Interrogative Pronouns: Meaning, Usage, Types, and Examples
Chandni 23 Apr, 2025
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Interrogative Pronoun : The pronoun is a word that replaces a noun. In English, pronouns are used in questions too. An interrogative pronoun is a type of pronoun used to ask questions and find out information about people, things, or ownership.
The main interrogative pronouns are who, whom, whose, what, and which. Knowing how to use these pronouns can make your questions clearer and easier to understand.
What are Interrogative Pronouns?
Interrogative pronouns are words used to ask questions. They help us inquire about a person, thing, place, or concept. These pronouns are essential in everyday communication and formal contexts, providing clarity and structure to the questions we ask. The main interrogative pronouns in English are:
- What
- Which
- Who
- Whom
- Whose
These pronouns often appear at the beginning of a question, but depending on the structure of the sentence, they can also appear in the middle or at the end.
How to Use Interrogative Pronouns?
I nterrogative pronouns help ask questions and gather information. They can be used in different forms: nominative (subject), accusative (object), and possessive (ownership). These pronouns typically come at the beginning of a question but can also be used in the middle of a sentence. Examples:- Nominative (Subject): Who is at the door? – Who asks about the person doing the action.
- Accusative (Object): Whom did you see at the park? – Whom asks about the person receiving the action.
- Possessive (Ownership): Whose jacket is this? – Whose asks about who owns the jacket.
Use of Interrogative Pronouns in Singular and Plural Subjects
Interrogative pronouns look the same whether the answer is singular or plural. However, the verb in the question must match the number (singular or plural) of the answer.
Examples:- What is your favorite book? – Singular subject (book)
- What are your favorite books? – Plural subject (books)
- Which car is fast? → The fast car is which? – Singular verb ( is ) for a singular subject ( car ).
- Which cars are fast? → The fast cars are which? – Plural verb ( are ) for a plural subject ( cars ).
| Related Articles | |
| Pronouns | Conjunctions |
| Preposition | Adverbs |
| Adjcetives | Abstract N ouns |
Types of Interrogative Pronoun
Types of Interrogative Pronouns
1. What
The pronoun what is used to ask questions that require specific information. It is used when the answer could be any object, event, or idea. What can be used to ask about things, actions, or information.
Examples:
- What are you doing?
- What is your favorite movie?
- What happened at the meeting?
Usage:
- What is generally used when the range of possible answers is wide or unspecified. It does not assume any prior information about the options available.
2. Which
The pronoun which is used when there is a limited range of options or possibilities. The question often suggests that there are specific choices from which the person being asked must select.
Examples:
- Which color do you prefer, red or blue?
- Which book do you want to borrow?
- Which of the following statements is true?
Usage:
- Which is used to narrow down the options, and it assumes that the questioner knows the possible answers or that the choices are clearly defined.
3. Who
The pronoun who is used to ask about people, specifically to identify the person performing an action. Who functions as a subject pronoun, meaning it refers to the subject of the sentence—the one performing the action.
Examples:
- Who is coming to the party?
- Who called you yesterday?
- Who made this beautiful painting?
Usage:
- Who is used when asking for the identity of a person or people in a question. It is the most common interrogative pronoun used to inquire about subjects.
4. Whom
The pronoun whom is used to ask about people in situations where the pronoun is the object of the verb or preposition in the sentence. Whom is less common in informal English, and in many cases, it is replaced by who, but it remains important in formal writing and speech.
Examples:
- Whom did you invite to the party?
- To whom are you speaking?
- Whom did you tell about the news?
Usage:
- Whom is used in more formal contexts, especially in academic or professional settings. It’s often used when the question focuses on the object of the sentence (the receiver of an action).
5. Whose
The pronoun whose is used to ask about possession or ownership. It is a possessive interrogative pronoun and is used when the answer to the question involves ownership or belonging.
Examples:
- Whose book is this?
- Whose car is parked outside?
- Whose idea was it to go on the trip?
Usage:
- Whose helps determine to whom something belongs, or who has ownership over something. It’s used to inquire about possession in various contexts.
Interrogative Pronouns in Indirect a nd Direct Questions
Interrogative pronouns are used not only in direct questions but also in indirect questions. Understanding the difference between these types of questions helps in both writing and comprehension. Here, we will lern the use interrogtove pronoun in direct nd indirect questions. Direct Questions : These are straightforward questions that end with a question mark. For example:- Who is your favorite singer?
- What did you do today?
- I wonder who left the book on the table.
- She asked what the homework assignment was.
- They do not know which team won the game.
Difference Between Interrogative Pronouns and Relative Pronouns
I nterrogative and Relative P ronouns are used differently in sentences. Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions and include who, whom, whose, what, and which . For example, “Who is at the door?” or “Whose book is this?” help seek specific information. On the other hand, relative pronouns connect clauses or phrases to nouns and add more detail. Examples include who, whom, whose, which, and that , as in “The boy who won the race is my friend” or “This is the house which has a big garden.” While interrogative pronouns ask questions, relative pronouns provide extra information about a noun.Interrogative Pronouns Practice Questions
Choose the correct interrogative pronoun to complete each question:1. _______ animal is known as the fastest animal on land?
a. Who b. What c. Which d. Whom2. _______ did you call last night to discuss the project?
a. Whom b. What c. Why d. Who3. _______ of these books is your favorite?
a. Who b. Whom c. Which d. What4. _______ took the last piece of cake from the kitchen?
a. Whom b. Why c. Who d. Whose5. _______did you lend your pen to?
a. Why b. Whom c. Who d. What6. _______ shoes are those by the door?
a. Who b. Whom c. Which d. Whose7. _______ do you want to bring on the school trip?
a. Whom b. What c. Why d. Who8. _______ is your favorite movie of all time?
a. What b. Whom c. Which d. How9. _______ are you planning to invite to your birthday party?
a. Who b. What c. Whom d. Which10. _______ idea was it to organize the school play?
a. Who b. Whom c. What d. Whose Answers:- Which
- Whom
- Which
- Who
- Whom
- Whose
- Whom
- What
- Whom
- Whose
| Related Articles | |
| Reflexive Pronouns | Possessive Pronouns |
| Subject Pronouns | Indefinite Pronouns |
| Object Pronouns | Demonstrative Pronouns |
FAQs
Can interrogative pronouns be used for both singular and plural subjects?
How do you differentiate between “what” and “which” when forming questions?
How do interrogative pronouns fit into indirect questions?
Are interrogative pronouns affected by the subject-verb agreement?
What role do interrogative pronouns play in reported speech?
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