Use what when you are not pointing to a small set of choices.
What food do you like?
What music do you listen to?
What food do you like?What allows an open answer when no small set is given.
Choose from a set
Use which when the choices are shown or named.
Which bag do you want: the red one or the blue one?
Which of these two books is yours?
Keep the choices clear
You can use which with a noun or with one. A short answer can identify the choice.
Which train leaves first?
The blue one, please.
One replaces the item, not its colour
the blue bag→the blue one
In The blue one, please, one replaces bag because the question has already named the bags. Keep blue to identify the choice. For plural items, the replacement is ones.
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Compare form and meaning with the model.
1. Ask an open question about films.
Compare a model and explanation
What films do you like?
No limited set is specified.
2. Ask someone to choose tea or coffee.
Compare a model and explanation
Which would you like: tea or coffee?
Which fits the named pair; other natural questions are acceptable.
3. Complete: Which ___ these two is yours?
Compare a model and explanation
of
Use which of with an identified group.
4. Choose the red shirt. Use one.
Compare a model and explanation
The red one, please.
One avoids repeating shirt.
5. Ask about a favourite sport, with no list.
Compare a model and explanation
What sport do you like best?
What suits an open range.
6. Ask about the cheaper of two tickets.
Compare a model and explanation
Which ticket is cheaper?
The comparison concerns the two tickets.
7. Correct: Which of this books is yours?
Compare a model and explanation
Which of these books is yours?
These agrees with plural books.
8. Write a question with two choices: today or tomorrow.
Compare a model and explanation
Which day is better: today or tomorrow?
Name the alternatives clearly.
A short conversation
Listen first, then open the transcript when useful.
Open the conversation transcript
A: What food do you like?
B: I like Italian food.
A: Which of these two cafés do you prefer?
B: The one on the left. It has good pizza.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have a separate score.
Which bag do you want: the red one or the blue one?Which selects from the two stated choices.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.
Use it in your own words
Speaking 1
Ask an open question about music and answer it.
Reveal a possible response
What music do you like? I like rock.
Success check: Do not give a fixed list first.
Speaking 2
Offer two drinks and ask for a choice.
Reveal a possible response
Which drink would you like: tea or juice? Juice, please.
Success check: Name both alternatives.
Put it all together
Plan a snack with a partner. Start with an open question, then offer two choices.
Reveal a possible response
What would you like to eat? A sandwich. Which sandwich: cheese or chicken? The cheese one, please.
Success check: Move from an open question to a limited choice.
Take it with you
I can ask an open question or choose between named options.
