How to: ask a question using what, which or how

These are all great words to use when asking a question, but how do you know which one to use?

What

Asks a general question about something.

What did you do on holiday?

There are any number of possible things someone could do on holiday, so what is a great word to use to find out.

Other what questions include:

What colour is your car?

What are we eating for dinner tonight?

What is your name?

In these questions we do not have an idea about the answer. It is a great question word to use to find out information in an open way.

Which

Asks us to make a decision about things or people. Using a which question there are a limited number of answers.

Which hotel did you stay in?

There are only a set number of hotels in a given location, so which is a good question word to use.

Other which questions include:

Which train are you going to take?

Which hotel did you book?

Which film shall we see, the romantic comedy or the action film?

Which do you prefer, pasta or pizza?

Which asks us to give an answer from a limited number of options, sometimes these are given in the question.

Which film shall we see?

How

Asks about the way something is done.

How did you get there?

There are a number of different ways to reach a destination, even if flying seems like the only option, there are a number of airports to travel from. How is a great word to use to find this information out.

Other how questions include:

How did you get here today, by car or by train?

How do you choose where to go on holiday each year?

How was the movie last night?

How asks us for information on the way something is done.

How can be used with an adjective or adverb to ask questions such as

How old is this castle?

How long have you lived in this town?

How often does the train go to London?

How quickly did they finish eating dinner?

What or which

What questions have a large number of answers:

What is your favourite film?

What did you cook for dinner last night?

What shall we cook?

Which usually has a smaller number of answers and these are sometimes offered within the question:

Which ice-cream would you like, chocolate or vanilla?

Which recipe did you cook, the one with broccoli or the one with carrots?

Let's compare:

What colour are his eyes? (not which colour)

Which colour ink do you prefer, blue or black?

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