Interrogative Pronouns: An interrogative pronoun is a Pronoun that is used to make asking questions easy. There are just five interrogative pronouns. Each one is used to ask a very specific question or indirect question. Who, Whom, Which, Whose are the examples of Interrogative Pronouns.
Types of Interrogative Pronouns | |||
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Interrogative Pronoun | Type | Common Uses | Examples |
Who | Person | Asking about a person's identity. | "Who is your favorite actor?" |
Whom | Person | Inquiring about the object of an action. | "Whom did you invite to the party?" |
What | Thing | Seeking information about something. | "What is your favorite color?" |
Which | Thing | Choosing between limited options. | "Which book should I read first?" |
Whose | Possessive | Inquiring about possession or ownership. | "Whose backpack is this?" |
Also Read: Possessive Pronouns
1. Identify the Question: Determine what specific information you need or want to ask about. This will help you choose the appropriate interrogative pronoun.
2. Select the Correct Pronoun: Choose the interrogative pronoun that matches the type of information you're seeking. Here's a quick reference:
Also Read: Reflexive Pronouns
3. Formulate Your Question: Construct your question using the interrogative pronoun at the beginning. For example:
4. Use Proper Punctuation: Ensure your question is properly punctuated with a question mark at the end.
5. Context and Tone: Consider the context and tone of the conversation. In formal settings, you might use "whom," whereas "who" is more common in informal speech. The choice of interrogative pronouns can also affect the formality and politeness of the question.
6. Listen Actively: When in a conversation, actively listen to the response to your question and be prepared to follow up with additional questions if needed to gather more information.
Difference Between Interrogative Pronouns and Interrogative Adjectives | ||
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Interrogative Pronoun / Interrogative Adjective | Used as an Interrogative Pronoun | Used as an Interrogative Adjective |
What | "What are you looking for here?" | "What color do you think I should wear?" |
Who | "Who is the man who stole your purse?" | 'Who' cannot be used as an interrogative adjective as it always refers to people who are nouns that play the role of a subject or an object. |
Whom | "Whom did you bring along with you for the wedding?" | 'Whom' cannot be used as an interrogative adjective as it always refers to people who are nouns that play the role of a subject or an object. |
Whose | "So many of them had lost their phones that night. Whose did you find?" | "Whose acting did you like the most?" |
Which | "Which is the book you read last month?" | "Which book did you decide to buy?" |
English Related Links | |
Demonstrative Pronouns | Relative Pronouns |
Parts of Speech | Nouns |
Abstract Nouns | Common Nouns |
Collective Nouns | Uncountable Nouns |
Possessive Nouns | Proper Nouns |