38 Prepositions in wh-questions
A Introduction
Daniel and Rachel each ask Vicky a question. In
each question, the word what is the object of a
preposition (for, about).
What are you looking for?
(You are looking for something.)
What are you worrying about?
(You are worrying about something.)
The preposition normally comes in the same place
as in a statement: looking for, worrying about.
NOT FOr what are-you looking?
NOT Abouht what are-you-worrying? But in
more formal English, the preposition can come
before the question word.
In which warehouse were the goods stored?
OR Which warehouse were the goods stored in?
In formal English we use a preposition + whom
(not who).
From whom did you obtain the information?
OR Who did you obtain the information from?
Here are some more examples of prepositions in wh-questions. Who
are we waiting for? ~ Rachel. What's Nick laughing at? ~ Oh, one of
Tom's jokes. Where are you from?/Where do you come from? ~
Bombay. What kind of holiday are you interested in? ~ A package
holiday. Who did you go out with last night? ~ Just a friend.
B What for and what like
We can use a question with what for to ask about purpose.
What did you buy this computer magazine for? ~ To read about business software.
What are these bricks for? ~ We're going to build a wall.
What are they digging the road up for? ~ They're repairing a gas pipe.

Mark is annoyed. He's going to complain, (about)
Emma's in a hurry. She's going to be late, (for) I don't feel
very relaxed. I feel nervous, (about)

3 What for and what like (B)
Trevor has just come home from work. Complete the conversation. Put in for, how, like or what.
Trevor: Hello, my love. (►) How are you?
Laura: Hello. I'm all right, but I'm in a bit of a rush getting ready for the barbecue.
Trevor: Er, I forgot to tell you that I invited two more people.
Laura: (1)……………. are you telling me now (2)……………. ? I've bought all the food. I just hope there's
enough. Anyway, who are these people? (3) ……… are they (4)…………. ?
Trevor: They're friends of Harriet's. They're very nice people. And after all, (5)…………… are parties
(6)……………. ? To meet new people.
Laura: It isn't a party, it's a barbecue. (7)…………… 's the weather going to be (8)………… ?
Trevor: The forecast said it's going to be perfect. Warm and dry.
Laura: Good. And (9)…………… was your day?
Trevor: Oh, not too bad. Busy as usual.
? Melanie:
David:
? Laura:
Trevor:

1 Jessica:
Andrew:
2 Trevor:
Ilona:
3 Sarah:
Claire:
4 Matthew:
Daniel:

Which of the secretaries? but NOT Who-of the secretaries?
Who always means a person.
Who did you see? (a person) What usually means a thing. It can mean a person only
when it comes before a noun.
What did you see? (a thing) What doctor/What film did you see? (a person or a thing)
Which can mean a person or a thing.
Which doctor/film did you see? (a person or a thing)
102 One and ones
39 Exercises
1 What or which? (A)
The questions you are asking have a number of possible answers.

If the list of answers is incomplete, ask a question with
what.
If the list is complete, use
which.

?

(Do you play the piano, or the violin, or the guitar, or ?)
What musical instrument do you play ?

?

(Did you go to the Little Theatre or the Theatre Royal?)
Which theatre did you go to ?1


Trevor: I didn't realize there were only three floors……………

floor is your flat on?
Rita: The first floor.
2

Trevor: It's a very nice flat

room will be your living-room?
Rita: This one here, I thought.

3

Trevor:

colour are you going to paint it?

Rita: Oh, I don't know yet.

4

Trevor:

time is your furniture arriving?

Rita: Three o'clock, they said.

5

Trevor: I'll need some petrol.


(3)………………

happened after dinner last night? That's what we have to find out.

Taylor:

There must be a motive for the murder. (4)…………………

motive could the murderer have?

Wilson:

Love or money - they're the usual motives. (5)…………………

of them is it, I wonder?

Taylor:

(6)…………………

did Lord Weybridge leave his money to? That's the question, Wilson.

TEST 8 Questions (Units 34-39)
Test 8A
Put the words in the right order and ask the question.
► everyone / is / ready Is everyone ready ?
1 been / have / where / you
2 do / postcards / sell / you
3 belong / calculator / does / this / to / who

Test8D

Read about each situation and write down the question.
? You want to know if it is raining.
Is it raining ?
? You need to ask Polly where she lives.
Where do you live?

