What vs. Which – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Read the conversation snippets below. Imagine you are a receptionist at a large company, welcoming a new colleague on their first day. You are asking about their job details and helping them find their office in your 3-story building. Choose the best word to fill in the blank.
1 Hello and welcome to the company! ______ is your new job title?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) Who
2 We have three floors in this building. ______ floor is your new office on?
(A) What
(B) Where
(C) Which
(D) Whose
3 I need to print your security badge. ______ is your full name?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) What
4 We have blue lanyards and black lanyards for the badges. ______ color do you want?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Why
(D) How
5 I need to register your vehicle for the parking lot. ______ kind of car do you drive?
(A) How
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) When
6 Are you in the Sales team or the Marketing team? ______ team are you joining?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Who
(D) Where
7 I will show you to your desk. ______ time does your manager expect you to arrive today?
(A) When
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) What
8 There are two elevators behind me. ______ elevator goes to the basement parking?
(A) What
(B) Where
(C) Which
(D) The which
9 You have a special access code for the doors. Do you know ______ this code means?
(A) How
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) Why
10 I am making coffee for the new staff. ______ type do you prefer, espresso or cappuccino?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Who
(D) How
11 We have international clients from all over the world. ______ languages do you speak?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Who
12 Look at this floor map. There are three empty desks. ______ desk do you want to sit at?
(A) What
(B) Where
(C) Whose
(D) Which
13 Please read the company manual. ______ do you think about our safety rules so far?
(A) What
(B) How
(C) Which
(D) Why
14 We have two department directors, Mr. Lee and Ms. Davis. ______ director is your boss?
(A) What
(B) Whom
(C) Which
(D) Who
15 In your opinion, ______ is the most important skill for your new position?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) How
(D) Why
16 ______ of these two training documents do you want to read first?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Who
(D) Which of
17 I need to ask the IT department to install your programs. ______ software do you usually use?
(A) Which
(B) How many
(C) Where
(D) What
18 We have a morning work shift and an evening work shift. ______ shift are you working today?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) When
(D) How
19 Let’s get a welcome gift for you. ______ do you want, a company mug or a company pen?
(A) What
(B) How
(C) Which
(D) Why
20 I have worked here for five years. ______ is the best thing about working in your industry?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) Where
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “What” is used because there is an unlimited number of possible job titles in the world. It is an open question.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake (only used when choosing from a limited, specific list). (C) How is a Structural Error (“How is your job title” is incorrect English). (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (used for people, not job names).
2 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The options are strictly limited to the three floors in this specific building (Floor 1, 2, or 3). Because the choices are limited and known, we use “Which”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Where is a Meaning Trap (“Where is your office?” is correct, but “Where floor” is grammatically wrong). (D) Whose is a Meaning Trap (asks about ownership).
3 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking for a name, the fixed English phrase is always “What is your name?”.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a classic Common Mistake for A1 learners translating directly from their native language. (B) Which is a Structural Error. (C) Who is a Meaning Trap (you can ask “Who are you?”, but not “Who is your name”).
4 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are giving a specific, limited choice between two colors: blue or black.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake (used for unlimited choices). (C) Why and (D) How are Structural Errors in this context.
5 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about the “kind of car” is a general question with hundreds of possible answers (brands, models, colors). Therefore, we use “What”.
- Error Analysis: (C) Which is a Common Mistake. (A) How and (D) When are Structural/Meaning Errors.
6 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is restricted to exactly two options: the Sales team or the Marketing team.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who is a Meaning Trap (teams are not ‘who’). (D) Where is a Structural Error (“Where team” is incorrect).
7 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): To ask for a specific hour on the clock, the correct English phrase is always “What time”.
- Error Analysis: (A) When is a Meaning Trap (“When does your manager expect you” is correct, but “When time” is wrong). (B) Which is a Structural Error. (C) How is a Structural Error.
8 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are talking about two specific elevators located right behind you. The options are physically limited.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Where is a Meaning Trap. (D) The which is a Structural Error.
9 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the meaning of a word, code, or phrase is an open question. The standard structure is “What does it mean?”.
- Error Analysis: (A) How is a very Common Mistake (“How does it mean” is incorrect in English). (C) Which is a Structural Error. (D) Why is a Meaning Trap.
10 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The speaker gives a limited menu of exactly two options: espresso or cappuccino.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who and (D) How are Structural Errors.
11 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): There are thousands of languages in the world. This is a general, open-ended question.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake (only used if you gave a list: “Which language do you speak, French or German?”). (A) How and (D) Who are Structural Errors.
12 (D) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are looking at a floor map showing a limited number of empty desks (three). You want them to select a specific one from that small group.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Where is a Meaning Trap. (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap.
13 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): To ask for someone’s opinion, the standard English structure is “What do you think about…”.
- Error Analysis: (B) How is a classic Common Mistake for learners who directly translate “How do you think”. (C) Which and (D) Why are Structural Errors here.
14 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly limited to the two directors mentioned: Mr. Lee or Ms. Davis.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (you can say “Who is your boss?”, but you cannot combine it with the noun: “Who director”). (B) Whom is a Structural Error.
15 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about “the most important skill” out of all possible skills is a broad, unlimited question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (C) How and (D) Why are Structural Errors.
16 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are asking the person to choose from a limited set (“these two training documents”). The preposition “of” directly follows the gap, making “Which of” the correct phrase.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake (“What of” is incorrect here). (D) Which of is a Structural Error (the word “of” is already in the sentence, so choosing “Which of” would result in “Which of of”). (C) Who is a Meaning Trap.
17 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “Software” is a broad category with thousands of options. Because there is no limited list provided, we use “What”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How many is a Meaning Trap (software is uncountable, so “How many” is grammatically wrong). (C) Where is a Structural Error.
18 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The company only has two specific shifts (morning or evening). The choice is limited.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) When is a Meaning Trap (“When is your shift” is correct, but “When shift” is wrong). (D) How is a Structural Error.
19 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The options are locked to two specific physical items: a company mug or a company pen.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) How and (D) Why are Structural Errors.
20 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about “the best thing” is a completely open-ended question with infinite possible answers.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake. (C) How and (D) Where are grammatically incorrect in this structure.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When welcoming a new colleague or asking for information at work, knowing whether to use What or Which is very important. The rule at the A1 level depends on the number of choices:
- Use WHAT for Open Questions (Unlimited Choices):
- Use What when you ask a general question and the answer could be almost anything.
- Example: “What is your job title?” (There are thousands of jobs).
- Example: “What software do you use?” (There are hundreds of programs).
- Use WHICH for Specific Choices (Limited Choices):
- Use Which when the options are limited, restricted, or clearly visible. This usually happens when you give the listener 2 or 3 specific things to choose from.
- Example: “Which floor are you on?” (A building only has a specific, limited number of floors).
- Example: “Which team are you on, Sales or Marketing?” (The choice is locked to only these two).
- Fixed English Phrases (Never translate word-by-word):
- Asking for a name: Always use “What is your name” (Never How is your name).
- 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).