What nationality are you? - / m Spanish (= I'm from Spain) What does she do (for a living)? - She s an optician And what's her husband? (= What does her husband do?)
13.34.5 'What time/date/year?'
These combinations are broadly the equivalent of When? except that they ask for more specific information
What time/date will he arrive? - At 4 /On June 14th
13.34.6 What...for?'
This combination asks for a description of the use or purpose of things or substances
What's this (thing) for? - (It's for) peeling potatoes What + clause + for can act as the equivalent of why? The answer often begins with Because or has a to-infinitive
What did you do that for? (= Why did you do that?) Because I was signalling that I m turning left
- To signal that I m turning left
13.34.7 'What kind(s)/sort(s) of...?' [compare > App 7.16-17]
This combination asks for precise information and we expect a
description in the answer
What kind/sort of picture do you like best? What kinds/sorts of pictures do you like best? What kind of pictures? is often heard in speech
13.34.8 'What colour...?', 'What size...?'
What colour? and What colours? are used to inquire about colour What colour is your new tie? - I t s red
What combines with nouns such as size height age length breadth
width depth, to inquire about dimension, etc The structure is parallel
to How big/high/old/long? etc [> 13. 40. 2, 6.16] What size shoes do you take? - (Size) 41 What's the height of Everest? What height is Everest?
13 Questions answers negatives
When...?' as a question-word
We use When ?to inquire about time (either precise references or
general periods of time) in the present, past or future The answers
are usually adverbs of time or prepositional phrases
adverb of time When is your flight? - Tomorrow morning
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prepositional phrase When will he arrive?- At 4
Which...?' as a question-word
Questions with Which? can ask about the object of a sentence