Selecting the answer question

Wh-Question Types - Detailed Explanation

Wh-questions (எவ்வினா) are questions used to obtain specific information. They are constructed using interrogative words.

1. யார்? (Who?)

Usage: To ask about persons

Examples:

• Answer: Thiruvalluvar composed Thirukkural

• Question: Who composed Thirukkural?

• Answer: Gandhiji led India to independence

• Question: Who led India to independence?

2. என்ன? (What?)

Usage: To ask about objects, actions, events

Examples:

• Answer: The capital of Tamil Nadu is Chennai

• Question: What is the capital of Tamil Nadu?

• Answer: Students are studying

• Question: What are the students doing?

3. எது? (Which?)

Usage: To make a choice, to identify something specific

Examples:

• Answer: Among Sangam literature, Thirukkural is the best

• Question: Which is the best among Sangam literature?

• Answer: This book is mine

• Question: Which book is yours?

4. எப்படி? / எவ்வாறு? (How?)

Usage: To ask about method, manner, condition

Examples:

• Answer: Success can be achieved through hard work

• Question: How can success be achieved?

• Answer: He sings very well

• Question: How does he sing?

5. எங்கே? / எவ்விடம்? (Where?)

Usage: To ask about place, location

Examples:

• Answer: Books are in the library

• Question: Where are the books?

• Answer: Meenakshi Amman Temple is in Madurai

• Question: Where is Meenakshi Amman Temple?

6. எப்போது? (When?)

Usage: To ask about time, period

Examples:

• Answer: Pongal is celebrated in the month of Thai

• Question: When is Pongal celebrated?

• Answer: School will open tomorrow

• Question: When will school open?

7. ஏன? / ஏனெனில்? (Why?)

Usage: To know the reason

Examples:

• Answer: Exercise should be done to maintain health

• Question: Why should we exercise?

• Answer: The game was cancelled due to rain

• Question: Why was the game cancelled?

Yes-No Questions (ஆம்-இல்லை வினா)

Yes-No questions are questions that expect answers in the form of agreement or denial.

Structure Methods

1. Using "-ஆ" interrogative suffix

Examples:

• Answer: Yes, I will go to school

• Question: Will you go to school?

• Answer: No, it didn't rain

• Question: Did it rain?

2. Using "-ஓ" interrogative suffix

Examples:

• Answer: Yes, he came

• Question: Did he come?

• Answer: No, that is not correct

• Question: Is that correct?

Honorific Questions (சான்றோர் வினா)

Questions asked about persons deserving respect.

Examples:

• Answer: The teacher is in the classroom

• Question: Where is the teacher?

• Answer: The leader is giving a speech

• Question: What is the leader doing?

Information Questions (செய்தி வினா)

Questions asked to know specific information.

Examples:

• Answer: There is a power outage throughout the city today

• Question: What is happening today?

• Answer: The government has announced a new scheme

• Question: What has the government announced?

Numerical Questions (எண்ணிக்கை வினா)

Questions asked to know numbers or quantities.

Examples:

• Answer: There are thirty students in the class

• Question: How many students are in the class?

• Answer: I bought four books

• Question: How many books did you buy?

Distance Questions (தொலைவு வினா)

Questions asked to know distance.

Examples:

• Answer: Five kilometers distance

• Question: How far is it?

• Answer: It is hundred meters away

• Question: How far away is it?

Price Questions (விலை வினா)

Questions asked to know price.

Examples:

• Answer: This book costs hundred rupees

• Question: How much is this book?

• Answer: The fee is five hundred rupees

• Question: How much is the fee?

Quality Questions (தரம் வினா)

Questions asked to know quality or characteristics.

Examples:

• Answer: This is of excellent quality

• Question: What type of quality is this?

• Answer: He is a good person

• Question: What kind of person is he?

Techniques for Selecting Appropriate Questions for Answers

Technique 1: Identifying the Key Word in the Answer

Steps:

1. Identify the main word in the answer
2. Determine whether that word refers to person, object, place, time, etc.
3. Select the appropriate interrogative word

Example:

• Answer: Bharathiyar was a freedom struggle poet
• Key word: Bharathiyar (person)
• Interrogative word: Who?
• Question: Who was the freedom struggle poet?

Technique 2: Analyzing the Nature of the Answer

Answer Types and Related Questions:

Technique 3: Observing Sentence Structure

Examples:

Declarative Sentence:

• Answer: They are reading in the library
• Action: reading (What are they doing?)
• Place: in the library (Where?)
• Questions:
  • What are they doing?
  • Where are they reading?

Exercise 1: Simple Questions

Write questions for the answers:

1. Answer: Tamil is one of the classical languages of the world
   Question: What is Tamil?

2. Answer: Subramania Bharathiyar was India's freedom struggle poet
   Question: Who was Subramania Bharathiyar?

3. Answer: Thanjavur Big Temple is located in Thanjavur
   Question: Where is Thanjavur Big Temple located?

4. Answer: Pongal is the Tamil festival
   Question: What is Pongal?

5. Answer: Kamarajar was the Education Minister
   Question: Who was Kamarajar?

Exercise 2: Multiple Questions

Multiple questions for one answer:

Answer: Yesterday Ramu went to Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai

Possible questions:

1. Who went to Meenakshi Amman Temple? (person)
2. Where did Ramu go? (place)
3. When did Ramu go to Madurai? (time)
4. Where did Ramu go in Madurai? (specific place)
5. What did Ramu do? (action)

Exercise 3: Complex Questions

Subtle distinctions:

1. Answer: Thiruvalluvar composed Thirukkural two thousand years ago
   Question: When did Thiruvalluvar compose Thirukkural?

2. Answer: Gopal completed the task in three days
   Question: In how many days did Gopal complete the task?

3. Answer: Man progresses through education
   Question: Through what does man progress?

Exercise 4: TNPSC Model Questions

Read the answer and select the correct question:

Question 1:
Answer: Kambar composed Kambaramayanam

a) Who composed Kambaramayanam?
b) What did Kambar compose?
c) When did Kambar compose Kambaramayanam?
d) Both a and b are correct

Correct Answer: d (Both are appropriate)

Question 2:
Answer: India gained independence in 1947

a) When did India gain independence?
b) Which country gained independence in 1947?
c) What did India gain?
d) All of the above

Correct Answer: d (All are appropriate)

Important Notes

1. Questions can be framed for each part of the answer
2. Select questions according to context
3. Use honorific questions out of respect
4. Create clear questions
5. Follow grammatical rules