1 You would like to ask Nancy where she bought her coat.
2 You want to ask Susan if Amy can swim.
3 You want to ask Simon which band he likes best.
4 On the phone you want to know who you are speaking to.
5 You need to know how much video recorders cost.
6 You are asking permission to come in.
7 You need to find out how long the journey takes.
8 You want to ask Adrian what he locked the door for.
9 You want to ask what happens next.
10 You want to suggest that you all go out together.
Test 8E

Write the questions to which the underlined words are the answers.
► Christopher is going to London by train.
How is Christopher going to London ?
1 The Smiths have got three cars.
2 Janet works at the supermarket.
3 Andrea is learning English because she will need it in her job.
4 The film was really romantic.
5 The meeting will take place next Tuesday.
6 Tessa switched off the computer.
7 Mr lohnson's burglar alarm was ringing.

Moda verb: must stay must not stay
OR
mustn't stay
In a negative statement not or n't comes after the auxiliary verb.
The auxiliary verb is a form of be, have or a modal verb, e.g. must, can, could.
The girls are not dancing. The modem isn't working properly.
I haven't seen the new Disney film. David hasn't got a car.
1 mustn't stay long. You can't turn right here.
I'm not feeling very awake today. We write n't without a
space before it, e.g. isn't, haven't.
Not or n't also comes after the main verb be.
The photos are not ready yet It isn't very warm in here. If there is more
than one auxiliary verb, we put not or n't after the first one.
This plate hasn't been washed. You shouldn't have bothered.
In the present simple and past simple, we use a form of do.
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Present simple: work do not work OR don't work
looks does not look OR doesn't look
Past simple: enjoyed did not enjoy OR didn't enjoy
1 don't work on Saturdays, NOT I-work not on Saturdays.
This part of town doesn't look very nice. I'm afraid we didn't enjoy the day very much.
The verb after not or n't does not end in s or ed.
NOT It doesn't looks-very nice and NOT We-dtdn't-enjoyed~the~day.
C No and not
We can use no before a noun or an adjective + noun. The verb is positive.
No music is allowed after eleven, OR Music is not allowed after eleven.
There are no new houses in the village, OR There aren't any new houses in the village.
We do not use no with a verb.
NOT Music-is no allowed and NOT The-shops-are no-open.
40 Exercises

3 Negative verb forms (B)
Vicky and
Rachel are good friends, but they are very different kinds of people.
Complete the sentences using a negative.

►

Vicky gets upset, but Rachel
doesn't get upset.

1

Vicky gets headaches. Rachel is lucky. She
…………………………………………

2

Rachel can relax. Vicky is different. She
……………………

3

Rachel missed a lecture yesterday, but Vicky
………………………

4

Vicky is a nervous person, but Rachel
………………………


parks or gardens in the city centre.

I saw (2)………………

interesting buildings, only factories, offices and blocks of flats.

The hotels are (3)………………

very good, and there are (4)……………….

first-class restaurants.

(5) ………….tourists visit Metropolis, and I certainly do (6)……………….

want to go there again.

41 Negative questions

B Form
We make a question negative by putting n't after the auxiliary (e.g have, does).
POSITIVE
Have you done it yet? What
does the advert tell you? Who
eats meat? What went
wrong?
NEGATIVE
Haven't you done it yet? What
doesn't the advert tell you? Who
doesn't eat meat? What didn't
go wrong?

► You are surprised to learn that Rita doesn't like football.
Don't you
like football, Rita ?

1

You find it surprising that Melanie can't drive.
2

It's a surprise that Rachel won't be at the disco.
3

You find out that surprisingly Nick hasn't got a television.
Negative yes/no questions (B-C)
Complete the conversations using the words in the brackets.

►

Mike: I walked home from the town centre, (take / bus)
Harriet: You mean you walked all the way?
Didn't you take a bus ?

1

Vicky: I think I'd like to lie down for a while, (feel / well)

Rachel:

Oh, dear.



Didn't Mike stop and give you a lift? ~
No,
he didn't, but maybe he didn't see me.

1

Aren't you tired after working all day? ~

,1 feel fine.
2

Didn't you write the number down? ~………………

, but I've lost the piece of paper.
3

Haven't you got an umbrella? ~

, it's here in my bag.
4

Couldn't you get in to the opera? ~

, we didn't have tickets.
Why not?
(B, E)

Reporter Kitty Beamish is investigating an accident at the Magic World theme park. A ride crashed, and
people were injured. This is what Kitty has found out.