Wh-Question

Wh-Questions

Wh-question is a term in generative grammar for a question that is formed with an interrogative word (what, who, whom, whose, which, when, where, why, or how) and that expects an answer other than "yes" or "no." Contrast with yes-no question. Wh-questions are also known as wh-interrogatives, information questions, information-seeking questions, and content questions.

Who

• asking what or which person or people (subject)
• Who opened the door?

When

• asking about time
• When is your birthday?

Where

• asking in or at what place or position
• Where do you live?

Whom

• asking what or which person or people (object)
• Whom should we send the invitation to?

Whose

• asking about ownership
• Whose are these keys?

Which

• asking about choice
• Which color do you want?

What

• asking for information about something
• What is your name?
• asking for repetition or confirmation
• What? I can't hear you.

Why

• asking for reason, asking what for        
• Why do you say that?

How

• asking about manner
• How does this work?
• asking about condition or quality
• How was your exam?

MAKING INFERENCE, PREDICTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

What is an inference?

• An inference is a guess based on clues. You make inferences all the time based on information you are reading.
• "My mouth has gone as dry as sawdust. I desperately find Cinna in the crowd and lock eyes with him "

     What can we infer from these sentences? Well, we can infer that she is nervous. The fact that her mouth is dry tells us that without actually saying the words. We also can infer that Cinna is someone important and comforting to her. We can infer that because she looks for him and locks eyes with him. Even though the author does not come right out and state it, we can infer a lot from these 2 sentences! See you were inferring without even knowing it!

Two Types of Inference

• Supported inferences are based directly on information found in the text. They are logical and can be supported by details from the text.

• Unsupported inferences are just that. They are not logical and are not based on the facts in the text. They are just guesses. Making Predictions and Drawing Conclusions We are also going to talk about making predictions and drawing conclusions. These are similar to inferences, but a bit different.

PREDICTION

• Making a prediction is when you use clues from the story to guess what will happen next. A prediction, or forecast, is a statement about an uncertain event. It is often, but not always, based upon experience or knowledge. There is no universal agreement about the exact difference between the two terms; different authors and disciplines ascribe different connotations. (Contrast with estimation.)
• Making predictions is a strategy in which readers use information from a text (including titles, headings, pictures, and diagrams) and their own personal experiences to anticipate what they are about to read (or what comes next). A reader involved in making predictions is focused on the text at hand, constantly thinking ahead and also refining, revising, and verifying his or her predictions. This strategy also helps students make connections between their prior knowledge and the text.

CONCLUSIONS

• A conclusion is the last part of something, its end or result. When you write a paper, you always end by summing up your arguments and drawing a conclusion about what you've been writing about.
• The phrase in conclusion means "finally, to sum up," and is used to introduce some final comments at the end of a speech or piece of writing. The phrase jump to conclusions means "to come to a judgment without enough evidence." A foregone conclusion is an outcome that seems certain.

MAIN IDEA AND SIGNIFICANT DETAILS

Main Idea

• The main idea is the point of the paragraph. It is the most important thought about the topic. To figure out the main idea, ask yourself this question: What is being said about the person, thing, or idea (the topic)? The author can locate the main idea in different places within a paragraph.

How to locate the main idea?

Let’s use the paragraph below as an example. First find the topic, then look for the main idea.

Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach. It is a beach with light-colored, soft sand. The coastline goes on for a long way and many people enjoy walking along it. Children like to play in the surf and walk along the rocks that are visible at low tide. This is a fun beach for people of all ages.

• the topic is West Beach
• the main idea (what the writer is saying about the topic) is that summer is a wonderful time at West Beach

The movie Apollo 13 was a blockbuster for the summer of 1995. It is an exciting story about space exploration. In the movie, the astronauts get in trouble while they are trying to return to Earth. People in the audience are on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens. What makes it even more exciting is that it is a true story.

• the topic is the movie Apollo 13
• the main idea is in the first sentence: Apollo 13 was a blockbuster for the summer of 1995
• While the main idea is usually in the first sentence, the next most common placement is in the last sentence of a paragraph. The author gives supporting information first and then makes the point in the last sentence.

Most teenagers and young adults do not know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. It is a big decision. There are a number of things you can do to narrow the choices. For example you can take an interest test, do some research on your own about a career, try volunteer work in the field in which you are interested, or “job-shadow”, in which you spend a day with a person who is working in a field that interests you. These are just a few helpful ideas as you begin to choose a career.