What vs. Which – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Read the conversation snippets below. Imagine you are sitting and watching TV with a new friend. You are asking about their general sports preferences and discussing the match currently playing on the screen. Choose the best word to fill in the blank.
1 I love watching sports on the weekend. ______ sport do you like to play the most?
(A) How
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) Who
2 Look at the TV. ______ team are you supporting today, the Red team or the Blue team?
(A) What
(B) Who
(C) Which
(D) Where
3 He is playing very well today. ______ is the name of that famous tennis player?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) What
4 Here are two basketballs on the floor. ______ one is yours?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Whose
(D) The which
5 I want to watch the final game. ______ time does the football match start tonight?
(A) When
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) How
6 We have tickets for the game on Friday and the game on Saturday. ______ day is better for you?
(A) What
(B) When
(C) Which
(D) How
7 The team has a different coach this year. ______ do you think about the new manager?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Who
8 There are many players on the field. ______ player is your brother, number 9 or number 10?
(A) What
(B) Who
(C) Which
(D) Whose
9 There are so many options on TV. ______ is the best sport to watch in your opinion?
(A) Which
(B) How
(C) What
(D) Why
10 We can watch the match on Channel 5 or Channel 7 ______ channel should I turn on?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How
11 The referee just gave him a yellow card. ______ does that card mean?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Why
12 They are selling popcorn and hotdogs. ______ snack do you want to eat while watching?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) Who
13 There are hundreds of teams in Europe. ______ is your favorite football club in the world?
(A) Which
(B) Who
(C) Where
(D) What
14 Look at these two team hats. ______ hat do you want to wear to the stadium?
(A) What
(B) Who
(C) Which
(D) Whose
15 I don’t know much about your city. ______ sports do students usually play at your school?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) How
(D) Where
16 We have two extra tickets for the match. ______ friend should we invite, Tom or Peter?
(A) Who
(B) What
(C) Whom
(D) Which
17 I have never played rugby before. ______ are the rules of this game?
(A) How
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) Why
18 Both teams are playing really well. ______ team do you think will win, Arsenal or Chelsea?
(A) What
(B) Who
(C) Which
(D) How
19 The match is over. ______ do you usually do after watching a football game?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) When
20 You can buy a team shirt or a team scarf at the shop. ______ souvenir will you buy?
(A) What
(B) Who
(C) Which
(D) How
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): There are hundreds of sports in the world. Because this is an open question with unlimited choices, we use “What”.
- Error Analysis: (C) Which is a Common Mistake (only used for a limited menu of choices). (A) How is a Structural Error. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (used for people, not sports).
2 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is clearly limited to two specific options: the Red team or the Blue team. When choices are restricted, you must use “Which”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Who is a Meaning Trap (you cannot combine “Who” with the noun “team”). (D) Where is a Meaning Trap.
3 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking for the name of a person or a thing, the fixed English structure is “What is the name…”.
- Error Analysis: (C) Who is a Meaning Trap (you can ask “Who is that player?”, but you cannot ask “Who is the name”). (A) How is a very Common Mistake for A1 learners translating from other languages.
4 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are pointing at two specific basketballs on the floor. “Which one” is the standard phrase to ask someone to identify a specific item from a small visible group.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap (the sentence already contains “is yours”, so asking “Whose one is yours” makes no sense).
5 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): To ask for a specific hour on the clock, the standard English phrase is always “What time”.
- Error Analysis: (A) When is a Meaning Trap (“When does it start” is correct, but “When time” is incorrect). (C) Which is a Structural Error. (D) How is a Structural Error.
6 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly limited to two specific days: Friday or Saturday.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) When is a Meaning Trap (you cannot say “When day”).
7 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): To ask for an opinion, the standard English structure is “What do you think about…”.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a classic Common Mistake for learners who directly translate “How do you think”. (B) Which is a Structural Error.
8 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): There is a clear, limited choice: player number 9 or player number 10
- Error Analysis: (B) Who is a Meaning Trap (if you use “Who”, you must drop the noun: “Who is your brother?”). Because the noun “player” is there, you must use “Which player”.
9 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the “best sport” out of all the sports in the world is a general, open-ended question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How and (D) Why are Structural/Meaning Errors here.
10 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The speaker gives exactly two options: Channel 5 or Channel 7
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake (you would only use “What” if you asked “What channel is it on?” without giving any specific options).
11 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the definition or meaning of something is an open question. The correct structure is “What does it mean?”.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a Common Mistake (“How does it mean” is incorrect English).
12 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The options are locked into two specific items mentioned in the previous sentence: popcorn or hotdogs.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake.
13 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): The context states there are “hundreds of teams in Europe,” which represents a massive, practically unlimited pool of choices. Therefore, we ask “What is your favorite…”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake (only used if you said, “Which is your favorite: Real Madrid or Barcelona?”). (B) Who is a Meaning Trap (teams are not referred to as ‘who’).
14 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are choosing between two specific hats right in front of you (“these two team hats”).
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (D) Whose is a Meaning Trap (asks “who owns it”, not “which one do you want to wear”).
15 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): You are asking generally about the sports played at a school, without providing a list of options.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake.
16 (D) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): Even though you are asking about people (friends), you are giving a strict choice between two individuals: Tom or Peter. Therefore, you must use “Which friend”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Who is a Meaning Trap (you cannot combine “Who” directly with a noun. You can say “Who should we invite?”, but not “Who friend”).
17 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about the rules of a game is an open-ended request for information.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a very Common Mistake. (C) Which is a Structural Error.
18 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): There are only two specific teams to choose from: Arsenal or Chelsea.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Who is a Meaning Trap (“Who team” is incorrect).
19 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about someone’s general habits after a game is an open question with infinite possible answers.
- Error Analysis: (A) How and (B) Which are grammatically incorrect in this context.
20 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The options are limited to exactly two items: a team shirt or a team scarf.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When you are chatting about sports, music, or hobbies, the secret to choosing between What and Which at the A1 level depends entirely on the number of choices:
- Use WHAT for Open Questions (Unlimited Choices):
- When you ask a general question and the answer could be almost anything in the world, use What.
- Example: What sport do you like? (There are dozens of sports: football, basketball, tennis, swimming, etc.).
- Use WHICH for Specific Choices (Limited Choices):
- When you give the listener a short menu to choose from (usually 2 or 3 options), or when you are pointing at specific items, use Which.
- Example: Which team will win, the Red team or the Blue team? (The choice is locked to only these two).
- Fixed Phrases NEVER to translate word-by-word:
- Asking for the time: Always use “What time” (Never When time).
- Asking for an opinion: Always use “What do you think” (Never How do you think).
- Asking for a definition: Always use “What does it mean” (Never How does it mean).
- Asking for a name: Always use “What is the name” (Never How is the name).