English Grammar

Beginning | Intermediate | Advanced

Warm-Up Question: Imagine that you are in a new class. What questions do you ask your classmates to get to know them better?

Grammar Focus

We use Wh- questions with the Be verb to ask for specific information about people, places, times, and more. These questions start with a question word like Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How, followed by a form of the verb Be (am, is, are), and then the subject.

• Who is your teacher? (asking about a person)
• Where is the classroom? (asking about a place)

Remember:

• Use is with he, she, it, and singular nouns.
• Use are with you, we, they, and plural nouns.

Wh- questions help you learn more details about people and their lives.

🎧🗣️ Why This Grammar Matters for Listening and Speaking

Wh- questions with Be are essential for everyday conversations. They help you ask for help, get directions, learn about people, and more. You’ll hear and use these questions all the time in real life.

Here are some common situations:

• 🏫 At school:
  “Who is your English teacher?”
  “Where is the homework?”
• 🏪 In stores or public places:
  “What is this?”
  “Why is it closed?”
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Making friends:
  “How are you?”
  “When is your birthday?”

These questions help you ask classmates about their background, talk to teachers, understand announcements, and have clearer conversations when traveling, studying, or making friends, whether the person you’re speaking with is a native English speaker or another international student like you.

Now, let’s practice your grammar skills with a game.

Wh- questions with Be are essential for real conversations. You use them to ask for details, not just yes/no answers. These questions are common in many everyday situations, and they help you understand and respond more naturally.

Here are some places where they’re useful:

• 🏫 At school:
  “Who is your English teacher?”
  “Where is the next class?”
• 🏪 In stores or public places:
  “What is that?”
  “Why is it closed?”
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Making friends or small talk:
  “How are you?”
  “When is your birthday?”

These questions help you ask classmates about their background, talk to teachers, understand announcements, and have clearer conversations when traveling, studying, or making friends with native English speakers or another international students like you.

Beginning | Intermediate | Advanced