How or what?

Both are great words to use to show you are asking a question, but we need to be careful with the structure of that question.

What does the hotel room look like?

How does the hotel room look like?

The first sentence is correct because it is asking us to make a comparison with an idea we already have. What does the hotel room look like in comparison to your expectations.

It looks ok.

It looks great!

It looks very clean and comfortable.

It looks a bit small.

To start this question with 'how':

How does the hotel room look?

We have taken away the word 'like' and instead are asking for a less specific answer. We are not looking to compare it with an idea, but instead we can expect many different kinds of replies:

clean

dirty

big

small

comfortable

dark

To ask a comparison question with 'how' we need to use 'compare' instead of like:

How does the hotel room compare to the one you stayed in last summer?

To answer the first question:

What does the hotel room look like? Is the correct answer.

Use this short quiz to test your knowledge on sentences using what and how:

1. How does my dress look like?

Answer

Incorrect. If you start this question with 'how' you cannot use 'like' at the end. Answers are: How does my dress look? or What does my dress look like?

2. How does that pizza taste?

Answer

Correct. How is used to ask the question and so we cannot use like at the end.

3. What does that curry taste like?

Answer

Correct. The question starts with what therefore like can be used at the end.

4. How does the new band sound like?

Answer

Incorrect. If you start this question with 'how' you cannot use 'like' at the end. Answers are: How does the new band sound? or What does the new band sound like?

5. How does the new restaurant compare to the place we usually go to?

Answer

Correct. The question starts with how and uses 'compare' which is a correct combination.

6. What does the new chocolate flavour taste like?

Answer.

Correct. The question starts with what therefore like can be used at the end.

7. How does the second book in the series compare to the first one?

Answer.

Correct. The question starts with how and uses 'compare' which is a correct combination.