An interrogative adjective is a type of word that helps us ask questions about nouns. It is used to find out more information about the noun it is describing. Interrogative Adjectives are always used before a noun in a sentence and are commonly found in questions.
For example, if you want to know which book belongs to your friend, you might ask, “Which book is yours?” In this sentence, “Which” is the interrogative adjective because it helps you ask the question about the noun “book.”
Interrogative adjectives are used to seek specific details or characteristics of a noun. They help us identify or choose from a group of things or people by asking questions.
Common interrogative adjectives include “which,” “what,” “whose,” and “whose.” They can be used before a noun to gather information or ask questions about it.
Examples:
- Which book do you want to read? – In this question, “which” is the Interrogative Adjective that helps us ask about a specific book.
- What color is your shirt? – Here, “what” is the Interrogative Adjective that asks about the color of the shirt.
- Whose pen is this? – In this question, “whose” is the Interrogative Adjective used to inquire about the owner of the pen.
In each of these examples, the Interrogative Adjective is used to get more information about the noun it is placed before (“book,” “color,” and “pen”).
The function of Interrogative Adjectives
The main function of an interrogative adjective is to ask questions about a noun or to seek specific information about it. It helps us gather details or choose from a group of things or people.
Here are a few examples to help you understand:
“Which” is used to ask for a specific choice or selection:
- Which car do you want to buy?
- Which color do you prefer?
“What” is used to ask for general information or description:
- What book are you reading?
- What time is the meeting?
“Whose” is used to ask about possession or ownership:
- Whose bag is this?
- Whose phone did you borrow?
“Whom” is used to ask about the object of a sentence (when referring to a person):
- Whom did you invite to the party?
- With whom are you going to the concert?
Placement of Interrogative Adjective in a Sentence
In English, interrogative adjectives are typically placed before the noun they modify. Here are some examples:
- Which book do you want to read?
In this sentence, “which” is the interrogative adjective that modifies the noun “book.” It is placed before the noun.
- Whose pen is this?
Here, “whose” is the interrogative adjective that modifies the noun “pen.” It comes before the noun in the sentence.
- What time is the meeting?
In this example, “what” is the interrogative adjective modifying the noun “time.” It is placed before the noun.
- With whom are you going to the concert?
“Whom” is the interrogative adjective modifying the noun “concert.” It comes before the noun in the sentence.
Difference between Interrogative Adjective and Interrogative Pronoun
Here are some differences between interrogative adjectives and interrogative pronouns:
1. Interrogative Adjective:
- Interrogative adjectives are used to ask questions about nouns and modify those nouns.
- They are placed before the noun and help gather specific information or make choices by asking questions.
- Examples of interrogative adjectives include “which,” “what,” “whose,” and “whom.”
Example:
Which book do you want to read? (Here, “which” is an interrogative adjective modifying the noun “book.”)
2. Interrogative Pronoun:
- Interrogative pronouns, on the other hand, are used to ask questions and replace nouns in the process.
- They stand alone in the sentence and do not modify nouns.
- Examples of interrogative pronouns include “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” and “what.”
Example:
Who is coming to the party? (Here, “who” is an interrogative pronoun replacing the noun that represents the person coming to the party.)
To summarize:
- Interrogative adjectives modify nouns and are placed before them, while interrogative pronouns replace nouns in questions and stand alone in the sentence.
- Interrogative adjectives gather specific information about the noun, whereas interrogative pronouns act as placeholders for the nouns being asked about.
Exercises to Practice Interrogative Adjectives
Exercise 1: Choose the correct interrogative adjective.
1. _______ book are you reading?
a) What
b) Whose
c) Which
2. _______ time does the movie start?
a) Whom
b) What
c) Which
3. _______ bag is this?
a) Whose
b) What
c) Which
4. _______ kind of music do you like?
a) Whose
b) Which
c) What
5. _______ color do you want to paint the walls?
a) Whose
b) Which
c) What
6. _______ book is on the table?
a) Whose
b) What
c) Which
7. _______ color do you like?
a) What
b) Whom
c) Which
8. _______ movie did you watch last night?
a) Whom
b) Which
c) What
9. _______ bag is this?
a) What
b) Whose
c) Which
10. _______ time is the train scheduled to arrive?
a) What
b) Whose
c) Which
Answers:
- c) Which
- b) What
- a) Whose
- c) What
- b) Which
- c) Which
- a) What
- b) Which
- b) Whose
- a) What
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