Cool MateWhat happened vs What was it vs What was that
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What happened
What was it
What was that
| What happened | What was it | What was that | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒt ˈhæp.ənd//🇺🇸 //wɑt ˈhæpənd// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt wəz ɪt//🇺🇸 //wɑt wəz ɪt// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt wəz ðæt//🇺🇸 //wɑt wəz ðæt// |
| Meaning | Ask someone about an event or situation. | A question asking for information about something mentioned earlier. | A question asking for clarification about something that happened. |
| Example | Can you tell me what happened during the meeting? | I heard a loud noise. What was it? | Did you hear that? What was that? |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | what happened next, what happened then, can you tell me what happened | What was it about, What was it like, What was it for | what was that noise, what was that sound, what was that about |
| Antonyms | What will happen, What is going to happen, What occurs next | - | I understand, That is clear |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'what's happening?' which refers to current events., Using it to ask about an ongoing situation instead of a past event., Inappropriately using 'happened' in place of 'has happened' in some contexts. | Omitting context can lead to confusion., Confusing with 'What is it' which asks for current information., Using it improperly in formal contexts. | Confused with 'what is that?' which asks about something present., Used in formal situations where clarity is important., Overused in conversations, when direct questions could suffice. |
| Usage notes | Use in conversations to inquire about past events. Suitable in both formal and informal settings. | Used in casual conversations to inquire about a previous topic. Can be unclear if not enough context is provided. | Use when you need to clarify something you didn't hear or understand. Avoid in formal presentations. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: What happened vs What was it vs What was that
What's the difference between What happened, What was it, and What was that?
What happened: Ask someone about an event or situation. What was it: A question asking for information about something mentioned earlier. What was that: A question asking for clarification about something that happened.
Can you show an example of each?
What happened: Can you tell me what happened during the meeting? What was it: I heard a loud noise. What was it? What was that: Did you hear that? What was that?
Can I use What happened, What was it, and What was that interchangeably?
Not always. What happened, What was it, and What was that are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.