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Question Words: qui, quand, quoi, pourquoi, comment, combien, où

FoundationHigherAQA

Understand French question words for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Question words ask who, when, what, why, how, how much and where, and work with intonation, est-ce que and inversion.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

WorksheetFoundation · PDFMark SchemeFoundation · PDF

Higher

WorksheetHigher · PDFMark SchemeHigher · PDF

Topic overview

Question words ask for specific information, and each has a fixed meaning that must be learned.

Qui means who, quand means when, où means where, pourquoi means why, comment means how, combien means how many or how much, and quel means which. Quoi means what but is used after a preposition — avec quoi?

What as the object of a verb is qu'est-ce que: qu'est-ce que tu fais? What as the subject is qu'est-ce qui: qu'est-ce qui se passe? Note that où meaning where carries a grave accent, distinguishing it from ou meaning or — a single accent that changes the word entirely.

Revision notes

The main question words

Qui — who. Quand — when. Où — where. Pourquoi — why.

Comment — how. Combien — how many or how much. Quel — which, agreeing with its noun. Quoi — what, used after a preposition.

Asking what

Qu'est-ce que for what as the object: qu'est-ce que tu fais?

Qu'est-ce qui for what as the subject: qu'est-ce qui se passe? Quoi after a preposition: avec quoi? de quoi parles-tu?

Où and ou

Où with a grave accent means where. Ou without one means or.

A single accent changes the meaning entirely, and omitting it is a spelling error that changes the sense of the sentence.

Key points

  • Qui means who and quand means when.
  • Où means where and pourquoi means why.
  • Comment means how.
  • Combien means how many or how much.
  • Qu'est-ce que asks what as an object.
  • Où takes a grave accent, ou does not.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: why are you leaving, using est-ce que. [2 marks]

Working

Pourquoi est-ce que tu pars?place the question word before est-ce que
The statement order tu pars follows unchangedexplain the structure

Example 2

Explain the difference between où and ou. [2 marks]

Working

Où with a grave accent means whereexplain the first
Ou without an accent means orexplain the second

Example 3

Translate: what are you doing? [2 marks]

Working

Qu'est-ce que tu fais?use qu'est-ce que for what as the object
Qu'est-ce que is used because what is the object of the verbexplain the choice

Common mistakes

  • Omitting the accent on où.

    It changes the meaning to or.

  • Confusing qu'est-ce que and qu'est-ce qui.

    Que is for the object; qui is for the subject.

  • Using quoi at the start of a question.

    It is used after a preposition.

  • Forgetting quel agrees with its noun.

    Quel, quelle, quels, quelles.

Exam tips

  • Write the grave accent on où.
  • Use qu'est-ce que for what as an object.
  • Use quoi only after a preposition.
  • Agree quel with its noun.

Key terms

Question word
A word asking for specific information.
Où
Where, with a grave accent.
Qu'est-ce que
What, as the object of a verb.
Quoi
What, used after a preposition.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.