What vs. Which – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Read the conversation snippets below. Imagine you are meeting a new friend, asking about their general taste in music, and then taking out your phone to choose a specific song to play for them. Choose the best word to fill in the blank.
1 I love listening to music. ______ kind of music do you like?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Who
2 Look at my phone screen. ______ music app do you want to use, Spotify or Apple Music?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How
3 There are so many amazing artists in the world. ______ is your absolute favorite singer?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) Whose
4 I have two playlists downloaded. ______ playlist should we listen to, ‘Pop Hits’ or ‘Chill Vibes’?
(A) What
(B) Which of
(C) Whose
(D) Which
5 I want to learn an instrument. ______ instrument is the easiest for a beginner?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) When
6 Here are two pairs of headphones on the table. ______ one is yours?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) The which
7 I forgot the lyrics. ______ is the name of that famous love song by Ed Sheeran?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Who
8 We can listen to Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande. ______ singer do you want to hear first?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Who
(D) Whom
9 There are thousands of concerts every year. ______ is the best concert you have ever been to?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) When
10 I have a ticket for the Friday show and the Saturday show. ______ day is better for you?
(A) What
(B) When
(C) Which
(D) How
11 I don’t know much about classical music. ______ do you think about Mozart?
(A) How
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) Why
12 Look at these two volume buttons on my speaker. ______ button makes the music louder?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) That
13 ______ time does the rock concert start tonight?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) When
(D) How
14 I have ‘Shape of You’ and ‘Perfect’ on my phone. ______ song should I play right now?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Why
(D) Whether
15 People listen to music for many reasons. ______ is your favorite thing about going to live concerts?
(A) Which
(B) How
(C) What
(D) Why
16 Do you prefer singing in English or Spanish? ______ language is easier for you to sing in?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) Which of
17 This is a Spanish song. ______ does this romantic lyric mean in English?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) Why
(D) What
18 Look at this album tracklist from number 1 to 10 ______ is your favorite track on this album?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How many
19 There are so many bands in your country! ______ bands are the most popular right now?
(A) Which
(B) Where
(C) What
(D) What a
20 My phone memory is full. I can only save one song. ______ one will you choose for me?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Whose
(D) A which
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “What” is used because there is an unlimited number of music genres in the world. It is a general question.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake (only used when choosing from a limited, specific list). (A) How is a Structural Error (“How kind” is incorrect). (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (used for people, not “kinds of music”).
2 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are giving two specific, limited options (“Spotify or Apple Music”). When options are limited, we use “Which”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake (used for unlimited options). (C) Where is a Meaning Trap (asks for location). (D) How is a Structural Error.
3 (C) Who
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking generally about a person (a singer), we use “Who”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake (used for things, not people). (B) Which is a Structural/Meaning Trap (only used for people if asking “Which of these three singers…”). (D) Whose means “belonging to whom”, which is incorrect here.
4 (D) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are providing a limited choice between two specific playlists.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Which of is a Structural Error (it must be “Which of the playlists”, not “Which of playlist”). (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap.
5 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): There are hundreds of instruments in the world. This is a general, unlimited question.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake. (C) How is a Structural Error. (D) When is a Meaning Trap (asks about time, not the object).
6 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are looking at a limited number of items on the table (two pairs). “Which one” is the standard phrase for making a choice.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who is a Meaning/Structural Trap (we say “Whose is this?”, not “Who one”). (D) The which is a Structural Error.
7 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for a specific name out of millions of possible song names is a general inquiry.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake. (A) How is a Common Mistake for non-native speakers (translating “How is it called”). (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (asks for the person, not the song name).
8 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are limiting the choice to exactly two singers (Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande). Therefore, you use “Which singer”.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who is a Meaning Trap (You can say “Who do you want to hear?”, but you cannot say “Who singer do you want…”). (D) Whom is a Structural Error here.
9 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): The speaker mentions “thousands of concerts”. Because the options are vast and unlimited, we use “What”.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake. (C) Where and (D) When are Meaning Traps (they ask for location and time, but the sentence asks to name the concert itself).
10 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly limited to two days: Friday or Saturday.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) When is a Meaning Trap (“When day” is grammatically incorrect; you just say “When is it?”). (D) How is a Structural Error.
11 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “What do you think about…” is the standard English phrase for asking someone’s general opinion.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a very Common Mistake for A1 learners (many languages say “How do you think”, but English uses “What”). (C) Which is a Structural Error. (D) Why is a Meaning Trap.
12 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are pointing at two specific buttons on a speaker. The options are limited.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Where is a Meaning Trap. (D) That is a Structural Error (cannot be used to form a question word here).
13 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “What time” is the fixed, standard English phrase for asking for a specific hour on the clock.
- Error Analysis: (C) When is a Common Mistake/Meaning Trap (“When time” is incorrect; you must say “What time” or just “When”). (B) Which is a Structural Error. (D) How is a Structural Error.
14 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The speaker gives exactly two song choices (‘Shape of You’ and ‘Perfect’).
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Why is a Meaning Trap. (D) Whether is a Structural Error.
15 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about a “favorite thing” out of all possible things in the universe is a general question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How is a Structural Error. (D) Why is a Meaning Trap.
16 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is limited to the two languages just mentioned (English or Spanish).
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who is a Meaning Trap (languages are not people). (D) Which of is a Structural Error (must be followed by “the languages”, not just “language”).
17 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the meaning of a word or phrase is an open question. “What does it mean?” is the standard structure.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a very Common Mistake (“How does it mean” is incorrect English). (B) Which is a Structural Error. (C) Why is a Meaning Trap.
18 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): An album has a limited, specific set of tracks (1 to 10). Because the pool of choices is defined and closed, we use “Which”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Where is a Meaning Trap. (D) How many is a Structural Error.
19 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “In your country” implies a massive, unlimited number of bands. When asking generally, we use “What bands”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake (would only be used if pointing to a specific list of 5 bands). (B) Where is a Meaning Trap. (D) What a is a Structural Error.
20 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): “Which one” is the standard phrase used when asking someone to make a specific choice from a group (in this case, choosing one song out of a playlist to save).
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake (“What one” is almost never used in English). (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap. (D) A which is a Structural Error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When you are getting to know someone and asking questions, it is very important to choose between What and Which. Here is the core A1 rule:
- Use WHAT for General Questions (Unlimited Choices):
- When the number of possible answers is huge or infinite, use What.
- Example: “What kind of music do you like?” (There are pop, rock, jazz, classical, rap, indie… millions of choices!).
- Example: “What is your favorite song?”
- Use WHICH for Specific Questions (Limited Choices):
- When you give the listener a small, specific menu of options (usually 2, 3, or a visible list), use Which.
- Example: “Which song do you want to hear: ‘Perfect’ or ‘Shape of You’?” (Only 2 choices).
- Example: Look at my phone. “Which playlist should I play?” (The choices are limited to what is on the screen).
- Special Phrases to Memorize:
- Always use “What time is it?” (Never When time or Which time).
- Always use “Which one is yours?” when pointing at objects.
- Always use “What does this mean?” (Never How does this mean).