"WH Questions" en Inglés: uso de "who"

Understanding "who" questions in English is essential for basic conversations and meeting new people. These interrogative structures allow us to obtain information about identities, which is essential in social and professional situations. Mastering these types of questions will help you to be more confident in English-speaking environments.

How to ask "who" questions in English?

Who" questions are used to obtain information about people. The basic structure of these questions follows a specific pattern that is important to master in order to communicate correctly in English.

To form these questions, we must follow the following structure:

1. Start with the interrogative word "who".
2. Add the conjugated verb "to be" (is, am, are)
3. Include the subject
4. End with a question mark

This structure is essential to formulate questions correctly when we want to identify people.

Practical examples of "who" questions

Let's look at some examples that illustrate how to use "who" in different contexts:

• Who is she?

  • Oh, she is Mary.

• Who are they?

  • They are my friends. (They are my friends.)
  • They are my coworkers.

• Who is this?

  • This is Jess. You know Jess.

These examples show how the structure adapts according to the subject of the question, always keeping the same basic pattern.

How to choose the correct form of the verb "to be"?

A crucial aspect when formulating "who" questions is to select the correct form of the verb "to be". This depends on the subject we are referring to in the question.

For example, if we analyze the question: Who ____ you?, we have several options:

• Who do you?
• Who are you?
• Who is you?

The correct answer is "Who are you?" because:

1. There is no additional action in the sentence (which rules out "do").
2. The subject is "you," which requires "are" as a form of the verb "to be"
3. "Is" is not correct because the question refers to "you" (second person).

It is important to remember that if we wanted to use "do" in questions with "who", we would need to add an additional action. However, this is a more advanced topic that will be covered in later courses.

In what situations do we use "who" questions?

"Who" questions are extremely useful in a variety of everyday situations:

• Introductions: When you meet someone new and want to know who they are.
• Work environments: To identify colleagues or people in a meeting.
• Social situations: When you need to identify people in photos or from a distance.
• Telephone conversations: To confirm who you are talking to.

Mastering these structures will allow you to function more naturally in contexts where you need to identify or ask for people.

Constant practice of these structures will help you internalize them and use them fluently in your English conversations. Remember that the key is to correctly identify the subject in order to choose the appropriate form of the verb "to be". Have you had the opportunity to use these questions in a real situation? Share your experience in the comments.