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INFORMATION ON ‘Framing of Wh-Questions’

Q.37 (A) ) Framing of Wh-questions to get the underlined part(s) in the given passages from the
Supplementary Reader.

1. Before knowing how to frame Wh-questions, we should know that questions are framed based on
the information given in the form of Assertive Sentences (Statements).
2. The structure of a statement is always the Subject + the Verb (S-V) order.
3. So we should first ask children to identify the subject and the verb in a sentence in which certain part
is underlined.
4. Then we should ask them to identify what type of verb is given in the sentence.
5. We can classify the verbs into two kinds:
i) ‘Be’ forms - am, is, are, was, were
‘Have’ forms - have, has, had
‘Do’ forms - do, does, did
‘Modal verbs’ - will, would, shall, should, can, could, may, might,
ii) Verb -1, Verb-1 s, es, V2
6. Firstly we have to change a statement into an ‘Yes/No’ type question. For that the subject and the
verb in a statement shall be interchanged. Then we have to add a ‘Wh-question’ concerned before
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that ‘Yes/No’ question to get the underlined part as the answer

7. Add a Wh-word before the Verb + the Subject order based on the meaning of the underlined part
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When - if the underlined part refers to time

Where - if the underlined part refers to a place
Why - if the underlined part refers to a reason
What - if the underlined part refers to something
Who - if the underlined part refers to a person (in the subjective case)
Whom - if the underlined part refers to a person (in the objective case)
Whose - if the underlined part refers to a person (in the possessive case)
Which - if the underlined part requires a choice between a number of items
How - if the underlined part speaks about ‘the manner of doing something’
How far - if the underlined part refers to ‘distance’
How long - if the underlined part refers to ‘the amount of time taken for something’
What kind of - if the underlined part refers to ‘the quality of a person/thing’.
8. If the verb in a statement is a ‘Be’ form, ‘Have’ form, “Do’ form or a ‘Modal verb’, we can just
just interchange the Subject and the Verb and can add a Wh-word before that ‘Yes/No’ type question
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Ex:- 1.Anil was watching a wrestling match.

(S) (V)
Here, the verb is a ‘Be’ form. So we can simply frame an ‘Yes/No’ type question (excluding the
underlined part) by interchanging the subject and the verb.
Was Anil watching? (Yes/No question)
(V) (S)
Now the underlined part ‘a wrestling match’ refers to something. So we can add ‘What’ before the
‘Yes/No’ question as follows:
What was Anil watching? (here, we get the ‘a wrestling match’ as the answer)
V S
Ex:- 2. I had been working for Anil for almost a month.
S V
Had I been working for Anil? (Yes/No’ question)
V S
Here, the underlined part refers to ‘duration of time’. So we can add ‘How long’ before the question.
How long had I been working for Anil? (We get ‘for almost a month’ as the answer)
V S
Ex:- 3.The friend did not recognize Matilda.
S V
Didn’t the friend recognise? (Yes/No question)
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‘Matilda’ refers to a noun in objective case. So, we can begin with ‘Whom’
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Whom didn’t the friend recognise? (Matilda)

9. If the verb given in a statement is a ‘Modal Verb’:
Ex:- 1. I could sleep on the balcony.
S V
Here, ‘could’ is a modal verb. So we can frame an Yes/No question by interchanging the Subject
and the verb)
Could I sleep? (Yes/No question. Here the underlined part refers to a place.
MV S So, we can begin with ‘Where’)
Where could I sleep? (We get the answer ‘on the balcony')
Ex:- 2. Today we will start writing sentences.
S MV
Will we start writing sentences? (Yes/No question. Here, today refers to time .
So, we can begin with ‘When’)
When will we start writing? (Today)
10.If the verb in a statement is a V1, begin the ‘Yes/No’ question with ‘Do + Subject + Vi…….?
Ex:- I want to know what you have been doing.
S V1
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Do I want to know? (Here, the underlined part refers to something. So, add ‘What’ before this)
V S

What do I want to know? (what you have been doing)

V S
11.If the verb in a statement is V1s, es, begin the ‘Yes/No’ question with ‘Does + Subject + V1…..?

Ex:- She discovers a superb diamond necklace.

S V1s
Does she discover? (Yes/No question)
(Here, ‘a superb diamond necklace’ refers to something. So, we can begin with ‘What’
What does she discover?
V1es S
12.If the verb in a statement is a V2, begin the ‘Yes/No’ question with ‘Did + Subject + V1…..?
Ex:- 1.Ramlal placed his turban at Bishamber’s feet..
S V2
Did Ramlal place at Bishamber’sj feet? (Here, ‘his turban’ refers to something
V S V1 So, we can begin with What)
What did Ramlal place at Bishamber’s feet?
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V S
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2.Loisel turned towards him excitedly.

