Expressing - WHO, WHAT, WHEN, HOW, WHY in the English language. Learn English (Mr Duncan) LESSON 15

There are many ways of expressing action in English.

We can state a moment when something is happening, using different statements to express the thing that is making it happen.

The movement that can be seen, the moment it occurs, the way it is happening, and the reason it is occurring.

Put simply; we are stating

who, what, when, how and why.

First we will look at ‘who’ In this statement we are stating the identity of the main thing involved.

This can be one thing or many things.

One person or many people.

A single object or many objects.

In this example, we will look at ‘who’. A person is involved.

The action involves a person.

Human actions without identity will always use ‘who’ or ‘whom’.

If the main thing involved is an object, then we will say ‘what’.

‘Who did that?’ or ‘what did that?’

“Who stole my bike?” “What made that noise?”

We will often use these in the form of a question, asking for the identity of a person or commenting on someone generally will also use ‘who’ as the subject.

“Who is that?” “I don't know who they are.”

When relating an action or asking about the identity of the cause, we will say ‘who’ if it is a person and ‘what’ if it is anything else?

It is worth remembering that ‘what’ also relates to the actual occurrence.

As a question put forward... “what is going on?”

“What do you want me to do?”

In this sense, we are stating ‘what’ as the occurrence itself,

The thing done, the thing being done or the thing that will be done,

all refer to ‘what’.

Next we have ‘when’.

This relates to time. It is easy to state when something did happen, is happening or will happen.

“I will see you when you get home.”

One thing might happen when something else occurs.

“I will clean the car when the rain stops.”

When relates to the moment or the time when the thing occurs.

As a question we will often use ‘when’ whilst asking about a planned event

or when seeking information concerning the moment of an event taking place.

“When will the party start?”

“When did the robbery take place?”

Next we will look at 'how',

in this case, we are looking at the method or the way in which something will be done is being done or was done.

We often explain the method of something using how.

“This is how you tie a knot”.

“This is how you make bread.”

As a question, you might ask how.

When unsure of the method of doing something, “How do I turn on the computer?”

“How do I get to your house?”

We might also use how, when trying to find out the way in which a person was able to do something.

As a shocked reaction, you might say, “How could you do that?”

“How could you steal money from your own mother?”

This is often said in shock and disbelief.

Finally, we have the small word with the big question.

The word is ‘why’. We often use ‘why’ as an interrogative statement when trying to find the reason for something occurring.

“Why did it happen?”

“Why did you steal my wallet?”

“Why did you lie to me?”

We can ask for the reason and we can state the reason.

“I love spending time with you, that is why I enjoy working here.”

‘Why’ is always the reason.

Whether it is put forward as a question or stated as an explanation in the form of a reply.

Remember... ‘Who’ relates to identity.

‘What’ relates to the occurrence. ‘When’ relates to time.

‘How’ relates to the method.

‘Why’ relates to the reason.