Written by Gabriela Estrada

Do you know how to ask with "how in English beyond the typical How are you? (How are you?). "How" or "how" in English is an adverb used to ask about the way, manner, or degree to which something happens, and follows the adverb formula (how) + verb, but there are more constructions to ask with "how and knowing them will help you advance in the language.

In this blog, we will learn how to ask specific and diverse questions with "how and apply the correct formula for each one in different examples. At the end, I will leave strategies to practice at home. Read carefully and take note of the explanation. Let's get started!

Formulas to ask with "how" (how)

The use of how (follows specific English rules. Forming questions correctly depends on the type of information you want to obtain:

1. Formula with auxiliary verbs: How + auxiliary ("do," "does," "did") + subject + main verb. Examples:

• "How do you stay motivated?" (How do you stay motivated?)
• "How did you finish the assignment so quickly?" (How did you finish the assignment so quickly?)

1. Formula with modal verbs: How + modal ("can," "could," "should") + subject + main verb. Examples:

• "How can I help you?" (How can I help you?)
• "How could they improve their performance? (How could they improve their performance?)

1. Formula with the verb "to be": How + verb "to be" ("is," "are," "was," "were") + subject. Examples:

• "How is she feeling today?" (How is she feeling today?)
• "How were the results of the exam?"

1. Formula with adjectives or adverbs: How + adjective or adverb + auxiliary verb + subject. Examples:

• "How far is your school from here?" (How far is your school from here?)
• "How fast can you run?" (How fast can you run?)

This topic can be a bit complex, but with practice and memorization you will be able to use the formulas correctly without altering the order of the structure. Let's look at some typical mistakes when using how.

Common mistakes when using "how and how it compares to Spanish

In Spanish, we often change the way we ask questions and still get the message across, but English is more rigid in these rules. It is common that at the beginning students use the structure sentence structure with how in a disorderlywithout following the correct formula. For example.:

• Error: "How you can stay focused?"
• Correct: "How can you stay focused?"
• TipRemember that the auxiliary or modal must immediately follow "how".

Another error is omitting the auxiliary verb:

• Error: "How you solve the problem?"
• Correct: "How do you solve the problem?"
• There are questions in which an auxiliary is not needed, for example if they have the verb to be, as in: How was your childhood? (past tense without auxiliary). In this case, the advice is to use do o does if we know the subject in the sentence.

They also often confuse "how" with other question words:

• Error: "What do I finish this report?" (use "what" instead of "how").
• Correct: "How do I finish this report?"
• Tipuse "how" for ask for methods or formsnot objects or identities.

Comparison with Spanish

In Spanish, "how to" questions allow for greater flexibility and variety in their grammatical structure compared to the rigid formulas of English. Here I explain how they can be varied and what differences exist between the two languages:

"How" questions have the advantage that the word order can be altered without changing the meaning. For example, in a direct form:

• "How can you stay focused?" (Typical and grammatically correct structure).
• In altered form: "How is it that you can stay focused?" (Adds emphasis or curiosity).
• In simplified form: "How do you stay focused?" (Without subject, used in informal contexts or in titles).
• With varying emphasis: "Keep you focused how?" (Reorganization with emphasis on action, although less common).

As you could see, the words can be rearranged and the question is still understandable, as long as the logical context is not altered.

Strategies for memorizing questions with "how"

Constant practice will help to memorize the correct formulas for asking how. Here are some strategies:

• Establish a relationship with everyday life to practice questions that you might use at some point during the day:
  • "How can I open a bank account?" (How can I open a bank account?).
• Create a variety of conversations using their imagination with dialogues where the questions are asked with "how" are central:
  • "How do you prepare for a big presentation?" (How do you prepare for a big presentation?)
• Use cards (flashcards) and write questions with "how on one and its structure on another. Practice putting them together correctly.

Learn English with Planeta Immiland Education

Planet Immiland is our immigration language school for Canada. We have certified teachers who can help you advance your language level with dynamic and effective strategies.

Our courses are accredited by Language CanadaThis guarantees a teaching aligned with the academic standards of a recognized institution in the country. So, if you want to learn Englishdo not hesitate to contact us at and break the language barrier. See our English Courses.

We know that mastering grammatical structures takes time, but we also believe that dynamic, guided learning helps master the process. At Planet Immillandwe use clear, easy-to-follow lessons, practice in real-life scenarios and personalized feedback.

Use the correct formulas for asking with "how will take you to a new level of learning. These questions not only make it easier to communicate at work, in school or in your personal life, they also help you project confidence and fluency.

With Planeta Immiland, you will learn to construct clear and effective sentences that reflect your level of English.

Thank you very much for reading! See you in the next blog!

With love, 

Planeta Immiland Education