What vs. Which – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Read the conversation snippets below. Imagine you are a student walking down the school hallway, asking your teacher or a classmate for directions to the correct classroom. Choose the best word to fill in the blank.
1 I forgot my schedule today. ______ subject do we have for the first lesson?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) How
(D) Who
2 The schedule says the class is in Room 301 or Room 302 ______ room are we supposed to go to?
(A) What
(B) Where
(C) Which
(D) How
3 I am looking for the new science teacher. ______ is the name of his department?
(A) What
(B) How
(C) Which
(D) Who
4 We are at the end of the hallway. ______ way should I go to find the cafeteria, left or right?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How
5 I don’t want to be late for the meeting. ______ time does the presentation start?
(A) When
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) What
6 Look at these two doors in front of us. ______ door goes to the chemistry lab?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Whose
(D) Where
7 I want to prepare for the lesson, but I don’t know the topic. ______ are we learning about in biology today?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Why
8 The teacher gave me two keys. ______ key opens the library door?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) The which
(D) Who
9 I don’t understand the rules here. ______ does this “Staff Only” sign on the door mean?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) Why
(D) What
10 There are two presentation groups today. ______ group are you in, Group A or Group B?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) Whose
11 I am new to this school and the campus is huge. ______ is the best way to get to the sports hall?
(A) Which
(B) How many
(C) What
(D) Where
12 There are two textbooks on the desk. ______ book do I need to bring inside the classroom?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Whose
(D) How
13 I have a question about the homework. ______ do you think about the math assignment?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) Why
(D) What
14 We can take the stairs or use the elevator to go up to the third floor. ______ option is faster?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How
15 Look at all the teachers standing in the hallway. ______ is your English teacher?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Who
(D) Whose
16 Look at the two men standing by the door. ______ teacher is Mr. Davis, the tall man or the short man?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Who
(D) Whom
17 We have to choose an elective subject next semester. ______ class do you want to take, Art or Music?
(A) What
(B) How
(C) Which
(D) Where
18 There are many empty rooms in the library. ______ is the best place to sit and study?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) How
(D) When
19 There are three empty chairs in the front row. ______ chair do you want to sit on?
(A) What
(B) Where
(C) Who
(D) Which
20 I don’t remember the room number on my timetable. ______ is the room number for our history class?
(A) What
(B) How
(C) Which
(D) Where
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): You are asking a general question about subjects. Because there are many subjects (math, science, history, etc.) and no limited list is provided, we use “What”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake (only used when giving a limited list). (C) How is a Structural Error. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (used for people, not “subjects”).
2 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly limited to two specific rooms (Room 301 or Room 302). When options are restricted and known, you must use “Which”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Where is a Meaning Trap (“Where is our classroom” is correct, but “Where room” is grammatically incorrect). (D) How is a Structural Error.
3 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking for the name of a person, place, or thing, the fixed English structure is “What is the name…”.
- Error Analysis: (B) How is a classic Common Mistake for A1 learners translating directly from their native language. (C) Which is a Structural Error. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (departments are not people).
4 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are giving a specific, limited choice between two directions: left or right.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake (used for unlimited choices). (C) Where is a Meaning Trap (“Where should I go” is correct, but “Where way” is wrong). (D) How is a Structural Error.
5 (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 it start” is correct, but “When time” is incorrect). (B) Which is a Structural Error. (C) How is a Structural Error.
6 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are pointing at two specific doors right in front of you (“these two doors”). The options are physically limited and visible.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap (asks “who owns the door,” which is unnatural here). (D) Where is a Structural Error.
7 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about a general topic (“what are we learning about”) is an open question with infinite possible answers.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake. (A) How and (D) Why are Structural Errors in this context.
8 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): There are exactly two keys provided by the teacher. You are asking to identify one specific key from that limited group.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) The which is a Structural Error. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap.
9 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the meaning of a sign, word, 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). (B) Which is a Structural Error. (C) Why is a Meaning Trap.
10 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is restricted to exactly two options: Group A or Group B.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who and (D) Whose are Meaning Traps.
11 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for “the best way” to get somewhere in a huge campus is a completely open-ended question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How many is a Structural Error. (D) Where is a Meaning Trap (“Where is the sports hall” is correct, but “Where is the best way” is wrong).
12 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): There are two textbooks on the desk. You want the listener to select a specific one from that small, visible group.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap. (D) How is a Structural Error.
13 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): To ask for someone’s 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 and (C) Why are Structural Errors here.
14 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly limited to the two options mentioned: the stairs or the elevator.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Where and (D) How are Structural Errors.
15 (C) Who
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking generally to identify a person out of a crowd, we use “Who”.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Structural Error (you can say “Which teacher is yours?”, but not just “Which is your English teacher” without pointing at a specific limited group). (B) What is a Common Mistake (used for things, not people). (D) Whose is a Meaning Trap.
16 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are asking the listener to choose between two specific people (“the tall man or the short man”). Because the noun “teacher” is present, you must use “Which teacher”.
- Error Analysis: (C) Who is a Meaning Trap (you can say “Who is Mr. Davis?”, but you cannot combine “Who” with a noun like “Who teacher”). (B) What is a Common Mistake. (D) Whom is a Structural Error.
17 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are providing a limited menu of exactly two options: Art or Music.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) How is a Structural Error. (D) Where is a Meaning Trap.
18 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about “the best place” out of many empty rooms is a broad, unlimited question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (C) How and (D) When are Structural/Meaning Errors.
19 (D) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The options are locked to three specific physical chairs right in front of you.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Where and (C) Who are Structural Errors.
20 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for a room number is asking for a specific piece of information out of hundreds of possibilities. The structure is always “What is the room number”.
- Error Analysis: (C) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How is a translation error. (D) Where is a Meaning Trap (“Where is the room” is correct, but “Where is the room number” asks for the physical location of the number itself, not what the number is).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When you are walking down a hallway trying to find the right room, picking the right question word is all about the number of choices you have:
- Use WHAT for Open Questions (Unlimited Choices):
- Use What when you ask a general question and the answer could be almost anything. You are not giving the listener a list to choose from.
- Example: “What subject do we have next?” (It could be math, science, history, PE… there are many subjects).
- Example: “What is the room number?”
- Use WHICH for Specific Choices (Limited Choices):
- Use Which when the options are clearly limited, restricted, or physically visible right in front of you. This usually happens when you give the listener 2 or 3 specific doors, options, or items to choose from.
- Example: “Which room are we in, Room A or Room B?” (The choice is locked to only these two).
- Example: “Which door goes to the cafeteria?” (While pointing at two closed doors at the end of a hallway).
- Fixed English Phrases (Never translate word-by-word):
- Asking for a name: Always use “What is the name” (Never How is the 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).