A2 · Elementary · Practice

Subject & Object Questions: A2 Exercises

60 exercises · 20 multiple choice · 20 fill in the blank · 20 word ordering

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Every learner reaches a point where questions have stopped being difficult and one particular question is still wrong every time: Who did call you? The pattern feels right because it is the pattern taught at A1 — question word, then did, then the subject — and nobody ever explains that it has an exception. It does, and the exception is not rare: it covers every question about who did something or what happened.

These sixty exercises make the decision automatic by forcing you to make it sixty times. The multiple-choice section pairs the two structures so the difference is visible; the gap-fill section removes exactly the word that gives the game away; and the sentence-building section hands you the tiles without an auxiliary in some sets and with one in others, so the choice cannot be made on autopilot. Throughout, the test is the same: if your answer would stand at the front of the sentence, the question needs no do, does or did.

60 exercises in this set

3 question types

~25 minutes to finish

80% to pass

What these exercises drill

Every question in this set tests one of the rules below. If any of them is unfamiliar, read the Subject & Object Questions lesson first — practice before the rule is understood mostly teaches you your own guesses.

If the question word IS the subject, use normal statement order and no auxiliary.
If the question word is the object, add do, does or did and use the base verb.
A subject question keeps the tense in the main verb, so the -s and the -ed stay on it.
Who, what and which can be subject or object; where, when, why and how are never subjects.

Practise Subject & Object Questions now

Answer at your own pace — nothing is timed and nothing is submitted. Each answer is marked the moment you give it, the explanation appears whether you were right or wrong, and the progress bar tracks all 60. Your score is saved in this browser, and to your account if you are signed in.

Multiple choice questions

Choose the correct answer.

___ broke the window?Who did · Who · Whom did · Who does
___ did you invite to the party?Who · Who did · Whose · Who does
What ___ at the meeting yesterday?did happen · happened · was happen · did happened
What ___ after the meeting?you did say · did you say · said you · you said did
Which sentence is correct?Who did tell you that? · Who told you that? · Who did told you that? · Who telling you that?
___ wants another coffee?Who does · Who do · Who · Whom
___ does she want for her birthday?What · What does · Whose · What is
Which train ___ first, the 9:05 or the 9:20?does leave · leaves · did leave · is leave
Which film ___ last night?you watched · did you watch · did you watched · watched you
___ caused the power cut?What did · What · How · Why did
___ did you go on Saturday?Who · What · Where · Which
How many people ___ to the concert?did come · came · did came · does come
Who ___ she call after the accident?does · did · was · has
Which of these is a subject question?What did she buy? · Who did you meet? · What woke you up? · Where did they go?
___ lives in the flat downstairs?Who · Who does · Whom · Who do
___ do you live with?Who · Who does · Whose · Whom does
What ___ that noise upstairs?is making · does make · is make · did making
Who ___ the bill last night?did pay · paid · does pay · did paid
Which question expects a person as the answer, not yes or no?Did anyone call? · Was it Sara? · Who called? · Has he called?
Who do you think ___ the message?did send · sent · sends did · did sent

Fill-in-the-blank questions

Type the missing word.

Who __________ you the good news?
Who __________ you tell about the new job?
What __________ to your car? It looks terrible.
What __________ you do at the weekend?
Who __________ the last piece of cake?
__________ many students passed the exam?
Which bus __________ to the airport?
Which bus __________ you take yesterday?
Who __________ in this office before me?
What __________ the delay this morning?
Who __________ she marry in the end?
__________ wants to come to the cinema tonight?
Where __________ they spend their holiday?
What __________ you say to him? He looks upset.
Who __________ knocking at this hour?
How many people __________ at the bus stop?
Who __________ me while I was out?
Whose bag __________ on the back seat?
Which team __________ the final last season?
Who __________ you go to the concert with?

Sentence structure: word ordering

Put the words in the correct order.

