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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Clause types | 537

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Wh-interrogatives

292d

Wh

-interrogatives (clauses introduced by what, when, where, which, who, whose,

why, how

) typically function to ask questions which seek information, and cannot

be answered simply with yes or no.

If the wh-question-word is the subject or forms part of the subject, then 

subject – verb – 

X

word order is used, and auxiliary do is not used:

S

V

Who | wants | more coffee?

(Who does want more coffee?)

S

V 

Whose car | got stolen?

(Whose car did get stolen?)

In all other cases, interrogative word order is used:

O

AUX

S

V

Who | did | you | see | there?

(wh-word refers to the object)

(Who you saw there?)

O

MODAL S V

What | can | I | do | to help?

(wh-word refers to the object)

(What I can do to help?)

A