Did Loisel turn towards him?
V S V1
(Here, the underlined part refers to the manner/way in which something happened. So, we have to
begin the question with ‘How.’
How did Loisel turn towards him?
V S V1

Note:- This is just my effort to give some preliminary information on framing Wh-questions. But,
different techniques need to be adopted depending upon the structure and the meaning of certain
sentences to frame Wh-questions.
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EXERCISES ON HOW TO FRAME QUESTION ON THE UNDERLINED PART(S)

I)Anil (1) was watching a wrestling match. (2) He was about 25.(3) He looked tall and lean.(4)
He looked like a wrestler. (5)
Underlined word Wh-Question to get it as the answer
1. Anil Who was watching a wrestling match?
2. a wrestling match What was Anil watching?
3. about 25 How old was he/Anil?
4. tall and lean How did he/Anil look?
5. like a wrestler How did he/Anil look?
II) At birth,(1) the child was very fair and pretty.(2) But, when she was two years old, (3) she had
an attack of small-pox.(4) Only the eyes (5) were saved, but the entire body (6) was
permanently disfigured (7) by deep black pock-marks.(8) Little Sulekha (9) could not speak till
she was five.(10) When she learnt to speak, she stammered.(11) The other children (12) often
made fun of her.(13)

Underlined word Wh-Question to get it as the answer

1. At birth When was the child very fair and pretty?
2. very fair and pretty How was the child at birth? (or)
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At birth, how was the child?

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3. when she was two years old When did she/the child have an attack of small-pox?
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(or)
At what age did she/the child have an attack of small-pox?
4. An attack of small-pox What did she/the child have?
5. the eyes What were only saved?
6. the entire body What was permanently disfigured?
7. permanently disfigured? How was the entire body?
8. deep black pock-marks What was the entire body permanently disfigured by?
9. Little Sulekha Who could speak till she was five?
10. she was five Till when could little Sulekha/she not speak?
11. she stammered What did Sulekha do when she learnt to speak?
12. the other children Who often made fun of her/Sulekha?
13. made fun of her What did the other children often do (to Sulekha)?
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III) One Sunday, (1) as she was taking a walk (2) in the Champs-Elysees (3)

to the rid herself of the cares of the week, (4) she suddenly perceived a woman walking with a

child.(5) It was Mme Forestier, still young, still pretty, still attractive.(6) Mme Loisel (7) was

affected.

Underlined word Wh-Question to get it as the answer

1. One Sunday When was she walking?
2. she was taking a walk What was she doing one Sunday?
3. in the Champs-Elysees Where was she taking a walk/walking?
4. to rid herself of the cares of the week Why was she taking a walk in the Champs-Elysees?
5. a woman walking with a child? Who(m) did she suddenly perceive?
6. still young, still pretty, still attractive How was Mme Forestier?

IV) This project (1) won Ebright first place (2) in the country fair and entry into the International

Science and Engineering Fair. (3) There he won third place for zoology.(4) He also got a change to
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work (5) during the summer (6) at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of
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Research.(7) That year (8) his project (9) won the first place (10) at the International Science Fair.(11)

Underlined word Wh-Question to get it as the answer

1. This project _____________________________________________ ?

2. first place _____________________________________________ ?

3. entry into the International Science ______________________________________________ ?

and Engineering Fair

4. third place for zoology ______________________________________________ ?

5. a chance to work ______________________________________________ ?

6. during the summer ______________________________________________ ?

7. at the entomology laboratory of the ______________________________________________ ?

Walter Red Army Institute of Research

8. That year ______________________________________________ ?

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9. his project ______________________________________________ ?

10. the first place ______________________________________________ ?

11. at the International Science Fair ______________________________________________ ?

WORK SHEET :
1.Richard (1) would always give that extra effort.(2) 1._________________________________________ ?

2._________________________________________ ?

2.From the first he had a driving curiosity. _________________________________________ ?

3.He earned top grades in the school. _________________________________________ ?

4.The little spy smiled envilly. _________________________________________ ?

5.Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder. _________________________________________ ?

6.I had forgotten about them in them _________________________________________ ?

in the excitement of the theft.

7.Mrs. Pumphrey (1) hovered (2) anxiously (3) 1._________________________________________ ?

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in the background. (4) 2._________________________________________ ?

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3._________________________________________ ?

4._________________________________________ ?

8.For a few nights (1) the fine spirit (2) 1._________________________________________ ?

was rolled around. 2._________________________________________ ?

9.He struggled on, drooping in his harness. _________________________________________ ?

10.He must be suffering from malnutrition. _________________________________________ ?

11.He gets very angry when anyone talks about _________________________________________ ?

‘honour among thieves.

12.The scientist (1) was always quick-tempered.(2) 1.________________________________________ ?

Now he became furious.(3) 2.________________________________________ ?

3.________________________________________ ?

13.Eventually (1) I began to lose interest (2) in 1.________________________________________ ?

tagging butterflies. (3) 2.________________________________________ ?

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3.________________________________________ ?

14.The twentieth century (1) was often called 1. ________________________________________ ?

the Era f the Book. (2) 2. ________________________________________ ?

15.I’ve been to seven galaxies. _________________________________________ ?

17.The Tehsildar sahib (1) came to perform the 1. ________________________________________ ?

primary school opening ceremony. (2) 2. ________________________________________ ?

18.Ramlal (1) handed over his daughter (2) to the 1. ________________________________________ ?

headmistresses. (3) 2. ________________________________________ ?

+ 3. ________________________________________ ?

19.Max’s face (1) was black with anger. (2) 1. ________________________________________ ?

2. ________________________________________ ?

20.The knocking at the door (1) became louder. (2) 1. ________________________________________ ?

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2. ?
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Jonnalagadda Nageswara Rao, M.A., B.Ed. - 9550188193

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