SPECIAL (WH-) QUESTIONS IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR: A COMPARATIVE ANALYTICAL STUDY

Abstract

This article presents a comparative and analytical study of English special (Wh-) questions based on the perspectives of major pedagogical grammarians, including Raymond Murphy, Betty Schrampfer Azar, Michael Swan, as well as Oxford and Cambridge grammar traditions. The paper examines how special questions are conceptualized in terms of structure, meaning, and use, with particular attention to interrogative words (who, what, where, when, why, how), subject-auxiliary inversion, and pedagogical presentation. By analyzing these approaches sequentially, the study identifies both shared principles and methodological differences. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating grammatical accuracy with semantic and communicative interpretation in teaching and learning English special questions. The article concludes with generalizations relevant to grammar instruction and applied linguistics research.