Unit 45

Who is she talking to? / What is it like?

Grammar
Examples
Exercises

A. Who is she talking to? (questions 3)

Julia is talking to somebody.

👱‍♀️📱 → Who is she talking to?

In questions beginning Who ... ? / What ... ? / Where ... ? / Which ... ?, prepositions (to / from / with / etc.) usually go at the end:

  • Where are you from? 'I'm from Thailand.'
  • Who was afraid? 'What was he afraid of?'
  • Who do these books belong to? 'They're mine.'
  • Tom's father is in hospital. 'Which hospital is he in?'
  • Kate is going on holiday. 'Who with?' / 'Who is she going with?'
  • I want to talk to you. 'What about?' / 'What do you want to talk to me about?'

B. What is it like? / What are they like? etc.

What's (= What is) it like? = tell me something about it – is it good or bad, big or small, old or new? etc.

When we say 'What is it like?', like is a preposition. It is not the verb like ('Do you like your new house?' etc.).

There's a new restaurant in our street.
A: What's it like? Is it good?
B: I don't know. I haven't eaten there yet.
A: What's your new teacher like?
B: She's very good. We learn a lot.
A: I met Linda's parents yesterday.
B: Did you? What are they like?
A: They're very friendly.
A: Did you have a nice holiday? What was the weather like?
B: It was lovely. The sun shone every day.

Question Word + Preposition at the End

  • Who is she talking to?
  • What are you looking at?
  • Where does he come from?
  • Which bus do I get on?
  • What is he afraid of?
  • Who does this belong to?

What is it like? = Describe it

A: There's a new cinema in town.
B: What's it like?
A: It's huge! And very modern.
A: How was your trip to Paris?
B: Amazing! What was the hotel like?
A: Very comfortable.

Common Patterns

  • What/Who/Where/Which + preposition at the end
  • What is/are ... like? → ask for description
  • What was/were ... like? → ask about past experience
Progress: 0% (0/0)
45.1 You want the missing information (XXXX). Write questions with who or what.
1. The letter is from XXXX. →
2. I'm looking for XXXX. →
3. I went to the cinema with XXXX. →
4. The film was about XXXX. →
5. I gave the money to XXXX. →
6. The book was written by XXXX. →
45.2 Complete the questions for the pictures. Use one of these verbs + a preposition:
listen to look at talk to wait for write to
1
2
3
4
5
6
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
45.3 Write questions beginning Which ... ?
1. Tom's father is in hospital. →
2. We stayed at a hotel. →
3. Jack plays for a football team. →
4. I went to school in this town. →
45.4 You want some information about another country. You ask somebody who has been there. Ask questions with What is/are ... like?
1. (the roads) →
2. (the food) →
3. (the people) →
4. (the weather) →
45.5 Ask questions with What was/were ... like?
1. Your friend has just come back from holiday. Ask about the weather.
Your friend has just come back from holiday. →
2. Your friend has just come back from the cinema. Ask about the film.
Your friend has just come back from the cinema. →
3. Your friend has just finished an English course. Ask about the lessons.
Your friend has just finished an English course. →
4. Your friend has just come back from holiday. Ask about the hotel.
Your friend has just come back from holiday. →