Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz: Information Questions
10 questions · exam conditions
0:00
Information QuestionsQuestion 1 of 10

Ana hears her neighbor say: 'The party starts at 7 o'clock on Friday.'

Ana missed the day of the party. Which question should she ask to find out only the day?

When does the party start at night?
What time does the party start on Friday?
What day does the party start?
When does the party start at 7 o'clock?
← Back to quizzes

Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz: Information Questions

Practice Information Questions in Adult ESL/ELL Beginner with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Information Questions, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Beginner.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Ana hears her neighbor say: 'The party starts at 7 o'clock on Friday.'

Ana missed the day of the party. Which question should she ask to find out only the day?

  1. When does the party start at night?
  2. What time does the party start on Friday?
  3. What day does the party start? (correct answer)
  4. When does the party start at 7 o'clock?
Explanation: When you want to ask about only one piece of information, your question word must match exactly what you're missing. Think of it like a key and a lock — the right question word unlocks the specific answer you need. Here, Ana already knows the time (7 o'clock) and already knows it's a party, but she missed the day. So her question should target only the day. C) "What day does the party start?" is correct because "what day" asks specifically about the day of the week — exactly the missing information. The answer would naturally be "Friday," which is precisely what Ana needs. Now let's look at why the others fall short. A) "When does the party start at night?" is asking about timing, but it also adds "at night," which is unrelated to what Ana missed. This question would be confusing and doesn't focus on the day. B) "What time does the party start on Friday?" uses "what time," which asks about the hour — but Ana already knows the time is 7 o'clock. This question targets the wrong missing piece. D) "When does the party start at 7 o'clock?" is similar — it mentions 7 o'clock (information Ana already has) and uses the vague word "when," which could mean time or day. It doesn't clearly ask about the day alone. A great study tip: before choosing a question, ask yourself "What information is missing?" Then match your question word to that gap — "what day" for the day, "what time" for the hour, and so on.

Question 2

Pedro wants to ask his classmate about the location of the library. He writes this question: 'The library is where?'

What is the problem with Pedro's question, and what is the correct version?

  1. There is no problem. 'The library is where?' is a correct and polite information question in English.
  2. The question word 'where' must move to the end; the correct question is 'Is where the library?'
  3. The question word must come first but the subject stays before the verb; the correct question is 'Where the library is?'
  4. The question word must come first and the auxiliary verb must come before the subject; the correct question is 'Where is the library?' (correct answer)
Explanation: When forming information questions in English (questions that ask who, what, where, when, why, how), word order follows a specific rule: the question word comes first, then an auxiliary verb (like is, are, do, does), and then the subject. This is different from statement word order, and mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes for English learners. Pedro's sentence "The library is where?" follows statement word order — subject first, verb second, question word at the end. This sounds unnatural and confusing in standard English. The correct version flips the structure: move where to the front, then bring the verb is before the subject the library, giving you "Where is the library?" — which is exactly what answer D says. The question word leads, the auxiliary verb follows, and the subject comes last. Answer A is wrong because "The library is where?" is not standard English. Native speakers might use it in casual, surprised speech, but it is not correct for formal or classroom use, and it would confuse most listeners. Answer B is wrong because "Is where the library?" puts the auxiliary verb first, which is the structure for yes/no questions (like "Is the library open?"), not information questions. Answer C is wrong because "Where the library is?" has the question word in the right place but forgets to invert the verb and subject — this is actually the word order used inside statements, not questions. A helpful tip: memorize this pattern — Question word + auxiliary verb + subject + rest of sentence — and practice it with common question words like where, when, and what.

Question 3

A teacher asks students to write one information question about a classmate's weekend. Sun Li writes: 'What did you do on the weekend?' Fatima writes: 'What you did on the weekend?'

The teacher says only one question is correct. Which student wrote the correct question, and what rule explains it?

