5 W's and H Questions

Asking and Answering the 5 W's and H Questions

To collect key information about your writing topic, ask and answer the 5 W's and H questions—Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? These questions are sometimes called journalistic questions because all news stories should answer them. Gather answers to the 5 W's and H questions anytime you are writing about an event, an experience, or something that happened.

5 W's and H Questions

• Who was involved?
• What happened?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it happen?