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Question Words
What? Why? When? Where? Who?

Question Words

Question words like who, what, where and why help KS1 children ask clear questions, solve puzzles and find missing information in stories and real life.

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Fascinating Fact:

Question word where points to places, turning any sentence into a location hunt, like “Where is the missing shoe?”.

In KS1 English, children learn to use question words such as who, what, where, when, why and how to find out information. These words help them ask sensible questions, understand stories better and join real conversations.

  • Question word: A word like who or where that begins a question.
  • Question sentence: A sentence that asks something and usually ends with a question mark.
  • Information: The facts or answers we get when we ask good questions.
What are the main question words KS1 children should know?

KS1 children should learn who, what, where, when, why and how. These key words help them ask about people, things, places, time, reasons and ways of doing something.

How can I teach question words in a fun way?

Play guessing games, use picture prompts, or hide objects and let children ask questions using different question words to find out what, who or where something is.

Why are question words important in KS1 reading and writing?

Question words help children understand texts more deeply, join discussions, and write clearer questions in their own work, building strong communication and comprehension skills.

1 .
'...do sea otters hold hands?' Which word should be used at the beginning of this question?
What
Why
Where
Who
They hold hands so that they don't drift out to sea when they fall asleep.
2 .
Only one of these questions is correct; which one is it?
What can an ostrich run faster than?
When can an ostrich run faster than?
Where can an ostrich run faster than?
Why can an ostrich run faster than?
The answer is a horse! They can run very fast.
3 .
'...can we play outside?' Which word cannot be used at the beginning of this question?
When
What
Where
Who
By changing the first word of a question, you can change the answer. Asking 'What can we play outside?' can tell us what games we are allowed to play; compared to 'Where can we play outside?' which tells us locations.
4 .
Which of these words is not one of the Five W's?
Where
Describe
When
What
Similar to 'explain', the word 'describe' is asking you to give details when answering a question.
5 .
'...are you going on holiday?' Which word cannot be used at the beginning of this question?
Where
When
Why
Who
Two thirds of all British people go on holiday during July and August. Do you go on holiday during those months?
6 .
'...is hiding behind the sofa?' Which word can be used at the beginning of this question?
When
Why
Who
Where
Dalmatians are very active, sometimes hyper, dogs.
7 .
Only one of these questions is correct and used for many jokes; which one is it?
Where did the chicken cross the road?
What did the chicken cross the road?
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Who did the chicken cross the road?
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side, of course!
8 .
Which of these words is not one of the Five W's?
Who
When
Explain
Why
The word 'explain' isn't one of the Five W's but it is a question word. When you read that word, it is asking for you to add detail in your answer.
9 .
'...is the rabbit show jumping competition held?' Which word should be used at the beginning of this question?
Where
Who
What
Explain
There is a rabbit show jumping competition in Sweden.
10 .
'...colour is her hair?" Which word can be used at the beginning of this question?
Why
What
When
Where
If you have red hair, it is harder and takes more stages to change the colour of your hair.
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - How to write questions

Author:  Finola Waller (MEd, Primary School Teacher & KS1 English Quiz Writer)

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