  1. Fatima is correct because in past-tense questions, the subject comes before the verb to show that the action already happened.
  2. Sun Li is correct because information questions in the past tense require the auxiliary 'did' placed before the subject, with the main verb in base form. (correct answer)
  3. Both are correct because 'did' is optional in past-tense information questions when the meaning is clear.
  4. Sun Li is correct because information questions always need '-ed' added to the main verb to show past tense.
Explanation: When forming questions in English, word order matters — especially in the past tense. The key concept here is how to build an information question (one starting with a question word like what, where, or when) using past tense. In English, past-tense information questions follow this structure: Question word + did + subject + base verb? The word did is called an auxiliary (helping) verb, and it carries the past tense meaning. Because did already shows the past, the main verb returns to its base form — no -ed ending needed. So the correct structure is: What did you do? — not What you did? This is why B is correct. Sun Li's question ("What did you do on the weekend?") follows the rule perfectly: what (question word) + did (auxiliary) + you (subject) + do (base verb). A is wrong because it describes the opposite word order — putting the subject before did is actually the structure of a statement, not a question. Fatima's sentence ("What you did on the weekend?") sounds like a statement with a question mark added, which is a very common learner mistake. C is wrong because did is never optional in past-tense information questions. Removing it produces an incorrect sentence in standard English. D is wrong because adding -ed to the main verb ("What did you doed?") would be a double past tense error. Once did is present, the main verb stays in base form. Study tip: Remember the formula Did + subject + base verb? — if did is there, never add -ed to the main verb.

Question 4

Look at these two questions:

  1. Where does your sister work?

  2. Where your sister works?

A student says Question 2 is also correct because it has 'where' at the beginning. Is the student right, and why?

  1. Yes, the student is right because both questions begin with 'where' and ask the same thing.
  2. No, the student is wrong because Question 2 uses the wrong question word — 'where' cannot be used to ask about a person's job.
  3. No, the student is wrong because Question 2 is missing the auxiliary verb 'does' and uses statement word order instead of question word order. (correct answer)
  4. Yes, the student is right because informal spoken English allows any word order after a question word.
Explanation: When forming questions in English, just starting with a question word like where, what, or when is not enough — you also need correct question word order. In statements, we say "Your sister works there." But in questions, we must flip the structure: the auxiliary verb (like does, do, or did) comes before the subject. Question 1 — "Where does your sister work?" — follows this rule perfectly. It uses where + auxiliary verb does + subject your sister + base verb work. That's the correct question structure. Question 2 — "Where your sister works?" — skips the auxiliary verb entirely and keeps the word order of a statement, not a question. Even though it starts with where, it is grammatically incorrect. That's why C is the right answer: Question 2 is wrong because it is missing does and uses statement word order instead of question word order. A is wrong because just having the same question word doesn't make both sentences correct — word order and auxiliary verbs matter. B is wrong because where absolutely can be used to ask about a person's job or location; the problem has nothing to do with the question word itself. D is wrong because informal spoken English does not allow any random word order after a question word — this is a common misconception that can lead to serious grammar errors. Study tip: When you write a question with where, what, or when, always check: Do I have an auxiliary verb (do/does/did) before my subject? If not, it's a statement, not a question.

Question 5

Look at this conversation: A:   is your doctor's appointment? B: It's on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Which question word correctly completes Person A's question?

  1. When, because the answer gives a day and a time, which are time expressions (correct answer)
  2. Who, because the answer refers to a doctor, who is a person
  3. Where, because the answer mentions a specific place for the appointment
  4. How, because the answer describes the way the appointment will happen
Explanation: When answering "question word" problems, your job is to look at the response, not the question itself. The answer tells you exactly which question word belongs in the blank — because the question word must match the type of information in the answer. Here, Person B answers: "It's on Tuesday at 3 p.m." Tuesday is a day of the week, and 3 p.m. is a time. Both of these are time expressions, which means the question is asking when something happens. That makes A the correct answer — "When is your doctor's appointment?" perfectly matches an answer about a day and time. The other choices each misread what the answer is actually telling you. B (Who) is tempting because a doctor is mentioned in Person A's question, but Person B's answer contains no person — it contains a time. "Who" questions get answers like "My doctor is Dr. Smith." C (Where) is wrong because "Tuesday at 3 p.m." is not a location. A "Where" answer would sound like "It's at the clinic on Main Street." D (How) is wrong because "How" asks about a method or condition — answers like "By bus" or "Very well." A day and time do not describe how something happens. A helpful strategy: always underline the answer in the conversation first, then ask yourself — does this answer describe a time, person, place, or method? Match that category to the correct question word, and you'll avoid the traps every time.

