'What is' and 'what are'—two phrases that might seem simple but can trip up even the most seasoned English speakers. At their core, these expressions hinge on one crucial element: number. When you’re asking about a singular subject, like a single object or person, you’ll use 'what is.' For instance, if you're curious about an unfamiliar item in front of you, you'd say, "What is this?" This question implies there’s just one thing to identify.
On the flip side, when your inquiry involves multiple subjects—like a group of people or several items—you switch to 'what are.' Picture walking into a room filled with various artworks; you might ask someone nearby, "What are those?" Here, it’s clear that more than one piece has caught your attention.
The distinction doesn’t stop at present tense either. In past contexts where you're reflecting on something that was once singular or plural—think back to last week’s dinner party—you’d employ ‘was’ for singular (e.g., “What was the main dish?”) and ‘were’ for plural (e.g., “What were the appetizers?”). It creates clarity in conversation by aligning verb forms with their subjects.
Moreover, understanding how these phrases fit within broader grammatical structures enhances communication skills significantly. The verbs ‘is,’ ‘are,’ ‘was,’ and ‘were’ serve as linking verbs—they connect the subject with additional information about its identity or state. Conversely, when using auxiliary verbs like 'do,' 'does,' and 'did,' which prompt action-based inquiries regarding real actions taken by subjects (e.g., “What do they want?”), we step into another realm of questioning altogether.
In essence: remember this golden rule—the choice between ’is’ and ’are’ depends solely on whether what you're discussing is singular or plural. So next time you're faced with uncertainty over which phrase to use while conversing in English—or perhaps teaching someone else—just think about how many things are involved in your question.