Wh- Questions from Short Sentences

Who, what, where, when and why comprehension from single-sentence stimuli.

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Page 1 of 16
The dog hid Dad's shoe under the bed. WHERE is the shoe?
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This pass0 correct · 0 cued · 0 incorrect · 0/16
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Session summary (SOAP)

Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.

Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.

How to run it

Read the sentence once and ask the question without repeating it. The point is whether the student can hold a sentence and then locate the piece a question word asks for, and repeating turns it into a search task. Group by question word if a particular one is difficult — four where questions in a row establish what where asks for far better than a mixed set. Ten minutes covers the sixteen.

Cueing ladder

Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.

  1. Step 1IndependentPresent the item and wait 5 seconds of quiet before helping.Log as correct
  2. Step 2HintReread the key sentence, or point back to the clue in the text or picture.Log as cued
  3. Step 3Two choicesOffer two answers, the right one not always second.Log as cued
  4. Step 4ModelThink aloud: say how you worked it out, then the student says the answer and why.Log as cued

Adjust it

Easier

Read it aloud to the student and offer two choices from the start.

Harder

Ask the student to say which words gave them the clue, not just the answer.

Matching IEP goal

Given short texts or spoken prompts, Student will answer wh- questions in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than an indirect cue.

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About this activity

Sixteen single-sentence items with a wh-question each: the dog hid Dad's shoe under the bed — where is the shoe; Nina spilled her milk at breakfast — when did it happen; Mr Ruiz drove the bus to school — who drove the bus; the cat ran under the porch when it started raining — why did the cat run; Grandma made soup because Sam was sick — who was sick. One sentence and one question, which isolates the question word.

What to listen for

Watch the why items, which require the causal clause rather than the main one. Grandma made soup because Sam was sick, asked who was sick, catches students who answer with the first name they heard. Notice whether errors cluster on one question word, which points at a specific gap rather than a general comprehension problem.

Carrying it home

Asking one question after a sentence in a book takes five seconds. Varying the question word — where, when, why — rather than always asking what is what makes it useful.

What's in this activity

  • The dog hid Dad's shoe under the bed. WHERE is the shoe?
    • Under the bed
    • In the closet
    • On the dog
    • By the front door
  • Nina spilled her milk at breakfast. WHEN did it happen?
    • At bedtime
    • At breakfast
    • At recess
    • After dinner
  • Mr. Ruiz drove the bus to school. WHO drove the bus?
    • The teacher
    • Nina
    • Mr. Ruiz
    • The principal
  • Leo built a tall tower out of blocks. WHAT did he build it out of?
    • Paper
    • Sand
    • Sticks
    • Blocks
  • The cat ran under the porch when it started raining. WHY did the cat run?
    • It was hungry
    • It started raining
    • It saw a dog
    • It was bedtime
  • Grandma made soup because Sam was sick. WHO was sick?
    • Grandma
    • Sam
    • The doctor
    • Nobody was sick
  • We put on our boots before we walked in the snow. WHEN did we put on boots?
    • Before walking in the snow
    • After walking in the snow
    • At lunch
    • In the summer
  • Ana keeps her lunchbox in her backpack. WHERE is the lunchbox?
    • On the table
    • In her desk
    • In her backpack
    • In the kitchen

Questions

What ages is this for?
Kindergarten through second grade, for receptive wh-question comprehension.
Do I need to sign in?
No, all sixteen items play free in the browser.
My student answers every question with the first thing they heard. What now?
Group the questions by word so one type is met repeatedly. Four where questions in a row establish what where is asking for in a way a mixed set cannot.

Use this board with your caseload

With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.

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