how words
How-words
We often ask people about how things are done. The most common sentence that we ask people and use in our lives is “how are you?” that means “how” is used to ask people about their physical or emotional state. Likewise, how can be used in many contexts to ask people about different things, situations, or manner?
In this lesson, we will learn a few words which are used with how. That changes the meaning of how. ‘How words’ are used in question statements and for emphasis or to show astonishment about something.
How much?
Our first word along how is ‘how much.’ How much is used to ask about the amount or quantity of somethings or price of something? We use much to ask about uncountable things.
Likewise, we use how much to ask about uncountable nouns ( nouns that are impossible to count. Example: sugar, flour, water, etc.)
Example:
- How much is this jug? (cost)
- How much do you eat in a day? (quantity)
- How much sauce do you need in a sandwich?
- This dress is beautiful- how much did it cost?
- Do you know how much a parachute weights?
How many?
After how much comes our second word, how many? Likewise, how much we use ‘how many’ to ask about the number of things or people. But the only difference is how many is used for countable nouns.
Example:
- How many books do you have?
- How many people are invited to your birthday party?
- How many rugs did you sell?
- How many students are enrolled in English language course?
- This shoe is comfortable. How many shoes do you have like this?
- How many times do I tell you not to call me when I am at the office?
How long?
‘How long’ is an adjective and adverb as well. When we use it as an adjective, it means for what duration or what length. As an adverb, ‘how long’ means for what period. How long can be used for time and distance both, it depends on you how you use it, as an adverb or as an adjective.
Example:
- how long will it take?
- How long do you stay here?
- How long do you think this relationship will last?
- How long is that stick?
- How long have you lived in Dubai?
- How long is the flight?
- How long is this road?
How far?
Now our next how word is how far. How far means to what extent or to what distance. “How far’ is only used to ask about length.
Example:
- How far is your academy?
- How far is your home?
- How far is Istanbul from Ankara?
- How far will you go?
- How far is that mosque which you were talking about yesterday?
- How far is your friend’s home?-we are already getting late.
- No matter how far you will go, you will always be close to my heart.
How about?
‘How about’ is a phrase used to ask about opinion, suggestion, or information. People often use it when they want a listener’s feedback. You can also use how about to offer something. One can use it to introduce something you think is relatable to the things you are talking about.
Example:
- How about a cup of tea? (offer)
- How about your friend who met an accident last night? (information)
- How about Liza? Have you heard from her?
- The products and services you are offering are competitive. How about marketing?
- How about going for a walk now? Or are you tired?
How come?
The phrase of how come is said when we are asking a reason for something. It is also used to ask about how something happened.
Example:
- how come you didn’t attend the party?
- How come you didn’t marry Elsa?
- If he isn’t fake, how come people are pointing fingers at him?
- How come I am supposed to talk to her after all that she had done to me?
- How come have you stopped teaching in Mexico?
how dare?
You use how dare to tell someone when you are angry about something someone has done. You don’t use a question mark at the end of a sentence like other how words instead, you have to use the exclamatory sign at the end of a sentence, including a phrase how dare.
Example:
- How dare you touch my bag!
- How dare you enter my room!
- How dare you accuse me of murder!
- How dare you eavesdrop the conversation between my husband and me! These are our matters.
- How dare you remind me of my duties! Be in your limits.
- How dare you talk to my son like that!
Wrap-up
These are a few how phrases or words you may say, which we learned in this lesson. However, there are a lot of such phrases. Some of them are:
- How deep?
- How high?
- How lazy?
- How innocent!
- How stupid!
- How naive!
- How lazy!
Exercise:
Choose the correct phrase for the questions given below:
______ sugar do I add in tea?
- How many?
- How deep?
- How long?
- How much
______siblings do you have?
- How much?
- How come?
- How many?
- How about?
_______ will you stay in Chicago?
- How far?
- How long?
- How many?
- How much?
______ you didn’t come to school today?
- How came?
- How about?
- How come?
- How dare?
______ is this well?
- How long?
- How far?
- How deep!
- How deep?