Level 08 – Step 05 : Question word + to-infinitive (what to / how to) (I don’t know what to say. She asked how to help.)
/Level 08 – Step 05 : Question word + to-infinitive (what to / how to) (I don’t know what to say. She asked how to help.)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn how to use question words + to-infinitive, like “what to” and “how to,” to talk about choices or ways to do things.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn how to use question words + to-infinitive, like “what to” and “how to,” to talk about choices or ways to do things.
🐧Igupen: Are these different from normal questions?
/🐧Igupen: Are these different from normal questions?
🦉Professor Owl: Ho Ho Ho.
/🦉Professor Owl: Ho Ho Ho.
Yes — instead of asking a direct question, we use this form to talk about decisions, instructions, or doubts.
/Yes — instead of asking a direct question, we use this form to talk about decisions, instructions, or doubts.
It is useful when you want to say you do not know the right thing or the right way.
/It is useful when you want to say you do not know the right thing or the right way.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What is question word + to-infinitive?
/What is question word + to-infinitive?
We use a question word (what, how, where, when, who) + to + base verb to show choice, method, or uncertainty.
/We use a question word (what, how, where, when, who) + to + base verb to show choice, method, or uncertainty.
Common meanings: “what to” = which thing or which action to choose; “how to” = the way or method to do something.
/Common meanings: “what to” = which thing or which action to choose; “how to” = the way or method to do something.
Form: subject + verb + question-word + to + verb. Example: I don’t know what to do.
/Form: subject + verb + question-word + to + verb. Example: I don’t know what to do.
Use this structure when you talk about decisions, advice, or learning methods.
/Use this structure when you talk about decisions, advice, or learning methods.
Grammar note: After verbs of knowing, asking, wondering, deciding, and learning, we often use this structure: know/ask/wonder/decide/learn + question-word + to-infinitive.
/Grammar note: After verbs of knowing, asking, wondering, deciding, and learning, we often use this structure: know/ask/wonder/decide/learn + question-word + to-infinitive.
The clause does not use question word order; it keeps infinitive form: I don’t know what to say (not what do I say).
/The clause does not use question word order; it keeps infinitive form: I don’t know what to say (not what do I say).
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
If you want help, use “how to” for methods, and use “what to” when you need a choice.
/If you want help, use “how to” for methods, and use “what to” when you need a choice.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
Direct: “How do I help?” → Indirect: “She asked how to help.”
/Direct: “How do I help?” → Indirect: “She asked how to help.”
Direct: “What should I say?” → Indirect: “I don’t know what to say.”
/Direct: “What should I say?” → Indirect: “I don’t know what to say.”
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 I don’t know what to say.
/No.01 I don’t know what to say.
No.02 She asked how to help.
/No.02 She asked how to help.
No.03 He wondered where to go.
/No.03 He wondered where to go.
No.04 We decided what to cook for dinner.
/No.04 We decided what to cook for dinner.
No.05 Do you know when to start?
/No.05 Do you know when to start?
No.06 I don’t know who to call.
/No.06 I don’t know who to call.
No.07 She learned how to tie a tie.
/No.07 She learned how to tie a tie.
No.08 They argued about what to buy.
/No.08 They argued about what to buy.
No.09 He asked how to fix the bike.
/No.09 He asked how to fix the bike.
No.10 We need to decide where to meet.
/No.10 We need to decide where to meet.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Rewrite: Direct: “Where do we meet?” → Use to-infinitive (Write: We need to decide where to meet.)
/Q1: Rewrite: Direct: “Where do we meet?” → Use to-infinitive (Write: We need to decide where to meet.)
Q2: Choose the correct sentence: A) I don’t know what to wear. B) I don’t know what wear to.
/Q2: Choose the correct sentence: A) I don’t know what to wear. B) I don’t know what wear to.
Q3: Fill in the blank: She asked _____ to help. (use who)
/Q3: Fill in the blank: She asked _____ to help. (use who)
Q4: True or False: After “I wonder” we can say “what to do.”
/Q4: True or False: After “I wonder” we can say “what to do.”
Q5: Change to this structure: “How can I fix this?” → He asked _____ .
/Q5: Change to this structure: “How can I fix this?” → He asked _____ .
Q6: Choose the best word: I don’t know _____ to call. (who / how)
/Q6: Choose the best word: I don’t know _____ to call. (who / how)
Q7: Fill in the blank: They discussed _____ to bring to the picnic. (what)
/Q7: Fill in the blank: They discussed _____ to bring to the picnic. (what)
Q8: Identify the question word and infinitive: She learned how to swim.
/Q8: Identify the question word and infinitive: She learned how to swim.
Q9: Make a sentence using “decide” and “where to”: (Write: We decided where to go.)
/Q9: Make a sentence using “decide” and “where to”: (Write: We decided where to go.)
Q10: Fill in with correct phrase: He wants to know _____ start the game. (when to)
/Q10: Fill in with correct phrase: He wants to know _____ start the game. (when to)
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: We need to decide where to meet.
/A1: We need to decide where to meet.
A2: A is correct: I don’t know what to wear.
/A2: A is correct: I don’t know what to wear.
A3: who → She asked who to help.
/A3: who → She asked who to help.
A4: True — e.g., I wonder what to do next.
/A4: True — e.g., I wonder what to do next.
A5: He asked how to fix it.
/A5: He asked how to fix it.
A6: who → I don’t know who to call.
/A6: who → I don’t know who to call.
A7: what → They discussed what to bring to the picnic.
/A7: what → They discussed what to bring to the picnic.
A8: Question word: how; Infinitive: to swim.
/A8: Question word: how; Infinitive: to swim.
A9: We decided where to go.
/A9: We decided where to go.
A10: when to → He wants to know when to start the game.
/A10: when to → He wants to know when to start the game.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Good work. Using question-word + to-infinitive helps you talk about choices, methods, and doubts without asking direct questions.
/🦉Professor Owl: Good work. Using question-word + to-infinitive helps you talk about choices, methods, and doubts without asking direct questions.
🐧Igupen: I’ll practice phrases like “what to do” and “how to do it” when I need help or must decide.
/🐧Igupen: I’ll practice phrases like “what to do” and “how to do it” when I need help or must decide.
🦉Professor Owl: Keep practicing with real situations — choosing, asking, and learning — and this structure will become natural.
/🦉Professor Owl: Keep practicing with real situations — choosing, asking, and learning — and this structure will become natural.
