Year 1 English: Questions and question words
Part of the Year 1 English questions and exclamations chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Questions and question words
A question asks for information. We want an answer. A question ends with a question mark (?).
Many questions start with a question word. The six main ones are who, what, where, when, why and how.
Each question word asks for something different. Who asks about a person. Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
Key ideas
- A question asks for information, and it ends with a question mark.
- Who asks about a person. What asks about a thing.
- Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
- Why asks for a reason. How asks about the way, or how many.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is at the door?
- Think about the answer. who asks about a person.Who asks about a person.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Who is at the door?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Who is at the door? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is my hat?
- Think about the answer. where asks about a place.Where asks about a place.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Where is my hat?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Where is my hat? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ does the bus come?
- Think about the answer. when asks about a time.When asks about a time.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.When does the bus come?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: When does the bus come? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Watch out
Watch out: a question still needs a question mark, even when it starts with a question word. Write Where is my hat?, not Where is my hat.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask a question about something in the room, such as “Who is wearing red?” or “Where is the spoon?” Then ask your child to make up a question with a question word. Write the six words on cards.
Exercise 7B Question words
Key words. Who asks about a person. Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
Method. Think about the kind of answer we want.
- Think about the answer. We want to know about a person.The answer is a person.
- Find the question word for it. who asks about a person.who = a person
- Write the question word. who
Check. Ask the question: Who is that? ✓
Watch out. Each question word asks for a different kind of answer.
Key words. Who asks about a person. Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
Method. Think about the kind of answer we want.
- Think about the answer. We want to know about a place.The answer is a place.
- Find the question word for it. where asks about a place.where = a place
- Write the question word. where
Check. Ask the question: Where is it? ✓
Watch out. Each question word asks for a different kind of answer.
Key words. Who asks about a person. Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
Method. Think about the kind of answer we want.
- Think about the answer. We want to know about a time.The answer is a time.
- Find the question word for it. when asks about a time.when = a time
- Write the question word. when
Check. Ask the question: When is lunch? ✓
Watch out. Each question word asks for a different kind of answer.
Key words. Who asks about a person. Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
Method. Think about the kind of answer we want.
- Think about the answer. We want to know about a reason.The answer is a reason.
- Find the question word for it. why asks about a reason.why = a reason
- Write the question word. why
Check. Ask the question: Why is it wet? ✓
Watch out. Each question word asks for a different kind of answer.
Key words. Who asks about a person. Where asks about a place. When asks about a time.
Method. Think about the kind of answer we want.
- Think about the answer. We want to know about a thing.The answer is a thing.
- Find the question word for it. what asks about a thing.what = a thing
- Write the question word. what
Check. Ask the question: What is that? ✓
Watch out. Each question word asks for a different kind of answer.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is the library?
- Think about the answer. where asks about a place.Where asks about a place.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Where is the library?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Where is the library? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is Tom’s birthday?
- Think about the answer. when asks about a time.When asks about a time.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.When is Tom’s birthday?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: When is Tom’s birthday? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ did you run?
- Think about the answer. why asks about a reason.Why asks about a reason.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Why did you run?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Why did you run? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ many apples are in the bag?
- Think about the answer. how asks about the way, or how many.How asks about the way, or how many.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.How many apples are in the bag?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: How many apples are in the bag? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is the bus?
- Think about the answer. where asks about a place.Where asks about a place.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Where is the bus?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Where is the bus? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is in the box?
- Think about the answer. what asks about a thing.What asks about a thing.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.What is in the box?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: What is in the box? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is at the gate?
- Think about the answer. who asks about a person.Who asks about a person.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Who is at the gate?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Who is at the gate? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Key words. A question word starts a question, like who, what, where, when, why or how.
Method. Think about what the question wants to know, then pick the question word for it.
- Read the question with the gap. Look at the words after the gap.___ is the ball?
- Think about the answer. where asks about a place.Where asks about a place.
- Write the question word. Start the question with a capital letter.Where is the ball?
Check. Read the whole question aloud: Where is the ball? ✓
Watch out. The question still ends with a question mark.
Method. Check the sentence: does it ask for information, and does it end with a question mark?
- Read the sentence. Listen to what it asks.Where is my hat?
- Check what it does. It asks where the hat is, so it is a question.It asks for information.
- Check the end mark. A question ends with a question mark.Yes. It is a question, and it ends with ?
Check. Read it aloud. It asks for information and ends with a question mark. ✓
Watch out. A sentence with a question word can still be a question without the right mark.