Ask about the identity of a caller.Who / called / you / this / morning?
Ask who somebody rang, not who rang them.Who / did / you / call / this / morning?
Ask about the fate of some possessions.What / happened / to / the / old / photos?
Ask about somebody's shopping.What / did / you / buy / at / the / market?
Ask a room for a volunteer.Who / wants / to / start / the / presentation?
Ask a subject question about a timetable.Which / train / goes / to / the / centre?
Ask an object question about a journey.Which / train / did / they / take?
Ask about responsibility for damage.Who / broke / the / printer / again?
Ask who received the blame.Who / did / the / manager / blame?
Ask about the source of a disturbance.What / caused / all / this / noise?
Ask about a location, which always needs an auxiliary.Where / did / you / find / my / wallet?
Ask a quantity question about early arrivals.How / many / guests / arrived / before / eight?
Ask a subject question in the continuous.Who / is / making / that / terrible / noise?
Ask about the content of a medical opinion.What / did / the / doctor / say?
Ask about a neighbour, in the present.Who / lives / in / the / house / opposite?
Ask about a seating neighbour at an event.Who / did / you / sit / next / to?
Ask about the cause of a disturbed sleep.What / woke / you / up / last / night?
Ask a subject question about a contest.Which / photo / won / the / competition?
Ask who reported something.Who / told / the / police / about / it?
Ask about the meaning of vocabulary.What / does / this / word / mean?

