Questions with Why: Guide & Examples

Why is a wh-word. We use why to talk about reasons and explanations.

We use why to make all sorts of questions such as:

• Why did he leave home when he was 16?
• Why didn’t you tell Grandma?
• Why is the Earth round?

In this post, you will find a lot of questions that start with why using past, present, and future tenses.

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Uses of the Word Why

These are three main uses that the word “why” has

We use why talk about the reasons for something

• Why didn’t you call me?
• I wonder why he didn’t come.

We use why to make suggestions:

• Why don’t you come with us?
• Why don’t you give it a try?

We use why to agree with something that someone has suggested

• Sure, why not?
• Do you want to join us for lunch?” “Yeah, why not?”

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Questions with Why using Past Tenses

These are some common questions with why and past tenses

1. Why did you get married?
2. Why did you study English?
3. Why did you leave your job?
4. Why did the football team lose the game?
5. Why did she quit her college program?
6. Why did you buy a house?
7. Why did I lose my job?
8. Why did he get fired?
9. Why didn’t the crew call for help?
10. Why didn’t you do your homework?
11. Why did they fire that manager?
12. Why didn’t you book a table for 4 people?
13. Why did you go to the hospital?
14. Why didn’t they come for a party?
15. Why didn’t she take her medication?

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Questions with Why using Present Tenses

These are some common questions with why using present tenses

1. Why are you here?
2. Why are you so upset with me?
3. Why are you late for work?
4. Why does he speak Chinese during the meetings?
5. Why do we have to study English to become pilots?
6. Why do you work overtime on weekends?
7. Why do you want to get married to your boyfriend?
8. Why don’t we all go to the movies tonight?
9. Why is he angry with me?
10. Why does Maria keep inviting us?
11. Why don’t kids listen to their parents?
12. Why is my son learning Japanese?
13. Why do those leaders always cheat people?
14. Why don’t you study and work?
15. Why don’t you show up to classes?

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Questions with Why using Future Tenses

These are some common questions with why using future tenses

1. Why will you quit?
2. Why won’t he come here on time?
3. Why are they going to fire my friend?
4. Will you help me with moving these boxes?
5. Why will you resign from this job?
6. Why are you gonna open a YouTube channel?
7. Why are you gonna close your Facebook account?
8. Why are you gonna move to Texas?
9. Why are you gonna study in the US?
10. Why will they fire my friend?
11. Why won’t he sell these paintings to me for a million dollars?
12. Why are you gonna drop out?
13. Why are you gonna give them a prize?
14. Why will you be teaching the same topic on Tuesday?
15. Why will you stop going to this gym?

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Questions with Why using Modals

These are some questions with modals in English

1. Why should they be fired?
2. Why can we enter this laboratory?
3. Why can’t we go to this party?
4. Why can’t we meet with your colleague?
5. Why should he quit smoking?
6. Why shouldn’t she be promoted?
7. Why should these students be expelled?
8. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to go?

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Conversation Questions

These are some conversation questions that start with why

1. Why should we go to university?
2. Why should we spend less time on social media?
3. Why should we start eating healthy food?
4. Why should we close our social media accounts?
5. Why do we have to take that many subjects in school?
6. Why do we have to wear a uniform when we go to school?
7. Why do we have to pay a lot of money to get a higher education?
8. Why do we have to pay taxes?
9. Why do we need to study languages?
10. Why do we need to study Math?

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Questions and Answers

These are some common questions with why and some of my answers

• Why are you gonna study in the US?
• Because I want to get a better education

• Why will they fire my friend?
• I think he wasn’t doing his job

• Why are you gonna open a YouTube channel?
• Because I want to teach WordPress security online

• Why can’t we go to this party?
• Because they invited like 15 people or so

• Why will you quit?
• Because I am sick of scamming people

• Why are you gonna close your Facebook account?
• Because I spend too much time in it

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