Subject and Object Questions

Subject and Object Questions in English (with Clear Examples)

Hello, dear English learners! Welcome to a new lesson. Today we are looking at a grammar point that confuses many students — subject and object questions. Once you understand the difference, question formation becomes much easier, especially for Cambridge exams like B2 First and C1 Advanced.

Let’s go step by step.

1. Who and What: Subject or Object?

The question words who and what can act as either the subject or the object of a question.

When they are the object, we use inversion

(verb + subject)

Statement: I dropped the plate.

Object question: What did you drop?

Statement: I want to buy some milk.

Object question: What do you want to buy?

When they are the subject, there is no inversion

The word order stays the same as in a normal sentence.

Who was swimming in the pool? (→ Sandra was swimming)

Who wants to help Grandma prepare lunch? (→ Katy wants to help)

What happened to you? (→ Nothing happened)

What made you sad? (→ My dog’s death made me sad)

2. Which, Whose, How Much, How Many — Subject or Object

These question words can also act as the subject or the object.

As the subject

• Which country is your favourite? (→ Italy is…)
• Whose keys are on the desk? (→ My keys are…)
• How much snow is expected this winter?
• How many people live in the apartment?

As the object

• Which house do you like more?
• Whose books are these? (Although this looks like a subject question, books is the subject → “These are my books.”)
• How much rain can we expect this year?
• How many children do you have?

3. Questions with Prepositions

Subject questions with prepositions

Here, who or what is part of the subject phrase.

• Who was talking to the teacher?
• Who was walking with you?
• What shoes go with this dress?

Object questions with prepositions

In informal spoken English, the preposition usually goes at the end.

• Who were you talking to?
• Who were you walking with?
• What outfit will you take with these shoes?

Download exercise for this lesson in PDF here

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