Word Classes
Interrogative Adverbs

Interrogative Adverbs

The interrogative adverbs why, where, how, & when are placed at the beginning of a question. These questions can be answered with a sentence or a prepositional phrase. After an interrogative adverb in a question, you must invert the subject and verb so that the verb comes first.

Examples

  • Why are you so late? There was a lot of traffic.
  • Where is my passport? In the drawer.
  • How are you? I'm fine.
  • When does the train arrive? At 11:15.

Uses of how

How can be used to form questions in four different ways. How can be used by itself to mean "in what way".

Examples

  • How did you make this sauce?
  • How do you start the car?
  • How can I get to your house?

How can be used with adjectives to ask about the degree of an attribute.

Examples

  • How tall are you?
  • How old is your house?
  • How angry is mother?

How can be used with much and many to ask about quantity. Much is used with uncountable nouns and many is used with countable nouns.

Examples

  • How many people are coming to the party?
  • How much flour do I need?
  • How much are these tomatoes?

How can be used with other adverbs to ask about the frequency or degree of an action.

Examples

  • How quickly can you read this?
  • How often do you go to London?
  • How loudly does your brother scream?