Defining Wh- questions

<b>Forum for the discussion of Applied Linguistics </b>

Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2

Post Reply
ElizTwig
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:38 pm
Location: Canada

Defining Wh- questions

Post by ElizTwig » Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:20 pm

Who = person/people
When = time
Where = place
Why = reason
How = method
What = ??

What is a good way to define "what" for a beginner class? Are there better definitions that the ones I have posted up here?

fluffyhamster
Posts: 3031
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:57 pm
Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again

Post by fluffyhamster » Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:11 pm

Perhaps the notion of "open choice" (though linked to any noun and/or verb following in the same question, of course!) would suffice? (And remember that 'what' is the only word in your list that can be "compounded": What did he say? He said _____ ; What sports do you like?; etc, versus *Who person etc).

User avatar
ouyang
Posts: 170
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 3:52 am
Location: The Milky Way
Contact:

Post by ouyang » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:50 pm

I assume you are teaching non-native English speakers. I would suggest that you start by associating the word "what" with non-human things, e.g. chair, book, dog, etc.

Are you making this association with your students' first language? These pronouns and pro-adverbs are all beginner words, but words like "method, manner, and reason" are intermediate level.

noun: What = thing
noun: Who = person/people
adverb: When = time
adverb: Where = place
adverb: How = manner
adverb: Why = reason

For example, you wouldn't associate "how often" with "frequency" and "how long" with "duration", unless you are able to do so in the students' native language. Teachers normally just match them with other beginner words and phrases that they can represent, e.g. every day and two days.

Post Reply