Who is she talking to? What is it like?

This lesson focuses on two related question types: asking who a person is talking to (questions with prepositions) and asking for descriptions using 'What is ... like?'. You will learn natural spoken forms and more formal alternatives, plus how to answer these questions in business contexts.

• Questions about people often end with a preposition in spoken English: 'Who is she talking to?'
• 'To whom' is the more formal alternative: 'To whom is she talking?'
• 'What is ... like?' asks for a description or qualities: 'What is the new office like?'
• Remember auxiliaries (be/do/have) and correct word order when forming questions.

Key rule: you can end informal spoken questions with a preposition or use a formal fronted preposition. Use 'What is ... like?' to request description.

• Informal spoken: end with preposition — 'Who are you speaking to?'
• Formal/written: front the preposition — 'To whom are you speaking?'
• 'What is X like?' asks for characteristics, e.g. 'What is the new manager like?'
• Use the correct auxiliary (be/do/have/modal) for tense and subject.

In business emails prefer the formal structure when you want a very polite tone, but in meetings the informal ending is perfectly natural.

These errors are common across learners. Watch for word order, auxiliaries, and prepositions.

• Omitting the auxiliary in questions: Incorrect: 'Who she is talking to?' Correct: 'Who is she talking to?'
• Placing the preposition incorrectly in formal writing: avoid 'Who did you send the invoice?' when you want a very formal tone—use 'To whom did you send the invoice?'
• Confusing statement and question word order: statements use subject + verb, questions invert auxiliary and subject
• Answering 'What is X like?' with only a yes/no — give descriptive information instead

Check auxiliaries and word order before sending emails or speaking in meetings.