What is a What (Question Word)?

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Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

A 'What' is a question word used to ask for information about something specific. It helps us find out details, descriptions, or the identity of an object, idea, or situation. When you want to know 'which thing' or 'what kind of thing', you use 'What'.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine your friend tells you they got a new phone. You want to know more about it. You would ask, 'What phone did you get?' Here, 'What' helps you get the specific information about the phone model.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's say your teacher asks you to bring a certain book tomorrow, but you didn't hear the name clearly.
---1. You need to identify the missing information: The name of the book.
---2. The missing information is about an object (the book).
---3. To ask about an object's identity or description, the best question word is 'What'.
---4. Formulate the question: 'What book should I bring tomorrow, ma'am?'
---5. The teacher can now tell you the specific book name, e.g., 'Bring your Science textbook.'
Answer: 'What' is used to ask for the specific book name.

Why It Matters

Understanding 'What' helps you ask clear questions and get the information you need in everyday life and studies. This skill is crucial for journalists who need to uncover facts, researchers who gather data, and even customer service professionals who help solve problems by asking precise questions.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Using 'What' when asking about a person (e.g., 'What is that person?') | CORRECTION: Use 'Who' when asking about a person (e.g., 'Who is that person?'). 'What' is for things, ideas, or descriptions.

MISTAKE: Using 'What' when asking about a place (e.g., 'What is your school?') | CORRECTION: Use 'Where' when asking about a place (e.g., 'Where is your school?'). 'What' asks for details, not location.

MISTAKE: Confusing 'What' with 'Which' when there are clear options (e.g., 'What colour do you want, red or blue?') | CORRECTION: Use 'Which' when there's a limited choice between specific options (e.g., 'Which colour do you want, red or blue?'). 'What' is for open-ended questions.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Fill in the blank: _____ is your favourite subject in school? | ANSWER: What

QUESTION: Your friend just bought a new cricket bat. What question would you ask to find out the brand of the bat? | ANSWER: What brand is your new cricket bat?

QUESTION: Your parents are planning a trip. You want to know the destination and the activities they plan to do. Write two questions using 'What'. | ANSWER: What is the destination of your trip? What activities are you planning to do there?

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which sentence correctly uses the question word 'What'?

What is your best friend?

What is the capital of India?

What is your house?

What is the time you woke up?

The Correct Answer Is:

Option B correctly uses 'What' to ask for specific information about a thing (the capital city). Options A and C should use 'Who' and 'Where' respectively, while Option D should use 'When'.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you use a search engine like Google or DuckDuckGo to find information, you are essentially asking 'What' questions. For example, if you type 'What is the highest mountain in India?', you are using 'What' to get specific factual information. This is how students research projects, shoppers find product details online, and even doctors look up symptoms.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

QUESTION WORD: A word used to ask questions, like 'What', 'Who', 'Where' | INFORMATION: Facts or details about someone or something | SPECIFIC: Exact or particular | IDENTITY: Who or what someone or something is | DESCRIPTION: A statement that tells you what something is like

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand 'What', you can explore other important question words like 'Who', 'Where', 'When', 'Why', and 'How'. Each helps you ask different kinds of questions to get specific types of information.