why
part of speech
adverb (why — asks for a reason); conjunction (the reason why); noun (the whys — rare); interjection (Why, hello!)
meaning for a pupil
1) A question word that asks for the reason or cause of something. tree →
2) Used to join a reason to a sentence: «That is why I am late.» tree →
3) An old-fashioned word that shows surprise: «Why, it's you!» tree →
4) (casual) «Why not?» means yes, let's; «y» or «y tho» is texting for why. tree →
5) (casual) «Why me?» is a complaint about bad luck; «why oh why» shows despair. tree →
6) (rough) «Why the hell…?» or «why on earth…?» shows anger or shock: «Why the hell did you eat all 8?» tree →
7) (formal) «For what reason», «on what grounds», «account for» and «identify the principal reason for» are stiff ways to ask why: «Account for the observed change.» tree →
sense in the lessons
In science, «why» questions ask for causes and explanations: why the sky is blue, why ice floats. In maths, «Explain why» means show your reasoning, not just the answer. In stories, a «why» question often starts the mystery. In casual talk: «y tho», «why not», «why u late». In the exam voice: «Identify the principal reason for…», «Justify your answer», «Account for…». Phrases: why not, that is why, the reason why, why on earth, how and why.
examples
- Why is the sky blue? tree →
- Why did you leave the door open? tree →
- That is why we wear helmets. tree →
- Explain why your answer is correct. tree →
- I don't know why the plant died. tree →
- Why not try again tomorrow? tree →
- Why, what a lovely surprise! tree →
- Nobody knows why the dog barked. tree →
- why u late, bus was at 8:40 (casual) tree →
- «Pizza?» «Why not!» (casual) tree →
- Why the hell did you eat all 8 cookies? (rough) tree →
- Identify the principal reason for the evaporation of water from an open vessel. (formal exam) tree →
- "Why are you knocking me about?" tree →
note
«Why» questions are answered with «because». «Explain why» in a test wants a reason, not just a number. Do not confuse with «which» or «what». In a question the verb comes before the subject: «Why are you sad?» not «Why you are sad?» (but casual talk often says «why you sad?»). «Why» does not change the numbers in a maths problem; it asks you to give the reason. «Why not?» is often a yes. Formal «justify» and «account for» = say why.
In the corpora
- Knowing this helps you understand why a family's week is planned round a piece of paper on the fridge.
- «Third time this week» is nobody's count, and why he parks there is his business until somebody simply asks him.
- How much money a family has, why someone is at home on a weekday, and who visits whom are private.
- An ambulance outside a house tells you someone needed help, not who or why; offer help, not guesses.
- Drink, they'll be saying." Mum gently: "His family haven't said why, Mam.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «why» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.