42 IS IT GOOD FOR ? 477
43 ARE YOU AFRAID OF ? 468
44 DO N’T KNOW ABOUT ? 467
45 WHAT ‘S IT LIKE ? 448
46 TO PAY COSTS OF ? 437
47 ARE THEY LOOKING FOR ? 435
48 ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT ? 432
49 WHAT TO LOOK FOR ? 428
50 YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT ? 428
51 IS IT USED FOR ? 427
52 ARE YOU UP TO ? 419
53 YOU ARE REFERRING TO ? 415
54 SHOULD I LOOK FOR ? 408
55 ARE WE WAITING FOR ? 402
56 I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ? 396
57 DO THEY LOOK LIKE ? 395
58 ALL THE FUSS ABOUT ? 383
59 IS HE TALKING ABOUT ? 381
60 YOU CAN THINK OF ? 372
61 WHAT ‘S THAT ABOUT ? 371
62 TO GET RID OF ? 368
63 ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT ? 359
64 ON THE MARKET FOR ? 350
65 GOING TO BE LIKE ? 347
66 I ‘M LOOKING FOR ? 342
67 DOES IT FEEL LIKE ? 340
68 GOING TO LOOK LIKE ? 336
69 WHAT IS IT LIKE ? 335
70 DO YOU COME FROM ? 334
71 DO YOU THINK OF ? 332
72 THE MONEY COME FROM ? 332
73 WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ? 329
74 THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE ? 322
75 DID THIS COME FROM ? 320
76 WHO ‘S IT FOR ? 316
77 TO LOOK FORWARD TO ? 313
78 TO WATCH OUT FOR ? 312
79 THAT YOU KNOW OF ? 310
80 YOU USE IT FOR ? 306
81 I BE LOOKING FOR ? 303
82 USING THIS ITEM FOR ? 300
83 DID YOU COME FROM ? 296
84 MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ? 296
85 WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE ? 290
86 WHAT ARE THEY FOR ? 285
87 WANT TO TALK ABOUT ? 283
88 YOU COME UP WITH ? 277
89 SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR ? 276
90 IS THIS COURSE FOR ? 271
91 A GUIDE PRICE OF ? 270
92 DOES IT TASTE LIKE ? 270
93 DO YOU LOOK FOR ? 262
94 WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT ? 261
95 FINE OF UP TO ? 258
96 SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR ? 253
97 DO YOU LISTEN TO ? 252
98 YOU BEEN UP TO ? 251
99 A TOTAL OF ? 250
100 ARE YOU GOOD AT ? 250

RESEARCH NOTES:

Here are many entries at A2 in the English Grammar Profile that catch the same question complexity.

Point 2 in the category of QUESTIONS is defined as:

AUXILIARY ‘BE’ to form ‘wh-‘questions. (present continuous / past continuous)

*Notice that ‘past continuous’ is included in the ‘cando.’ However, it also points to B1 level for such a feature.

Point 4 in QUESTIONS:

use ‘wh-‘words + main verb ‘be’ + subject to form ‘wh-‘ questions

The EGP examples:

How was your dinner yesterday?
How are you, my friend? (How are you? is A1!)
Where are you, men?

Point 37 in CLAUSES, interrogatives and AFFIRMATIVE is defined as:

‘wh-‘ interrogative clauses with a ‘wh-‘ word as object.

Point 4 in PREPOSITIONS:

end a ‘wh-‘ question with a preposition, where the preposition is stranded from its complement.

Point 10 in PRESENT:

present simple with ‘yes/no’ and ‘wh-‘ question forms with ‘you’.

There is no entry in the EGP or the EVP for questions starting with ‘how long’. ‘Long’ can be found in the EVP referring to time at A2 though. Here is a more specific point from Pearson’s GSE

ask for information about time, measurement, size etc. with ‘how’ + adjective/quantifier.

31 A2(30-35)

‘how’ questions for time, measurement, size etc. (except ‘much/many’)

EXAMPLES
How big is it?
How tall is he?
How long is the film?

However in the EVP there is a similar entry under ‘how’ at A1:

QUANTITY
A1 used to ask or talk about quantity, size, or age

Do you know how many people are coming?
How much was that dress?
How big is the house?
How old are they?

We believe any of these with modal verbs instead of the verb BE add complexity. So here are the search results in the iWeb corpus for adverbs with modal verbs:

how _RR _VM * *

1 HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE 10231
2 HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE 2219
3 HOW LONG WILL IT BE 1243
4 HOW HARD CAN IT BE 1163
5 HOW HARD WOULD IT BE 833
6 HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT 668
7 HOW LONG WILL IT LAST 625
8 HOW HARD COULD IT BE 591
9 HOW COOL WOULD IT BE 586
10 HOW LONG SHOULD IT TAKE 482
11 HOW LONG WILL I HAVE 399
12 HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO 365
13 HOW LONG SHOULD YOU TAKE 305
14 HOW EASY WOULD IT BE 290
15 HOW LONG WILL I BE 273
16 HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE 228
17 HOW ELSE CAN YOU EXPLAIN 226
18 HOW LONG WILL YOU BE 207
19 HOW LONG CAN I KEEP 201
20 HOW FAR CAN YOU GO 193

And with adjectives:

how _JJ _VM * *

1 HOW LIKELY WOULD YOU BE 911
2 HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE 363
3 HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE 354
4 HOW AWESOME WOULD IT BE 316
5 HOW BAD CAN IT BE 214
6 HOW BAD COULD IT BE 199
7 HOW AMAZING WOULD IT BE 115
8 HOW NICE WOULD IT BE 104
9 HOW WONDERFUL WOULD IT BE 101
10 HOW EASY WOULD IT BE 91
11 HOW AWESOME WOULD THAT BE 80
12 HOW DIFFICULT CAN IT BE 73
13 HOW LARGE CAN THEY GROW 72
14 HOW GREAT WOULD THAT BE 61
15 HOW CONCERNED SHOULD I BE 56

6 WHAT ARE YOU DOING? 6912