Present Perfect: wh-questions
490 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 49 tests of ten
The question word comes first, then the auxiliary, then the subject. One case breaks that order.
The past participle is the third form in verb tables: written, gone, built. It never changes with the subject.
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Getting your first question ready.
The usual order
Three slots, always in this order: question word — auxiliary — subject, then the past participle.
How long have you lived here?
This is the same swap as in a yes/no question, with the question word parked in front.
When who or what is the subject
If the question word is itself the thing doing the action, there is no subject to move — so nothing swaps:
- Who has broken the window? — not Who has someone broken…
- What has happened?
Compare that with a question where who is the object, and the normal order returns:
Who have you invited? — here you does the inviting.
How long and since when
Both ask about duration, and both pull the Present Perfect rather than the Past Simple, because the situation is still running:
- How long have you worked here? — you still work here.
- Since when has she been the manager? — she still is.
Answer with for plus a length, or since plus a starting point.
All forms
| Question word | Example | Asking about |
|---|---|---|
| What | What have you done? | the thing |
| Where | Where has she been? | the place |
| Why | Why have they left? | the reason |
| How long | How long have you known him? | the length of time |
| How many | How many have you read? | the number |
| Who | Who has taken my pen? | the person — see below |
Examples
Taken from the 490 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- Who have Alice and Bob gone to the party with?
- How many cups of coffee have you had today?
- How long has the restaurant been serving breakfast?
- Who has eaten all the cookies from the jar?
- What have you done with your old clothes?
- Where has Jane lost her glasses?
- Where have you bought these chocolates before?
- Who has left the door open?
- Why has she put her phone on silent mode?
- Why haven't they finished their homework yet?
- How long has the movie played in theaters?
- Who has Andrew come to the party tonight?
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: How long do you have known her? correct: How long have you known her?
No do in the Present Perfect, question word or not.
Wrong: Who has he called you? correct: Who has called you?
When who is the one doing the action, there is no second subject. Drop it.
Wrong: Where have you been yesterday? correct: Where were you yesterday?
Yesterday is finished time, so the question moves to the Past Simple.