‘WH-‘ questions expect a reply that supplies information.
The wh-word can be a pronoun:
adverb:
Where did it go?
or a determiner:
A search for the most common questions in the iWeb corpus with:
_ddq _v _p _v ?
1 WHAT DO YOU THINK? (‘what’ is the direct object, ‘do’ is the dummy operator, ‘you’ is the subject.)
39531
2 WHAT SHOULD I DO ? 16405
3 WHAT DO YOU DO ? 12573
4 WHAT DO I DO ? 11159
5 WHAT CAN I DO ? 9796
6 WHAT ARE YOU DOING? 6912
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
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:
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’.