Level One
Lesson 7
information questions + be
An information question asks for information about a person or a thing. The most common words used to make these questions are “who” for a person and “what” for a thing.
The video shows how to use “who” and “what” when asking questions with the verb “be” in the present tense.
Take this quiz when you are ready: Quiz #7 – who and what
7a. Who + (be) + pronoun ✍🏽
Singular
Who am I?
Who are you?
Who is he?
Who is she?
Who is it?*
Plural
Who are we?
Who are you?
Who are they?
Use “who” to ask questions about people.
*When you ask about someone you can’t see, use “Who is it?”
7a. Examples
Singular
Question: Who is she?
subject: Who
verb: is (linking verb)
subject complement: she
Answer: She is my neighbor.
Plural
Question: Who are they?
subject: Who
verb: are (linking verb)
subject complement: they
Answer: They’re our friends.
7b. What + (be) + pronoun ✍🏽
examples
Singular
What am I?
What are you?
What is he?*
What is she?*
What is it?*
Plural
What are we?
What are you?
What are they?
Use “what” to ask questions about things and people.
*To ask about a person’s occupation, you may use “what.”
What is he?
He’s a teacher.
*To ask for the name of a thing, you may use “what.”
What is it?
It’s a squirrel.
What are they?
They’re squirrels.
7b. Examples
Question: What is it?
subject: What
verb: is (linking verb)
subject complement: it
Answer: It’s a bike.
Question: What are they?
subject: What
verb: are (linking verb)
subject complement: they
Answer: They’re bikes.
Question: What is it?
Answer: It’s a squirrel.
Questions: What are they?
Answer: They’re squirrels.
Practice
Who / What + (Be) + Subject Complement
Directions: Write the correct form for the verb “be” and a matching subject complement for each question.
✍🏽
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (a woman)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (a group of women)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (someone you can’t see)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (someone you are talking to)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use the word “hungry”)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use the word “here”)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (a group of things)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (a man’s occupation)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (a woman’s occupation)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “the” + “matter” or “problem”)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “their names”)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “your name”)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “that”)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “I”)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “there”)
Who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (Use “home)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _? (use “this”)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “that”)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “these”)
What _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ? (use “those”)
In the next lesson, you learn about prepositions.