What is Interrogative Pronoun?
Interrogative pronouns are a type of pronouns that are incorporated in English grammar in order to make asking questions easy. The grammar consists of only five interrogative pronouns. Each one of the interrogative pronouns is used to ask a very particular question or indirect question. Some, like “who” and “whom,” make mention only to people. Others can be used in reference to objects or people. Once you are acquainted with the types and application of specific interrogative pronouns, you’ll find that it’s very simple to use them in a variety of situations and have real-life applications too.
Why we Use Interrogative Pronouns?
We make use of interrogative pronouns in order to ask questions. The interrogative pronoun displays the thing that we don't know (in other words, what we are asking the question about).
Types of Interrogative Pronouns
There are 5 key interrogative pronouns. Following is an interrogative pronouns list:-
Which
What
Who
Whom
whose
Interrogative Pronouns Examples Sentences
What
Interrogative pronouns examples using ‘What’. It is used to ask questions about people or things. Following are the example:-
ü What will you have in breakfast?
ü I wonder if we’re throwing a party
ü What is your sister’s name?
ü What time are we supposed to reach there?
Which
‘Which’ as an interrogative pronoun is used to ask questions about people or objects. Following are the example:-
ü Which fabric do you prefer?
ü Which of these men is your brother?
ü She asked which route to follow.
ü Which chocolate would you take?
Who
‘Who’ is incorporated for asking questions about people. For e.g.:-
ü Who is standing there?
ü Who was creating the portrait?
ü I’m wondering who shows up at the ballroom.
ü Who is going to take the responsibility?
Whom
‘Whom’ is rarely observed in sentences these days, but when it appears, it is used to ask questions with respect to people. For eg:
ü Whom did you speak with?
ü Whom do you prefer your partner?
ü You must ask whom to ring.
ü Whom do you stay with?
Whose
‘Whose’ is an interrogative pronoun is used for asking questions about people or objects, always with reference to possession. For eg:-
ü Whose footwear is this?
ü Whose pen is that?
ü Whose relatives are those?
ü I wonder whose cat licked the milk.
Now you must have understood the interrogative pronoun definition and examples. Now let’s take a quick quiz to test your understanding.
Interrogative Pronouns Quiz
Fill up the blank using an interrogative pronoun.
__________ threw the can?
What
Which
Whose
Who
Answer: D - Who
____________ would you prefer, juice or shake?
What
Who
Whose
whom
Answer: A- What
______________ time do we need to reach at the ceremony?
What
Which
Whose
Who
Answer: A – What
_____________ bicycle is that?
Which
Whom
Whose
Who
Answer: C- Whose
____________ is your mother’s name?
Whom
Who
What
Whose
Answer: C – What
Use of Ever with Interrogative Pronouns
In some situations, interrogative pronouns are used with the suffix –ever. A few can also take on the traditional suffix–soever, which is however barely seen in writing these days. To take an example:
Whatever
Whatsoever
Whoever
Whosoever
Whomsoever
Whichever
Whosever
Examples of Ever – Suffix in Interrogative Pronouns
Who would want to do such an unpleasant thing?
What did she say to make him stressed like that?
They're all amazing! Whichever will you select?
Whatever I do will be my consequences
Key Facts about Interrogative Pronouns
See that ‘whom’ is an appropriate form if the pronoun is the object of the verb, as in "Who did you meet?" ("I met Samantha")
In general, in spoken English, we seldom use ‘whom’. Most native English speakers would write or say: "Who did you meet?"
FAQs on Pronouns Interrogative
1. Are Interrogative Pronouns with Interrogative Determiners the same?
Do not confuse the Interrogative Pronouns with the Interrogative Determiners (also known as "interrogative adjectives"), as the two are not similar. Interrogative determiners are used to modify nouns or pronouns. Take a look at these three questions below:
Which investment option is the best?
What clothes are they purchasing?
Whose relatives are they?
(In these aforementioned examples, the bold texts are NOT the interrogative pronouns. They are actually the interrogative determiners. They are stand-alone. They all alter nouns or pronouns.)
Now, let’s make a comparison with the examples above using these similar examples:
Which is the best?
What are they purchasing?
Whose are they?
(These all pronouns are stand-alone and therefore are interrogative pronouns.)
2. Why should we care about Interrogative Pronouns?
Errors involving interrogative pronouns are quite seldom, but there are two fair reasons to understand and use interrogative pronouns.
(Reason 1) Avoid mistakes with "who" and "whom."
So far the major problem with interrogative pronouns is with using "who" when "whom" must be used. Note that you can only incorporate "who" in speech and writing when it is the subject of a verb. This is an easier concept than you might think. "I," "she," "he," "we," and "they" are only like "who" since they are also executed as the subjects of verbs (they're also known as subjective pronouns). "Me," "her," "him," "us," and "them" are only like "whom" since they are not incorporated as the subjects of verbs (they're referred to as objective pronouns).
Who knows him?
(The subject of "knows" is "who." "Who" is appropriate)
Who do you know?
(The subject of "know" is you, not "who." "Who" is incorrect)
Whom do you see?
(Reason 2) Develop rhetorical questions.
An interrogative pronoun can be incorporated in speech and writing in order to ask a rhetorical question (a question for which NO answer is anticipated.) Displaying a rhetorical question is an engaging and optimal way of making a point or launching a new idea.