Question 6

Maria wants to know the price of a jacket at the store.

Maria asks the store worker about the price. Which question is correct?

  1. How much the jacket costs?
  2. How much does the jacket cost? (correct answer)
  3. How the jacket costs much?
  4. How much is cost the jacket?
Explanation: When asking about price in English, you need to form a proper question using question word order: question word + helping verb + subject + main verb. This structure is what separates a correct English question from a statement. Option B, "How much does the jacket cost?" follows this rule perfectly. "How much" is the question phrase, "does" is the helping verb, "the jacket" is the subject, and "cost" is the main verb. Notice that when you use "does," the main verb returns to its base form — not "costs." This is the correct answer. Option A, "How much the jacket costs?" looks like a question because of the question mark, but it's actually structured like a statement. There's no helping verb ("does"), and "costs" stays in statement form. In English, simply adding a question mark to a statement doesn't make it a question. Option C, "How the jacket costs much?" scrambles the word order completely. "Much" belongs with "How" at the beginning — they work together as a unit ("How much") — so separating them breaks the meaning entirely. Option D, "How much is cost the jacket?" mixes up two different question structures. You can say "How much is the jacket?" OR "How much does the jacket cost?" — but you cannot combine both "is" and "cost" together like this. Mixing structures creates a grammar error. A helpful tip: memorize the question formula How much + does/do + subject + cost? It works for almost any shopping situation and will help you on questions testing price questions in English.

Question 7

David wants to know the number of children his coworker has. He chooses between these two questions: Question 1: How many children do you have? Question 2: How much children do you have?

Which question is correct, and why is the other one wrong?

  1. Question 1 is correct because 'how many' is used with countable nouns like 'children,' while 'how much' is used with uncountable nouns. (correct answer)
  2. Both questions are correct because 'how many' and 'how much' can be used with any noun in informal conversation.
  3. Question 2 is correct because 'how much' is always used when asking about numbers and amounts of people.
  4. Question 1 is correct because 'how many' is only used with singular nouns, and 'children' is plural, which makes this question an exception.
Explanation: When asking about quantities in English, the key question to ask yourself is: Can I count this noun? This is the core rule behind choosing between "how many" and "how much." "How many" is used with countable nouns — things you can count individually, like children (one child, two children, three children). "How much" is used with uncountable nouns — things that can't be counted as individual units, like water, money, or time. Since you can clearly count children one by one, "how many children do you have?" is the grammatically correct question, making A the correct answer. B is wrong because "how many" and "how much" are not interchangeable in any situation, formal or informal. Using "how much" with a countable noun is a grammar error regardless of the setting — a native speaker would never say "how much children" in any context. C is wrong because "how much" is not used for counting people or objects. "How much" applies to uncountable quantities (e.g., "How much water did you drink?"). People, like children, are always countable, so "how much" cannot apply here. D is wrong because it misrepresents the rule entirely. "How many" is used with plural countable nouns, not singular ones. "Children" being plural is not an exception — it's actually the standard, expected case for using "how many." Study tip: Create two quick mental lists — countable nouns (eggs, cars, people) vs. uncountable nouns (rice, air, happiness) — and practice matching them to "how many" and "how much" until it feels automatic.

Question 8

A student reads this answer: 'She goes to work by bus.' The student wants to write the information question that matches this answer.

Which question correctly matches the answer 'She goes to work by bus'?

