The Role of Classroom Instructions in Developing English Wh-Question Formation among Urdu-Speaking ESL Learners in Pakistan

Abstract

This study focuses at how English Wh-question formation develops among Urdu-speaking ESL students in Pakistan, with a focus on the impact of classroom instruction. The study examines how educational strategies help students learn Wh-question structures, pinpoints the causes of learning difficulty, and looks into the typical obstacles encountered along the way. Data were gathered from matric-level female students (40) enrolled in Government Girls High School Sadhoki, Lahore, using a pre- and post-elicitation task consisting of 10 statements as the methodological instrument to evaluate their capacity to generate accurate Wh-question forms. The findings show that learners' comprehension of English interrogative structures is positively shaped by classroom instruction, but there are still major obstacles. These include difficulty internalizing auxiliary inversion and Wh-movement rules, restricted exposure to structurally diverse input, and negative syntactic transfer from Urdu. The findings underscore the need for clearer, form-focused training and improved opportunity for meaningful practice. This study gives useful information for ESL teachers and curriculum designers trying to increase learners’ command of Wh-question formation in Pakistani educational contexts.