What is what? Pronunciation and usage in English

what means . Learn how to pronounce and use what through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of what

whatpronoun

/wɒt/
Definition & pronunciation of what

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "what" in English. It's a tricky one for many learners! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and generally accepted pronunciation is:

  • /wɑːt/ (rhymes with "caught")

    • "wa" is pronounced like the "wa" in "water".
    • "t" is a hard "t" sound.

Here's a more detailed breakdown and things to watch out for:

  1. The Vowel Sound: The key to getting "what" right is the vowel sound. It’s not like "wat" (as many beginners tend to say). It's a long "a" sound, similar to the "a" in "father" or "car."

  2. Stress: The stress (which syllable is emphasized) is on the first syllable: wat.

  3. Regional Variations: There are slight regional differences, but the /wɑːt/ pronunciation is widely understood.

    • American English: The /wɑːt/ pronunciation is most common.
    • British English: Some speakers, particularly in the UK, might pronounce it closer to /wɑːt/ (very slightly shorter "a" sound). However, even in the UK, /wɑːt/ is perfectly acceptable and understood.

Tips for Practice:

  • Listen to Native Speakers: The best way to learn is to hear it pronounced correctly. Search for "how to pronounce 'what' in English" on YouTube. There are many videos that demonstrate.
  • Record Yourself: Record yourself saying "what" and compare it to a native speaker recording.
  • Use a Phonetics Tool: Websites like Forvo (www.forvo.com) let you hear how words are pronounced by native speakers from different regions.

Resources:

Do you want me to:

  • Repeat the pronunciation?
  • Give you some example sentences using "what"?

Usage and examples with the word what in English

Let's break down how to use "what" in English. It's a surprisingly versatile word! Here's a breakdown of its common uses, with examples:

1. Asking Questions (Most Common Use)

This is by far the most frequent way "what" is used. It’s a question word used to inquire about information.

  • General Questions:

    • "What is your name?" (Asking for a name)
    • "What time is it?" (Asking for the time)
    • "What do you want?" (Asking for a desire)
    • "What are you doing?" (Asking about an action)

  • Specific Questions (Often followed by ‘is’, ‘are’, ‘do’, ‘does’, ‘can’, ‘will,’ etc.):

    • "What is your favorite color?"
    • "What are you reading?"
    • "What does she do?" (What is her job?)
    • "What can you help me with?"

2. Identifying or Pointing Out

"What?" can be used to express surprise or to indicate that you're listening and want someone to repeat or clarify something. It's like a "What?" of acknowledgment.

  • Expressing Surprise: "What?! That's incredible!"
  • Requesting Repetition: "Sorry, what did you say?"
  • Showing Confusion: “What? I don’t understand.”

3. Referring to Things (Less Common – Often in a Formal Context)

In more formal writing, "what" can be used to refer to the thing itself, rather than just asking about it. This is less common in everyday speech.

  • "What was said in the meeting?" (Referring to the content of the meeting.)
  • "What is the purpose of this project?" (Referring to the project itself.)

4. In Phrases

“What” appears in a few set phrases:

  • What about…? (Expressing an opinion or suggestion) – “What about pizza for dinner?”
  • What's…? (Contraction of “what is…”, “what’s…”) - "What's happening?"

Here's a table summarizing the uses:

Use Example Meaning
Question "What's your name?" To ask for information
Surprise/Clarify "What?! That's amazing!" To express surprise or request clarity
Reference "What was decided?" Referencing the thing itself
Phrase "What about coffee?" Expressing an opinion/suggestion

Key Points to Remember:

  • Capitalization: "What" is always capitalized when it's used as a question word. (lowercase 'what' is for other uses like "what a beautiful day!")
  • Followed by Verbs: When used as a question, “what” is almost always followed by a verb (is, are, do, does, can, will, etc.).
  • Variations: "What" is often used interchangeably with “which” in questions, though "which" is more common when referring to a specific choice from a limited set. (e.g., "Which book do you want?" vs. "What book do you want?")

