QUESTION WORDS EXERCISE 2: WHY, WHEN, WHERE
level: Beginner/Intermediate (A2/B1)
Why asks for a reason, when asks about time, and where asks about place. Use the information in an answer to select the matching question word.
Fill in each blank with the correct question word.
1. Q: did you lose your wallet? A: I lost it at the restaurant.✓
2. Q: did you give him your phone number? A: He seemed very nice.✓
3. Q: did your mother come to Australia? A: She came here for work.✓
4. Q: did you see him? A: Last Monday.✓
5. Q: can we go? A: Let's go to the beach.✓
6. Q: do they always lose? A: Because they are bad players.✓
7. Q: can I see you again? A: In a couple of days.✓
8. Q: don't you drink coffee? A: It makes me very nervous.✓
9. Q: are you leaving? A: Next week.✓
10. Q: are your parents? A: They're at a restaurant with friends.✓
Next exercise: Question Words – Exercise 3 →
Grammar review
Where, when, and why: reading the answer to find the question
This exercise works backward: you're given the answer, and you have to figure out which question word makes it fit. The trick is to look at what kind of information the answer actually gives.
Where asks about a place. If the answer names a location:
Q: ___ did she leave her keys? A: On the kitchen counter. → Where
When asks about a time. If the answer names a moment, day, or duration:
Q: ___ will the results be ready? A: By Friday. → When
Why asks for a reason. If the answer explains a cause or justification, often starting with because:
Q: ___ is the shop closed? A: Because it's a public holiday. → Why
Watch out: some answers are short and could seem ambiguous at first ("By the end of the week" is a time, not a place), so always check what kind of information is actually being given before choosing.
This exercise works backward: you're given the answer, and you have to figure out which question word makes it fit. The trick is to look at what kind of information the answer actually gives.
Where asks about a place. If the answer names a location:
Q: ___ did she leave her keys? A: On the kitchen counter. → Where
When asks about a time. If the answer names a moment, day, or duration:
Q: ___ will the results be ready? A: By Friday. → When
Why asks for a reason. If the answer explains a cause or justification, often starting with because:
Q: ___ is the shop closed? A: Because it's a public holiday. → Why
Watch out: some answers are short and could seem ambiguous at first ("By the end of the week" is a time, not a place), so always check what kind of information is actually being given before choosing.
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