Interrogative Pronoun: Definitions, Lists, Examples, & Exercises

An interrogative pronoun helps to form direct questions and is essential for gathering specific information in conversations, interviews, or surveys. In this post, we will learn different types of interrogative pronouns – subjective, objective, and possessive – and provide practical examples that will sharpen your questioning abilities. So, let’s explore!

This post includes:

• What is an interrogative pronoun?
• Functions of interrogative pronouns in sentences
• Types of interrogative pronouns
• Examples of interrogative pronouns
• Commonly confused words with interrogative pronouns
• Exercises to practice interrogative pronouns
• FAQs

What is an interrogative pronoun?

An interrogative pronoun is a type of pronoun that is used to ask questions. It helps us gather information or seek clarification about a person, thing, or idea. Interrogative pronouns are particularly useful when we want to inquire about the subject, object, possession, or identity of something or someone.

To make it easier to understand, think of interrogative pronouns as the “question words” that we use to ask questions. They include words like “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “what,” “which,” and “where.” These pronouns are specifically designed to indicate that a question is being asked.

List of interrogative pronouns

Here’s a breakdown of some common interrogative pronouns and their typical usage:

• “Who”: Used to ask about a person or people.

Example: “Who is coming to the party?”

• “Whom”: Used to ask about the object of a verb or preposition.

Example: “Whom did you invite to the event?”

• “Whose”: Used to ask about possession or ownership.

Example: “Whose book is this?”

• “What”: Used to ask about things or ideas.

Example: “What is your favorite color?”

• “Which”: Used to inquire about a choice or selection among a limited set.

Example: “Which movie do you want to watch?”

• “Where”: Used to ask about a place or location.

Example: “Where is the nearest coffee shop?”

Functions of interrogative pronouns in Sentences

Interrogative pronouns serve important functions in sentences when we want to ask questions and gather information. Here are the functions:

1. Subject of a sentence: Interrogative pronouns can function as the subject of a sentence, which means they perform the action or are the focus of the sentence. For example:

“Who is going to the party?” (The pronoun “Who” acts as the subject of the sentence, asking about the person performing the action of going to the party.)

2. Object of a verb: Interrogative pronouns can function as the object of a verb, receiving the action of the verb. For example:

“Whom did you invite?” (The pronoun “Whom” acts as the object of the verb “invite,” asking about the person being invited.)

3. Object of a preposition: Interrogative pronouns can function as the object of a preposition, showing the relationship between other words in the sentence. For example:

“To whom did you give the gift?” (The pronoun “whom” acts as the object of the preposition “to,” asking about the recipient of the gift.)

4. Possessive form: Interrogative pronouns can indicate possession or ownership. For example:

“Whose book is this?” (The pronoun “Whose” indicates a question about the owner of the book.)

5. Indefinite choice: Interrogative pronouns can be used to inquire about an indefinite choice or selection. For example:

“What do you want to eat?” (The pronoun “What” asks about the specific food or choice.)

Types of interrogative pronouns

Interrogative pronouns can be classified into different types based on their function and usage:

1. Subjective Interrogative Pronouns:

Subjective interrogative pronouns are used when the pronoun itself acts as the subject of the sentence, performing the action. They are used to ask about people or things that are the subject of a question.

Examples:

• “Who is going to the party?”
• “What caused the noise?”

Usage:

Subjective interrogative pronouns are used to inquire about the identity or nature of the subject of a sentence. They are commonly used at the beginning of a question to introduce the inquiry. The choice of pronoun depends on whether the subject is a person or a thing.

Placement:

Subjective interrogative pronouns are typically placed at the beginning of a question, followed by the verb and the rest of the sentence. This structure helps to emphasize the subject being questioned.

Examples:

“Who is playing the piano?”

In this sentence, “Who” is the subjective interrogative pronoun placed at the beginning of the question. It asks about the person performing the action of playing the piano.

“What caused the fire?”

In this sentence, “What” is the subjective interrogative pronoun placed at the beginning. It asks about the thing that caused the fire.

“Which book do you recommend?”

Here, “Which” is the subjective interrogative pronoun placed at the beginning. It asks about the specific book being recommended.

2. Objective Interrogative Pronouns:

Objective interrogative pronouns are used when the pronoun functions as the object of a verb or preposition. They receive the action of the verb or show the relationship between other words in the sentence.

Examples:

• “Whom did you invite to the event?”
• “To whom did you give the gift?”

Usage:

Objective interrogative pronouns are used to inquire about the identity or nature of the object in a question. They are commonly used when seeking information about the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb or preposition.

Placement:

Objective interrogative pronouns are typically placed after the verb or preposition in a sentence. They come after the action or relationship is established to inquire specifically about the object.

Examples:

“Whom did you meet at the park?”

In this sentence, “Whom” is the objective interrogative pronoun placed after the verb “did meet.” It asks about the person you met at the park.

“To whom should I address this letter?”

