The 5 W’s and 1 H – who, what, where, when, why, and how, and how to use them in writing and reading comprehension.
Have you ever been asked a question and didn’t know how to answer it? Or have you ever read a story and didn’t understand some parts of it? The 5 W’s and 1 H, are important questions to ask and answer when we read and write.
Who
Who is used to ask about a person or group of people. For example: Who is your best friend? Who won the game?
When writing a story, it is important to introduce the characters and give the reader some information about them. For example: Sarah is a kind and curious girl who loves to explore.
What
What is used to ask about a thing, action or event. For example: What did you eat for breakfast? What happened in the story?
When writing a story, it is important to describe the setting and the events that happen. For example: The sun was setting behind the mountains, and the birds were flying back to their nests.
Where
Where is used to ask about a place or location. For example: Where do you live? Where did you go on vacation?
When writing a story, it is important to give the reader a sense of the setting and the location where the story takes place. For example: The old mansion was situated on top of a hill, overlooking the vast countryside.
When
When is used to ask about a time or period. For example: When is your birthday? When did you start school?
When writing a story, it is important to give the reader a sense of time and place. For example: It was a cold and rainy night in November, and the town was deserted.
Why
Why is used to ask about the reason or purpose. For example: Why did you choose that book? Why did you go to the store?
When writing a story, it is important to give the reader a sense of the motivation and the reason behind the actions of the characters. For example: Sarah wanted to find out the truth about the mysterious disappearance of her grandfather.
How
How is used to ask about the method or process.
For example: How did you make that cake? How did you learn to play the guitar?
When writing a story, it is important to describe the actions and the process that the characters go through.
For example: Sarah had to climb over the fence and walk through the dark forest to reach the old mansion.
The 5 W’s and 1 H are important questions to ask and answer when we read and write. By using these questions, we can gain a better understanding of the text and the characters, and we can also write more descriptive and engaging stories. So, next time you read a story or write a composition, remember to ask and answer the 5 W’s and 1 H.