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English includes several different types of pronouns, such as personal, demonstrative, relative, indefinite, reflexive, and possessive pronouns. In this review, we'll examine what interrogative pronouns are.
An interrogative pronoun introduces a question that seeks information. If the pronoun is not part of a question, it is not an interrogative pronoun.
There are five interrogative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, and what.
Examples
Who is the new park commissioner?
Of whom are we speaking?
Whose are the shoes by the door?
Which is the right way to go?
What is the radio station we're listening to? |
Each of the interrogative pronouns can also function as a relative pronoun, which in turn can be a subject pronoun, an object pronoun, or a possessive pronoun.
The following sentences compare each of the five interrogative pronouns with their relative or possessive form.
Who
Interrogative: Who gave you the apple pie?
Relative: The apple pie was baked by Sally, who lives next door. (subject)
Whom
Interrogative: To whom shall we give the message?
Relative: Robert is the one to whom we'll give the message. (object)
Whose
Interrogative: Whose is that?
Relative: If we ask around, we'll find out whose that is. (possessive)
Which
Interrogative: Of the kitchen tables, which do you like best?
Relative: I would like that kitchen table, which is more my style. (subject)
What
Interrogative: What is the theory of relativity?
Relative: The theory of relativity is what we will study. (subject meaning “the thing that”) |
Although less common and considered by some to be archaic, words such as whatever, whichever, whoever, and whomever can serve as interrogative pronouns:
It's pouring outside. Whatever shall we do now?
Whoever would bring snakes in a can to an insurance seminar? |
Interrogative Pronouns vs. Determiners
An interrogative pronoun replaces a noun, as shown in the previous examples:
Who gave the apple pie? Sally gave the apple pie. (Sally replaces Who.)
To whom shall we give the message? We shall give the message to Robert. (Robert replaces whom.) |
An interrogative determiner, also known as an interrogative adjective, looks the same as an interrogative pronoun, but it modifies rather than replaces a noun. It does not stand alone; it depends on the noun it describes to complete its function.
Which brand is your favorite?
Whose hockey gloves can I use? |
If the interrogative words are pronouns and not determiners, they will not modify a noun:
Which is your favorite?
Whose can I use? |
Interrogative Pronouns vs. Adverbs
In understanding interrogative pronouns, we will also want to recognize how they differ from interrogative adverbs such as where, when, why, and how.
The answer to a question with an interrogative pronoun will be a noun:
Who gave the apple pie?
Sally (noun) gave the apple pie. |
The answer to a question with an interrogative adverb will be an adverbial that addresses an action:
When are you leaving for Michigan?
We are leaving for Michigan tomorrow morning. (The answer is an adverb phrase that addresses the action of leaving.) |
Related Topics
Object Pronouns
Subject Pronouns
Which vs. That
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