Jeopardy why do they say what is

In the popular TV quiz show "Jeopardy! When the key word is a person, they say "Who is…". Since I started to learn English as a little boy, I have learnt that "What is…" is a question to ask for particular information about something.

For instance, "What is that? Also, "what" can be used to make a suggestion, like "What about…? But I can't explain why those contestants use "What is…" that way. And the host, Alex, judges their "What is…" by "that's it" ,"correct","you are right" ,"yes"or "no". Why don't they say "That is…" ,"What about…,"or "Is that…", which sounds more grammatically correct to me?

Since there are all native speakers in that TV program, I believe they say "what is…" for a reason and this expression must be correct. I do want to know what is the grammar while using "what is…" that way? The rules of Jeopardy require that contestants answer the clue in the form of a question.

I tend to think of it this way Most game shows require that the host ask a question:. With Jeopardy, it's the other way around.

The host is answering the question while the contestants are asking it We've got some answers. The rules go on to explain that "all contestant responses to an answer must be phrased in the form of a question," but there aren't any grammar specificities.

Adding, " Jeopardy doesn't require that the response is grammatically correct," continues the statement. So, Matt Amodio's no-frills approach is unique but well [within] guidelines. Responding to the Jeopardy tweet, Amodio wrote: "Diehard jeopardy fans like me carry a copy of the official rules at all times, anyway. The winner previously told EW about the controversy that he didn't "necessarily want to say too much about. Sign up for the newsletter Morning Edition Start your day with the top stories you missed while you were sleeping.

Thanks for signing up! Check your inbox for a welcome email. Email address required. First Name. Last Name. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy. Loading comments The Latest. The Jeopardy! Test is an annual event, scheduled for a specific date and time. Category titles often feature puns, wordplay, or shared themes, and the host will regularly remind contestants of topics or place emphasis on category themes before the start of the round.

A standard game of Jeopardy has six categories in the first round and six in the Double Jeopardy round. You may have fewer categories if your topics are limited. Facebook Icon The letter F. Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting.