LoginInterrogative Pronouns
This comprehensive lesson explains Interrogative Pronouns in English with detailed examples and a quiz to test your knowledge.
What Are Interrogative Pronouns?
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. The interrogative pronoun replaces the noun or noun phrase we are asking about.
Interrogative Pronouns as the Subject
When interrogative pronouns are used as subjects in a sentence, they do not change the sentence structure. Rather, they simply replace the subject of the sentence. There is no need to change the position of the verb or add an auxiliary verb. Take a look at some examples:
He goes to work every day. → Who goes to work every day?
You can see that all we had to do was to replace the subject 'he' with an interrogative pronoun.
This is her car. → Which is her car?
Interrogative Pronouns as the Object
When asking questions about the object of a sentence, some changes need to be made to the sentence. First, the object needs to be removed, and then the sentence should be transformed into a yes/no question by inverting the subject and the auxiliary or modal verb or adding the supporting auxiliary "do" if the sentence does not include any auxiliary or modals. Finally, the appropriate interrogative pronoun should be added to the beginning of the sentence.
I need a new coffee maker. → What do you need?
Here, a new coffee maker (object) is deleted. 'Do you need?' is the yes/no question, and 'what' is added to the beginning of the sentence as an interrogative pronoun.
'Whose' as a Possessive Pronoun
'Whose' is the only interrogative possessive pronoun in the list. It can be used to replace possessive nouns, as well as possessive pronouns or determiners in a sentence and is used to ask questions about ownership or possession.
This car is mine. → Whose is this? Or Whose is this car?
This is my pen. → Whose is this? Or Whose is this pen?
If you want to mention the noun (pen) you should place it immediately after 'whose.'
This is Hanna's cat. → Whose is this? Or Whose is this cat?
Who vs. Whom
'Who' and 'whom' are closely related pronouns since they both refer to a person, but there is an important difference between them. Generally, 'who' is used when asking about the subject of a sentence, while 'whom' is used when asking about the object. Look at these examples:
+Who told you about the company's downsizing? -Rick told me.
In this question, 'who' asks about the subject of the verb 'told'.
+Whom did they shoot? - They shot a girl in her car.
Here, the shooters (they) is the subject, and (a girl) is the object. So 'whom' is used to ask about the object.
Tip!
In modern English, 'whom' is considered formal and old-fashioned. So 'who' can be used to ask about both the subject and object of a sentence.
What vs. Which
'What' and 'which' are both used to ask about things, but there is a subtle difference between them. 'What' is used to inquire about something when there is a wide or unlimited range of possible answers.
What is the most famous painting in the world?
What is your friend's name?
On the other hand, 'which' is used to inquire about something when there is a specific or limited range of possible answers. For example:
Which do you love more? Books or movies?
In this question, you have only two choices to answer 'your mother' or 'your father.'
- 'Which is your sister?' - 'The blond girl over there.'
Interrogative Pronouns + Ever
There are five less common interrogative pronouns that can be formed by adding the suffix '-ever' or '-soever' to the original interrogative pronouns. These suffixes add emphasis or surprise to the question. However, it's important to note that '-soever' is rarely used in modern English. The rules that apply to the original interrogative pronouns also apply to these modified pronouns.
Take a look at some examples:
Whoever is at the door?! I wasn't expecting any guests!
Here '-ever' is used to show that the person is surprised.
Whatever do you want to do with your life?! You are an adult now and you need to make serious decisions.
As you can see, '-ever' is added to the interrogative pronoun to add emphasis.
Interrogative Determiners
Generally, when 'what,' 'which,' and 'whose' are used alone, they function as interrogative pronouns. However, they can also be followed by a noun, in which case they function as interrogative determiners. Here are some examples:
What color is your favorite?
Here, 'color' is a noun added to 'what,' so 'what' is an interrogative determiner here.
Whose shoes are these?
As you see, 'shoes' is a noun added to 'whose,' so 'whose' is an interrogative determiner here.
Interrogative Pronouns vs. Relative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are typically used in questions. However, these pronouns can also be used in sentences that are not questions, in which case they act as relative pronouns. In this form, 'who,' 'whom,' 'which,' and 'whose' all function as relative pronouns without any change in form. However, 'what' changes to 'that' in this context.
Relative pronouns serve as the connector of a noun and a clause that serves to modify it. Look at the following examples:
A bonus will be given to the salesman who makes the most money this month.
'Who' connects 'the salesman' to the clause 'makes the most money this month.'
Joan likes movies that have a lot of action scenes and loud noises.
Since 'what' is not a relative pronoun, it is replaced by 'that' to connect a noun (movies) to a clause (have a lot of action scenes and loud noises).
Review
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask wh-questions.
Interrogative pronouns | Asks about |
|---|---|
what | thing |
which | person/thing |
who | person |
whom | person |
whose | person/thing |
How to Make Questions?
To ask about the subject: interrogative pronouns + verb + complement + the rest of the sentence
To ask about the object: interrogative pronouns + yes/no question + the rest of the sentence
The table below sums up the differences between the interrogative pronouns:
'who' is used to refer to subjects and objects | 'whom' is used to refer to objects | |
'what' is used to ask about unlimited options | 'which' is used to ask about limited options | |
Interrogative Pronouns vs. Interrogative Determiners | interrogative pronouns are used alone | interrogative determiners are followed by a noun |
What are common errors related to this subject?
Whom are you talking to?
Whose farms are those?
Who is the girl in blue dress?
Which one is your favorite? blue or black?
Whose are these?
Quiz:
Which of the following sentences correctly uses an interrogative pronoun to ask about the object of the verb?
Who helped you with the project?
What did you have for dinner?
Which works better?
What caused the accident?
Sort the words to form a question using an interrogative pronoun.
Choose the sentence that correctly uses "which" correctly.
Which is the best movie ever made?
Which is your favorite color?
Which is your favorite season?
Which is the tallest mountain in the world?
Match each sentence to the correct function of the interrogative pronoun.
Fill the table by identifying the function of the words "who," "what," "which," and "whose."
Do you know the guy who called you? | |
What were you looking for in the store? | |
Which do you prefer? | |
Whose shoes are those? | |
Which movie do you want to watch tonight? | |
Who made this beautiful painting? |
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