Great news, ELLs: Wh-Questions are done very similarly in English. You probably won't have too much trouble with these, but in case you're still having trouble with that pesky do-insertion or forming yes/no questions, here's a review:
Step 1: Think of the question you want to ask. Forming wh-questions are a little like making algebraic equations, no? Just like algebraic equations ask you what x is, wh-questions ask who, what, where, when, why, and how something or someone is.
For example, the pronoun who can refer to anyone, just like the variable x can refer to any real number. So, if you think about it, pronouns are essentially variables. (Whoa.)
Step 2: Make that question into a declarative sentence. There's going to be some bit of information you don't know, and that's what you use the pronoun for. So let's pretend you just met someone and you didn't catch their name. Their name is unknown. (Or..."their name" is x.) The corresponding declarative sentence would be...
- Your name is what.
Here are some other examples:
- You will study where.
- Daniel is introducing who.
- What flew across the sky.
Step 3: Move the highest verb to the front of the sentence. This should sound very familiar because it's what you do in yes/no questions, which are reviewed in the previous section. If only the main verb is there, don't do anything. And don't insert do unless you want to form a yes/no question.
- Is your name what?
- Will you study where?
- Is Daniel introducing who?
- What flew across the sky?
Check it out: the first three are basically yes/no questions now, and they would be okay to ask if we weren't still missing information.
So for example, if we knew what referred to Melanie, this first question would be: "Is your name Melanie?" Then, they'd probably answer, "No, it's Earl."
However, the info we need goes beyond a simple "yes" or "no" answer, so we need to keep going...
Step 4: Move the wh-pronoun to the front of the sentence. Hmm. This seems to be a trend in English. Notice how wh-pronouns that are in subject position pretty much stay where they are since they're already at the front.
- What is your name?
- Where will you study?
- Who is Daniel introducing?
- What flew across the sky?
And you, dear Shmooper, are done.