Who/What + present verb + object/complement ?No do or does. After who, the verb takes the singular present form: Who works here?
Subject Questions
B1Subject questions ask who or what does the action: Who called? No do, does, or did is needed.
What you'll learn
- Ask who or what does the action.
- Build present-time subject questions without do or does.
- Build past subject questions without did.
- Use singular verb form after who in present-time subject questions.
- Tell subject questions from object questions.
- Spot cues that the missing word is the doer.
Structure
Who/What + past verb + object/complement ?No did. Use the past form of the main verb: Who called you? What happened?
Who + do/does/did + subject + base verb ?Use this order only when who is not the doer. Compare: Who called Anna? vs Who did Anna call?
Build a sentence
Question word
Verb
WhocallsMaria
Who calls Maria every evening?
No do/does in a subject question. After who, use the singular verb form.
When to use
Unknown person
Use who when you know the action but not the person: Who called? Who sent this email?
Unknown thing
Use what when the thing does the action: What made that noise? What caused the delay?
Choose the pattern
Who saw Tom? asks about the doer. Who did Tom see? asks about the person Tom saw.
Markers
missing doeranswer = a personanswer = a thingno auxiliaryverb right after whoWho called...?
Common mistakes
Wrong
Who does work with Tom?
Correct
Who works with Tom?
In a subject question, who is the subject. Do not add does.
Wrong
Who live here?
Correct
Who lives here?
After who in a present-time subject question, use the singular verb form.
Wrong
Who did break the window?
Correct
Who broke the window?
In a past subject question, use the past form directly. Do not add did.
Wrong
Who did see Anna?
Correct
Who saw Anna?
Here the missing person did the action, so use subject-question order with no did.
Common misconceptions
❝ All wh-questions need do, does, or did. ❞
Not when who or what is the subject. Say Who called? not Who did call?.
❝ Who means one person or many people, so the verb should stay plural. ❞
In present-time subject questions, who takes the singular verb form: Who lives here?
Skills in this rule (6)
ASK_WHO_WHAT_AS_SUBJECTw5Ask about the person or thing that does the action
Use who or what when the missing information is the doer of the action. Keep normal statement order after the question word.
NO_DO_DOES_IN_PRESENTw5Leave out do or does in present-time subject questions
When who or what is the subject in Present Simple, do not add do or does. The main verb shows the form directly.
NO_DID_IN_PASTw5Leave out did in past subject questions
When who or what is the subject in Past Simple, do not use did. Use the past form of the main verb.
MATCH_VERB_TO_UNKNOWN_SUBJECTw4Use singular verb form after who in present-time subject questions
In present-time subject questions with who, use the singular verb form: who works, who lives, who wants. Treat the unknown person as singular in the verb form.
TELL_SUBJECT_FROM_OBJECT_QUESTIONw5Choose between a subject question and an object question
If the missing word does the action, use a subject question with no do, does, or did. If the missing word receives the action, use an object question with normal question order.
PICK_SUBJECT_QUESTION_MARKERSw3Recognize cues that a subject question is needed
Look for a missing doer before the verb and answers like Tom, Anna, or The bus driver. These cues point to a subject question.