Show the answer key for all 60 exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. ___ broke the window? → Who: Who is the subject of broke, so no auxiliary is added.
2. ___ did you invite to the party? → Who: Who is the object here, so the question already has did and needs nothing more.
3. What ___ at the meeting yesterday? → happened: What is the subject of happened, so the past form stays on the main verb.
4. What ___ after the meeting? → did you say: What is the object of say, so the question needs did plus the base verb.
5. Which sentence is correct? → Who told you that?: Who is the subject, so the verb keeps its past form and no auxiliary appears.
6. ___ wants another coffee? → Who: A subject question in the present keeps the -s on the verb and takes no auxiliary.
7. ___ does she want for her birthday? → What: What is the object, and does is already in the sentence.
8. Which train ___ first, the 9:05 or the 9:20? → leaves: Which train is the subject, so the verb keeps its -s.
9. Which film ___ last night? → did you watch: Which film is the object, so the question takes did and the base verb.
10. ___ caused the power cut? → What: What is the subject of caused, so no auxiliary is used.
11. ___ did you go on Saturday? → Where: Where can never be a subject, which is why did is required.
12. How many people ___ to the concert? → came: How many people is the subject, so the past form stays on the verb.
13. Who ___ she call after the accident? → did: Who is the object, so the past auxiliary did is needed.
14. Which of these is a subject question? → What woke you up?: What is doing the waking, so it is the subject and takes no auxiliary.
15. ___ lives in the flat downstairs? → Who: A present subject question keeps the -s: Who lives?
16. ___ do you live with? → Who: Who is the object of the preposition with, and do is already there.
17. What ___ that noise upstairs? → is making: What is the subject, so the continuous form simply keeps statement order.
18. Who ___ the bill last night? → paid: Who is the subject, so the verb carries the past tense itself.
19. Which question expects a person as the answer, not yes or no? → Who called?: A who question asks for identification, so the answer names somebody.
20. Who do you think ___ the message? → sent: The inner question is the subject question Who sent the message?, so no auxiliary is added.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. Who ___ you the good news? → told: Who is the subject, so the verb keeps its past form and no auxiliary is used.
2. Who ___ you tell about the new job? → did: Who is the object here, so the past auxiliary is required.
3. What ___ to your car? It looks terrible. → happened: Happen takes a subject question, so the past form stays on the verb.
4. What ___ you do at the weekend? → did: What is the object of do, so the question needs the auxiliary.
5. Who ___ the last piece of cake? → ate: Who is the subject, so the irregular past form is used directly.
6. ___ many students passed the exam? → How: How many + noun can be a subject and behaves exactly like who.
7. Which bus ___ to the airport? → goes: Which bus is the subject, so the present verb keeps its -s.
8. Which bus ___ you take yesterday? → did: Which bus is the object, so did is required and take stays in the base form.
9. Who ___ in this office before me? → worked: A subject question keeps the tense on the main verb.
10. What ___ the delay this morning? → caused: What is doing the causing, so it is the subject.
11. Who ___ she marry in the end? → did: Who is the object of marry, so the auxiliary carries the tense.
12. ___ wants to come to the cinema tonight? → Who: A present subject question needs no auxiliary at all.
13. Where ___ they spend their holiday? → did: Where can never be a subject, so an auxiliary is always required.
14. What ___ you say to him? He looks upset. → did: What is the object of say, so the past auxiliary appears.
15. Who ___ knocking at this hour? → is: A subject question with a continuous form simply keeps statement order.
16. How many people ___ at the bus stop? → were: How many people is the subject, so no auxiliary is needed with be.
17. Who ___ me while I was out? → phoned: Who is the subject, so the past form stays on the verb.
18. Whose bag ___ on the back seat? → is: Whose bag is the subject, so be follows it directly.
19. Which team ___ the final last season? → won: Which team did the winning, so it is the subject of a past verb.
20. Who ___ you go to the concert with? → did: Who is the object of the preposition with, so the auxiliary is required.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Ask about the identity of a caller. → Who called you this morning?: Ask about the identity of a caller.
2. Ask who somebody rang, not who rang them. → Who did you call this morning?: Ask who somebody rang, not who rang them.
3. Ask about the fate of some possessions. → What happened to the old photos?: Ask about the fate of some possessions.
4. Ask about somebody's shopping. → What did you buy at the market?: Ask about somebody's shopping.
5. Ask a room for a volunteer. → Who wants to start the presentation?: Ask a room for a volunteer.
6. Ask a subject question about a timetable. → Which train goes to the centre?: Ask a subject question about a timetable.
7. Ask an object question about a journey. → Which train did they take?: Ask an object question about a journey.
8. Ask about responsibility for damage. → Who broke the printer again?: Ask about responsibility for damage.
9. Ask who received the blame. → Who did the manager blame?: Ask who received the blame.
10. Ask about the source of a disturbance. → What caused all this noise?: Ask about the source of a disturbance.
11. Ask about a location, which always needs an auxiliary. → Where did you find my wallet?: Ask about a location, which always needs an auxiliary.
12. Ask a quantity question about early arrivals. → How many guests arrived before eight?: Ask a quantity question about early arrivals.
13. Ask a subject question in the continuous. → Who is making that terrible noise?: Ask a subject question in the continuous.
14. Ask about the content of a medical opinion. → What did the doctor say?: Ask about the content of a medical opinion.
15. Ask about a neighbour, in the present. → Who lives in the house opposite?: Ask about a neighbour, in the present.
16. Ask about a seating neighbour at an event. → Who did you sit next to?: Ask about a seating neighbour at an event.
17. Ask about the cause of a disturbed sleep. → What woke you up last night?: Ask about the cause of a disturbed sleep.
18. Ask a subject question about a contest. → Which photo won the competition?: Ask a subject question about a contest.
19. Ask who reported something. → Who told the police about it?: Ask who reported something.
20. Ask about the meaning of vocabulary. → What does this word mean?: Ask about the meaning of vocabulary.

The errors these questions are built to catch

Who did call you?

Who called you?

Who is the subject here, so the question needs no auxiliary and keeps the past form of the verb.
Who broke it? — Yes, the window broke.

Who broke the window? — My brother did.

A subject question expects a person or thing as the answer, not yes or no.
What happened to you yesterday did?

What happened to you yesterday?

Happen takes a subject question, so do is never added.

After this set

Questions are the fastest way to get information from a conversation. Next come the words that let you say whose something is, which is the other half of talking about people.