To help me give you even more specific advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of context are you interested in? (e.g., conversational English, writing, grammar rules?)
  • Are there any particular situations where you're struggling to use "what"?

Synonyms for the word what

Idioms of the word what

and what not | and what have you
(informal)and other things of the same type
  • It's full of old toys, books and what not.
come what may
despite any problems or difficulties you may have
  • He promised to support her come what may.
get/give somebody what for
(informal)to be punished/punish somebody severely
  • I'll give her what for if she does that again.
or what
used to emphasize your opinion
  • Is he stupid or what?
used when you are not sure about something
  • I don't know if he's a teacher or what.
  • Are we going now or what?
say what?
(North American English, informal)used to express surprise at what somebody has just said
  • ‘He's getting married.’ ‘Say what?’
so what?
(informal)used to show that you think something is not important, especially after somebody has criticized you for it
  • ‘He's fifteen years younger than you!’ ‘So what?’
  • So what if nobody else agrees with me?
what?
used when you have not heard or have not understood something
  • What? I can't hear you.
used to show that you have heard somebody and to ask what they want
  • ‘Mummy!’ ‘What?’ ‘I'm thirsty.’
used to express surprise or anger
  • ‘It will cost $500.’ ‘What?’
  • ‘I asked her to marry me.’ ‘You what?’
what about…?
used to make a suggestion
  • What about a trip to France?
used to introduce somebody/something into the conversation
  • What about you, Joe? Do you like football?
what-d’you-call-him/-her/-it/-them | what’s-his/-her/-its/-their-name
used instead of a name that you cannot remember
  • She's just gone out with old what-d'you-call-him.
what for?
for what purpose or reason?
  • What is this tool for?
  • What did you do that for (= why did you do that)?
  • ‘I need to see a doctor.’ ‘What for?’
what if…?
what would happen if?
  • What if the train is late?
  • What if she forgets to bring it?
what of it?
(informal)used when admitting that something is true, to ask why it should be considered important
  • Yes, I wrote the article. What of it?
what’s all that about?
used to suggest that something you have heard is a stupid idea or does not make sense
  • They dropped their best player. What's all that about?
(know) what’s what
(informal)(know) what things are useful, important, etc.
  • She certainly knows what's what.
what’s with somebody?
(North American English, informal)used to ask why somebody is behaving in a strange way
  • What's with you? You haven't said a word all morning.
what’s with something?
(North American English, informal)used to ask the reason for something
  • What's with all this walking? Can't we take a cab?
what with something
used to list the various reasons for something
  • What with the cold weather and my bad leg, I haven't been out for weeks.

Practice with vocabulary what

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. Could you please clarify ____ the primary objective of this new policy is?
  2. The report details exactly ____ went wrong during the initial product launch.
  3. We need to determine ____ of these proposals offers the most cost-effective solution.
  4. I'm curious ____ the project deadline was extended by two weeks.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer (there may be multiple correct answers per question)

  1. ____ is the proposed budget for the new marketing campaign? A) What B) Which C) How D) When

  2. The committee needs to determine exactly ____ steps are required to mitigate the security risks. A) what B) which C) how D) why

  3. I couldn't believe ____ an innovative solution they presented at the conference! A) what B) how C) such D) that

  4. Do you know ____ the next board meeting will be held? A) what B) when C) where D) how

  5. Management is currently evaluating ____ to invest in new software or upgrade the existing system. A) if B) what C) when D) how

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The supervisor requested clarification on the next steps for the project. (Rewrite using "what")
  2. I found their innovative approach to problem-solving truly inspiring. (Rewrite using "what" in an exclamatory way)
  3. Please identify the specific skills that are essential for this role. (Rewrite, but do not use "what")

Answer:

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. what
  2. what
  3. which
  4. why

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer

  1. A) what
  2. A) what, B) which
  3. A) what
  4. C) where
  5. A) if

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The supervisor requested clarification on what the next steps for the project were.
  2. What an inspiring, innovative approach to problem-solving they demonstrated!
  3. Please identify which specific skills are essential for this role.

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