Here, “whom” is the objective interrogative pronoun placed after the preposition “to.” It asks about the person to whom the letter should be addressed.

“What are you looking for?”

In this sentence, “what” is the objective interrogative pronoun placed after the verb “are looking.” It asks about the thing you are searching for.

3. Possessive Interrogative Pronouns:

Possessive interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about possession or ownership. They indicate that the answer should provide information about who owns or possesses something.

Examples:

• “Whose phone is ringing?”
• “Which book is yours?”

Usage:

Possessive interrogative pronouns are used when we want to ask about the ownership or possession of something. They help us seek information about who something belongs to or who possesses it.

Placement:

Possessive interrogative pronouns are typically placed at the beginning of a question, followed by the noun or noun phrase that is being asked about. They introduce the question of ownership or possession.

Examples:

“Whose pen is this?”

In this sentence, “Whose” is the possessive interrogative pronoun placed at the beginning. It asks about the owner of the pen.

“Which car is yours?”

Here, “Which” is the possessive interrogative pronoun placed at the beginning. It asks about the car that you own or possess.

“Whose house did you visit?”

In this sentence, “Whose” is the possessive interrogative pronoun placed at the beginning. It asks about the owner of the house you visited.

Examples of interrogative pronouns

Here are various examples of interrogative pronouns in different contexts:

Subjective Interrogative Pronouns:

• Who is going to the party?
• What caused the noise?
• Which team won the match?
• Whom did you invite to the event?
• Who wants to join the club?

Objective Interrogative Pronouns:

• Whom did you see at the park?
• To whom did you give the gift?
• Whose book did you borrow?
• Which car should I choose?
• What are you looking for?

Possessive Interrogative Pronouns:

• Whose bag is this?
• Whose phone is ringing?
• Which house is theirs?
• Whose turn is it?
• Which book is mine?

Commonly Confused Words with Interrogative Pronouns

Here are some commonly confused words with interrogative pronouns, along with explanations to help you understand the differences:

Who vs. Whom:

“Who” is used as the subject of a sentence or clause.

Example: “Who is going to the party?”

“Whom” is used as the object of a verb or preposition.

Example: “To whom did you give the gift?”

Tip: Use “who” when referring to the subject performing the action and “whom” when referring to the object receiving the action.

Which vs. What:

“Which” is used to choose or select from a limited set of options.

Example: “Which color do you prefer?”

“What” is used to inquire about something in general or to ask for a definition or description.

Example: “What is your favorite food?”

Tip: Use “which” when selecting from specific options and “what” when asking for general information or a description.

Whose vs. Who’s:

“Whose” is a possessive pronoun used to ask about ownership.

Example: “Whose book is this?”

“Who’s” is a contraction of “who is” or “who has.”

Example: “Who’s coming to the party?”

Tip: Use “whose” to ask about ownership, and “who’s” to contract “who is” or “who has.”

Exercises to practice interrogative pronouns

Here are some exercises to practice using interrogative pronouns:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blank

Complete the following sentences with the appropriate interrogative pronoun (who, whom, whose, what, which, when, where, why, how).

• ___________ is your favorite color?
• ___________ did you meet at the park?
• ___________ phone is ringing?
• ___________ should I ask for help?
• ___________ did you go on your last vacation?
• ___________ is the capital of France?
• ___________ are you feeling today?
• ___________ did you get that beautiful dress?
• ___________ is the reason for the delay?
• ___________ many people attended the event?

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentence

Rewrite the following sentences, replacing the underlined words with the appropriate interrogative pronouns.

• The book belongs to Mary. ___________ book is this?
• John will meet Susan. With ___________ will John meet?
• He ate the cake. ___________ did he eat?
• The concert starts at 7 PM. ___________ does the concert start?
• She took the train to work. ___________ did she take to work?

Answers:

Here are the answers to the exercises:

Exercise 1:

• What is your favorite color?
• Whom did you meet at the park?
• Whose phone is ringing?
• Whom should I ask for help?
• When did you go on your last vacation?
• What is the capital of France?
• How are you feeling today?
• Where did you get that beautiful dress?
• What is the reason for the delay?
• How many people attended the event?

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentence

• Whose book is this?
• Whom will John meet?
• What did he eat?
• When does the concert start?
• Which did she take to work?

FAQs on Interrogative Pronouns

Also, read:

• Demonstrative Pronoun
• Reflexive Pronoun
• Possessive Pronoun
• Personal Pronoun

Some online resources:

• Interrogative Pronouns Who | Whom | Which | Whose | What Pronouns Part-7 English by Kapil Dev Sharma
• Types of Pronouns in English Grammar | Interrogative Pronouns | Class 4th to 8th
• INTERROGATIVE PRONOUN ( प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम ) | SINGLEDIGIT
• What Is An Interrogative Pronoun? Definition And Examples – thesaurus.com
• Interrogative Pronouns | Definition, Examples & List – scribbr.com