  1. Where does she go to work?
  2. Who goes to work by bus?
  3. When does she go to work?
  4. How does she go to work? (correct answer)
Explanation: When forming information questions in English, the key is to match the question word to the part of the answer it asks about. Each question word (who, what, when, where, how, why) targets a specific type of information, so you need to identify what kind of information the answer is giving you. Look at the answer: "She goes to work by bus." The phrase "by bus" tells us the method of transportation — it explains how she travels. The correct question must ask about that specific information. "How does she go to work?" is the perfect match because "how" asks about the method or manner of doing something, and "by bus" answers that directly. So D is correct. Now let's look at why the others don't fit. A, "Where does she go to work?" uses "where," which asks about a place or location. The answer to this question would be something like "at the office" — not "by bus." B, "Who goes to work by bus?" uses "who," which asks about a person. The answer would be a name or noun, like "Maria" — not a full sentence like the one given. C, "When does she go to work?" uses "when," which asks about time. The answer would be something like "at 8 a.m." — again, not "by bus." A helpful tip: before choosing a question word, underline the key information in the answer. Ask yourself, what type of information is this? — a place, a person, a time, or a method. That type tells you exactly which question word to use.

Question 9

Carlos is asking about his friend's teacher. He wants to know the teacher's name.

Which question word should Carlos use to ask about a person's name?

  1. Where, because he wants to find information about a place or location
  2. When, because he wants to find information about a time or date
  3. Who, because he wants to find information about a person's identity or name (correct answer)
  4. How, because he wants to find information about the way something is done
Explanation: When learning English, one of the most important skills is knowing which question word (also called a "WH- word") to use depending on what kind of information you need. Each question word has a specific job, so matching the question word to the type of information is the key skill being tested here. Since Carlos wants to know a person's name or identity, the right question word is "Who." For example, Carlos might ask, "Who is your teacher?" The word "Who" is always used when asking about a person — their name, their role, or who they are. Answer C is correct. Let's look at why the others don't fit. Answer A, "Where," is used to ask about places or locations — for example, "Where is the school?" Carlos isn't asking about a location, so "Where" doesn't apply. Answer B, "When," is used to ask about times or dates — for example, "When does class start?" Since Carlos isn't asking about time, "When" is wrong here. Answer D, "How," is used to ask about the way something is done or a process — for example, "How do you spell that?" Carlos isn't asking about a method or process, so "How" doesn't work either. A helpful memory trick: think "Who = a person." Whenever a question involves a person's name, identity, or role, your first thought should be "Who." On this exam, WH- questions are very common — make a simple chart listing each question word and what type of information it asks about.

Question 10

A student writes: 'Who is your English teacher?' His classmate says this question is wrong because it does not use 'do' or 'does.' Who is correct?

  1. The classmate is correct because all information questions with 'who' must use 'do' or 'does' before the subject.
  2. The student is correct because 'who' questions about identity use the verb 'be' as the main verb, so no additional auxiliary like 'do' or 'does' is needed. (correct answer)
  3. The classmate is correct because every information question in English requires an auxiliary verb such as 'do,' 'does,' or 'did.'
  4. The student is correct because 'who' questions follow different grammar rules and do not require any verb at all.
Explanation: When forming information questions in English, the verb you choose depends on the type of question you're asking. Questions about identity or description — "Who is...?" or "What is...?" — use the verb be as the main verb. Because be acts as its own auxiliary, no additional helping verb like do or does is needed. That's why the student's sentence, "Who is your English teacher?" is perfectly correct. The verb be ("is") already carries the question structure. You can test this by comparing two sentences: "Who is your teacher?" versus "Who does your teacher like?" In the second example, does is needed because "like" is a regular action verb, not be. Looking at the wrong choices: A is incorrect because it claims all who questions require do or does — but this ignores that be functions as its own auxiliary and doesn't need extra help. C makes an even broader false claim, saying every information question needs an auxiliary like do, does, or did — this overlooks how be and other modal auxiliaries work independently. D is also wrong because it goes too far in the other direction, suggesting who questions need no verb at all — every English sentence still requires a verb. The correct reasoning belongs to B: who questions about identity use be as the main verb, making do or does unnecessary. Study tip: Whenever you see a question with who is or what is, remember that be does the job alone — no do or does needed.