How did you sleep? vs. Did you sleep well?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

We ask people “[color=red]Did you sleep well?” What about “[color=red]How did you sleep?” Does this [color=red]how mean the same as in “How did your exam go?”

Thanks

2

Hi S&S,

‘How’ is used in that question to ask whether someone slept well, badly, peacefully and so on. To answer your question: Yes.

Alan

3

Alan, how am I supposed to be sure whether “how” is about opinion or the way you do something?

4

Hi,

In a sense they are both asking for an opinion. ‘How’ suggests in what way. You know the difference by the verb that is used.

How does this machine work? is clearly asking in what way.

How did you find your visit to New York? is asking for your opinion/impressions.

Alan

5

Then how about this as a reply to the question “How did you sleep”:

I slept standing up. :stuck_out_tongue:

6

If that’s what you actually did, then it’s a reasonable answer.

Alan

7

Then if I just want to know if someone slept well, would it always be safer to ask “Did you sleep well” or normally people just don’t interprete “How did you sleep” the way I just did? :stuck_out_tongue:

8

Hi,

This is getting a bit complicated!!

I would ask: How did you sleep? in a situation where you are asking about what sort of night someone had when they were in a hotel/on a ship or whatever. In other words you are talking about somewhere other than your own house.

If you want to know how someone slept as a guest in your own house, you would usually say: Did you sleep all right?

Alan

9

Wow, that’s subtle!