Business English question words and phrases
Look at the list of question words/phrases below.
- how
- how long
- how many
how much- how often
- what
- when
- where
- which
- who
- why
Select a suitable question word/phrase from the list to complete these questions as in the example.
There are more question words/phrases than necessary to complete the questions.
Example:How much more time do you need to finish the monthly financial report?
Questions:
1. _____ is your boss? Mr Robinson?
2. _____ have you worked at this company?
3. _____ office would you prefer to work in: company headquarters or a regional office?
4. _____ did you go to school – in this country or abroad?
5. _____ does your HR department carry out formal appraisals – every six months, or more often?
6. _____ job would you like to be doing in ten years’ time?
7. _____ people work in your office?
8. _____ don't you apply for the Head of Department position?
A Quick Reference Guide to English Question Words
We all know that communication is key, especially in the business world.
However, knowing what to say is only half the battle; we also need to
know how to say it.
Below, we look at English question words and when to use them. By the
end of this post, you should have a better understanding of how to ask
questions in English like a native speaker.
Let's get started!
Question Words: How
"How" is probably the most versatile of all the English question words.
We can use it to ask about the physical or emotional state of someone,
about the manner in which something is done, or about the process of
doing something.
For example:
- How are you feeling today?
- How did you make this recipe?
- How do I get to your office?
In each of these examples, "how" is used to ask about a different aspect
of the situation. As you can see, "how" is a very useful word
indeed!
Question Words: How Long
"How long" is used to ask about the duration of an event or the length
of time that something takes.
For example:
- How long will it take you to finish that project?
- How long have you been married?
- Do you know how long it will take to get there by car?
Question Words: How Many/Much
"How many" is used when we're talking about countable nouns (things that
we can count), whereas "how much" is used for uncountable nouns (things
that we can't count).
For example:
- How many people were at the meeting? (countable)
- How many ideas do you have for this project? (countable)
- How much money do you want for your services? (uncountable)
- How much advice can I give you on this matter? (uncountable)
As a general rule, if you can answer the question with a number, you
should use "how many." If not, then "how much" is probably more
appropriate.
Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule!
Question Words: Who/Whom
"Who" and "whom" both refer to people, but they are used in different
grammatical contexts.
We use "Who" as the subject of a verb, but we use "whom" as an
object.
For example:
- Who called me last night? (subject)
- Whom did you speak to on the phone? (object)
When in doubt, try substituting "he/she/they" for "who" and see if it
sounds right.
If it does, then "who" is probably correct.
Alternatively, try substituting "him/her/them" for "whom."
If that sounds right, then go ahead and use "whom."
Question Words: Which
"Which" refers to things or groups of things—usually those which are
available from a particular selection.
For example:
- Which dress would you like to buy?
- Which type of coffee do you want—black or white?
When deciding whether or not to use "which," ask yourself if there are
multiple options available from which someone could choose.
If so, then go ahead and use "which."
Otherwise, you might want to consider using a different question word
altogether.
Question Words: What
"What" is probably the most versatile of all the question words. You can use it to ask about an object, a person, a situation, etc.
Here are some examples:
- What time is it?
- What's your name?
- What's the matter?
- What did you do yesterday?
- What's your favorite color?
As you can see, "what" can be used in a wide variety of situations. In
general, if you're unsure which question word to use, "what" is always a
safe choice.
Question Words: When
"When" is used to ask about time. Here are some examples:
- When are you free?
- When did this happen?
- When will you be back?
Notice that all of these questions relate to time in some way. If you
want to ask about a date or time, "when" is the question word you should
use.
Question Words: Where
"Where" is used to ask about location.
Here are some examples:
- Where do you live?
- Where are you from?
- Where did you put my book?
- Where should we go for lunch?
- Where's the bathroom?
Notice that all of these questions relate to location in some way. If
you want to ask about a place, "where" is the question word you should
use.
Question Words: Why
"Why" is used when we want to know the reason for something.
Here are some examples:
- Why are you late?
- Why did you do that?
- Why do you like chocolate ice cream?
Asking "why" can sometimes come across as confrontational, so be careful
when using this question word.
It's best used in situations where both parties already have a good
relationship with each other.
If you're not sure whether or not it's appropriate to ask "why," err on
the side of caution and choose another question word instead.
Question Words: Whose
"Whose" always refers to possession—i.e., who something belongs to—as
opposed to other relationships such as composition or origin.
For example:
- Whose laptop is this?
- Whose idea was it to launch a new product line?
As with all English question words, practice makes perfect! The more you
use these words in conversation (or writing), the more natural they will
become. And before long, using them will become second nature!
