What vs. Which – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Read the conversation snippets below. Imagine you and a friend are looking at a travel website, trying to book train or flight tickets for your upcoming holiday. You are discussing general preferences and choosing between specific schedules on the screen. Choose the best word to fill in the blank.
1 I am so excited about our holiday! ______ kind of transport do you prefer for long trips, trains or planes?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Who
2 Look at the schedule. There is a 9:00 AM train and a 10:30 AM train. ______ train should we book?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How
3 I have never heard of this company before. ______ is the name of the airline we are flying with?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) How
(D) Who
4 Look at the seating map on my screen. ______ seat do you want, the window seat or the aisle seat?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Whose
(D) Where
5 I need to set an alarm for tomorrow morning. ______ time does our flight depart?
(A) When
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) What
6 We can take the early morning flight or the late evening flight. ______ one is cheaper?
(A) What
(B) Who
(C) Which
(D) Why
7 To save money, we could travel at night. ______ do you think about taking the overnight bus?
(A) How
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) Why
8 You have a black suitcase and a blue suitcase. ______ bag are you taking on the trip?
(A) What
(B) Whose
(C) How
(D) Which
9 I need to look at the map to find our departure point. ______ is the name of the main train station in the city center?
(A) What
(B) How
(C) Which
(D) Where
10 The website offers Economy class and Business class. ______ ticket should I buy for us?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) How
(D) Who
11 The airport screen says our flight is at Gate 4 or Gate 5 ______ gate do we need to walk to?
(A) Which
(B) What
(C) Where
(D) Whose
12 I am reading the ticket rules, but I don’t understand. ______ does “non-refundable” mean?
(A) How
(B) Which
(C) What
(D) Why
13 We have three hours before our train arrives. ______ do you want to do while we wait at the station?
(A) Which
(B) How
(C) Where
(D) What
14 For the in-flight meal, they have chicken with rice or beef with pasta. ______ meal will you choose?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Who
(D) How much
15 We need to pay for the booking now. ______ is the exact price of a round-trip ticket to Paris?
(A) How much
(B) What
(C) Which
(D) How
16 Here are our two printed boarding passes. ______ one has your name on it?
(A) What
(B) Whose
(C) Which
(D) Who
17 We are finally at the airport, but we need to go to the hotel. ______ is the best way to get to the city center from here?
(A) Which
(B) How
(C) Where
(D) What
18 I am looking at the calendar. We can travel on the 15th or the 16th. ______ date works better for your schedule?
(A) What
(B) When
(C) Which
(D) How
19 There are so many beautiful countries in Europe! ______ country do you want to visit first?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) How
20 The app shows Platform 2 and Platform 3 for the departures. ______ platform is our train arriving at?
(A) What
(B) Which
(C) Where
(D) Who
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “What kind of transport” is a general question about preferences among many possible modes of transport (trains, planes, cars, buses, ships).
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake (only used if you are giving a strict, limited list). (A) How is a Structural Error. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap (used for people).
2 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly limited to the two trains listed on the schedule (9:00 AM or 10:30 AM). When options are restricted, you must use “Which”.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Where and (D) How are Structural Errors.
3 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking for the name of a company, person, or place out of thousands of possibilities, the fixed English structure is always “What is the name…”.
- Error Analysis: (C) How is a classic Common Mistake (direct translation error from “How is the name”). (A) Which is a Structural Error. (D) Who is a Meaning Trap.
4 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are looking at a seat map and choosing between exactly two options: the window seat or the aisle seat.
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Whose is a Meaning Trap (asks “who owns it”). (D) Where 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 our flight depart” is correct, but “When time” is absolutely incorrect). (B) Which and (C) How are Structural Errors.
6 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The speaker gives exactly two options: the morning flight or the evening flight. “Which one” asks the listener to select from that specific group.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Who and (D) Why are Meaning Errors.
7 (B) 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 very Common Mistake for A1 learners who directly translate “How do you think”. (C) Which and (D) Why are Structural Errors here.
8 (D) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is limited to the two specific suitcases you own (the black one or the blue one).
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Whose is a Meaning Trap (you already know both bags belong to “you”, you are asking which one they will choose). (C) How is a Structural Error.
9 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the name of a station is an open-ended request for general information.
- Error Analysis: (B) How is a translation error. (C) Which is a Structural Error. (D) Where is a Meaning Trap (“Where is the station” is correct, but “Where is the name” is grammatically wrong).
10 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The website provides exactly two classes to choose from: Economy or Business. The options are locked.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) How and (D) Who are Meaning Errors.
11 (A) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The options are limited to the two gates shown on the screen (Gate 4 or Gate 5).
- Error Analysis: (B) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Where is a Meaning Trap. (D) Whose is a Structural Error.
12 (C) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for the definition or meaning of a word on a ticket 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. (D) Why is a Meaning Trap.
13 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking about activities (“do you want to do”) is an open-ended question with infinite possibilities.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How and (C) Where do not fit the grammatical structure of “___ do you want to do”.
14 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): Just like a restaurant menu, an in-flight menu offers fixed, limited choices (chicken or beef).
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (C) Who and (D) How much are Structural Errors.
15 (B) What
- Why it is correct (Key): When asking for a specific piece of information like a price, the structure is “What is the price”.
- Error Analysis: (A) How much is a very strong Common Mistake (you can ask “How much is the ticket?”, but you cannot say “How much is the price?”). (C) Which is a Structural Error.
16 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): You are physically holding two printed tickets. You want the listener to identify one from that small, visible group.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) Whose and (D) Who are Meaning Traps.
17 (D) What
- Why it is correct (Key): Asking for “the best way” to get somewhere out of all possible routes and transport methods is an open question.
- Error Analysis: (A) Which is a Common Mistake. (B) How is a Meaning Trap (“How do we get there” is correct, but “How is the best way” is wrong). (C) Where is a Meaning Trap.
18 (C) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The choice is strictly restricted to the two dates mentioned on the calendar: the 15th or the 16th.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake. (B) When is a Meaning Trap (“When works better” is correct, but “When date” is grammatically incorrect).
19 (A) What
- Why it is correct (Key): “So many countries” implies a massive, practically unlimited pool of choices. Therefore, we use “What”.
- Error Analysis: (B) Which is a Common Mistake (only used if you said, “Which country do you want to visit, France or Italy?”). (C) Where and (D) How are Structural Errors.
20 (B) Which
- Why it is correct (Key): The app gives a limited set of options (Platform 2 or Platform 3). You must choose one of the provided options.
- Error Analysis: (A) What is a Common Mistake caused by ignoring the two specific choices provided in the previous sentence. (C) Where and (D) Who are Meaning Traps.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
When you are booking a flight, a train, or a hotel, you will constantly see lists of options on your screen. This is the perfect time to practice the What vs. Which rule:
- The “Booking Screen” Rule (Use WHICH):
- A booking website gives you a limited, fixed number of choices. It might be morning vs. evening, Economy vs. Business, or Window vs. Aisle.
- Rule: When choosing from a limited list, a screen, or two items in front of you, ALWAYS use Which.
- Example: “Which flight is cheaper, the 9 AM or the 10 AM?”
- The “Open World” Rule (Use WHAT):
- If you put your phone away and ask a general question with no visible list or limits, the choices are unlimited.
- Rule: When asking a general question without specific options, use What.
- Example: “What kind of transport do you like?” (There are many kinds).
- Fixed Travel Phrases (Never translate word-by-word):
- Asking about departure times: Always use “What time” (Never When time).
- Asking about ticket costs: Always use “What is the price” (Never How much is the price).
- Asking about names (airlines, stations): Always use “What is the name” (Never How is the name).