Interrogative Pronoun

What is an Interrogative Pronoun?

Pronouns that are used to inquire about something or someone are called interrogative pronouns. For example, Who is your manager?

Examples of Interrogative Pronouns

→ who
→ whom
→ what
→ which
→ whose

How are Interrogative Pronouns Used?

Compound Interrogative Pronouns

1. To create a compound interrogative pronoun, we add the suffix ‘-ever’. Examples of compound interrogative pronouns are whatever, whichever, whomever and whoever.
2. They are used to emphasise interrogative pronouns.
3. For example, Whoever painted this mural is incredibly talented.

Rules to Use Interrogative Pronouns

1. Interrogative pronouns like whose, whom and who are always used to inquire about a person. For example, Who is your project partner?
2. Interrogative pronouns like what and which are only used to inquire about a thing. For example, What are your plans for the weekend?
3. Although an interrogative pronoun may be used in either the singular or the plural, its form will not change. However, it is very important to follow the rule of subject-verb agreement. For example, What is your house address? (singular interrogative pronoun), What are your interests? (plural interrogative pronoun)

Difference Between Interrogative Pronouns and Interrogative Adjectives

Click Here to Read About: Reciprocal Pronoun

Common Mistakes with Interrogative Adjectives

1. Some students often get confused with who and whom. They may write ‘Whom is going to the store?’ instead of ‘Who is going to the store?’. ‘Who’ is the subject of the sentence and ‘whom’ is the object of the sentence.
2. Students often use ‘what’ interrogative pronouns for people which is incorrect. For example, ‘What is that girl?’ is wrong as ‘what’ is used with ‘girl’. The correct sentence will be ‘Who is that girl?’
3. Some students may not follow the rule of subject-verb agreement with interrogative pronouns. For example, ‘What is the key features of the new car model?’ is an incorrect sentence. Whereas, ‘What are the key features of the new car model?’

Usage of Interrogative Pronouns in Sentences

→ What is your favourite colour?
→ Whose idea was this?
→ Who is your representative?
→ What are the rules for this game?
→ Who is the author of this book?
→ Whose signature is on this document?

FAQ's

1. What is an interrogative pronoun?

Answer: Pronouns that are used to inquire about something or someone are known as interrogative pronouns. Examples are what, who, whose, whom and which.

2. Is the interrogative pronoun singular or plural?

Answer: Interrogative pronouns can be singular or plural pronouns. Whether it is singular or plural, its form will not change. For example, ‘What is your name?’ (singular interrogative pronoun), ‘What are they doing?’ (plural interrogative pronoun).

3. How are interrogative pronouns used in sentences?

Answer: Example of an interrogative pronouns used in a sentence: Who is responsible for the mess?