What Are Interrogative Pronouns | And How to Use Them?

What Are Interrogative Pronouns And How to Use Them?

We often fall into situations when we know that a noun has done a certain thing, but that noun was unknown to us. We need to ask questions to know about this unknown noun.

Now, we know that in the English, to form the sentence, we need a subject. And only a noun or pronoun can be the subject of a sentence. But, in our case, the noun is unknown, so how do we form a sentence? Here, interrogative pronouns come to our rescue. We use an appropriate interrogative pronoun as the subject.

The pronoun in question is the pronoun that is used to ask a question about an unknown noun. They, in the sentence, replace that unknown noun and thus form a question.

In English, there are 5 (five) interrogative pronouns: Who, Whom, Which, What and Whose.

Examples of Interrogative Pronouns

Sentences with interrogative pronouns are always questions. However, we use interrogative pronouns to ask questions.

They are: who, which, whom, what and   whose. These are also known as wh- words. 

See the following examples, interrogative pronouns are slanted for ease of identification.

"What"

• What is it?
• What is the time now?
• What do you want now?
• What is it you have made?
• What did you create?
• What do you make it?
• What is your favorite game?
• What do you expect me to do?
• What is an interrogative pronoun?
• What do you want to do for your birthday?
• What did you do when the power failed?
• What do you expect from me?
• What did you bake for the party now?
• What do you sign up for math classes?
• What do you do when you're on vacation?
• What would you like to take as a birthday present?
• What did you expect from me that I don't know?
• What would you like to receive as a birthday present?
• What you have created that you do not understand yourself.

"Who"

• Who are you?
• Who writes poetry?
• Who did it, tell me?
• Who wrote this letter?
• Who are you talking to?
• Who called me last night?
• Who do I ask at the desk?
• Who wanted to do it?
• Who does he/ she question?
• Who did you invite to lunch?
• Who does it belong to?
• Who did you talk to then?
• Who are you looking for then?
• Who do you want to sit with?
• Who do you like to hang out with?
• Who was the first in the sixth grade?
• Who is the best footballer in the world?
• Who do you think will win the game?
• Who do you think will win the playoff match?
• Who stood first in the ninth standard?
• Who will we ask when we get there?
• Who is coming to the birthday party tonight?

"Whom"

• Whom will he question?
• Who do you agree with?
• Whom do we ask about education?
• Whom did you see at the letter? 
• Whom did you ask to meet with Smith?
• Whom could be first in sixth grade?
• Whom are you talking to?
• Whom do you want to talk to now?
• Whom do I ask at the desk?
• Whom do you like, say a little?
• Whom will we decide we will nominate?
• Whom are you talking to last night?
• Whom do you share your thoughts with?
• Whom remembers saying now?
• Whom do you want to sit next to?
• Whom does he/ she ask a question?
• Whom did you invite to the birthday party?
• Whom do you think can win the play-off match?
• Whom will he choose for our football team?
• Whom do you call the best footballer in the world?
• Whom do we want to know when we get there?
• Whom will we ask when we get there?

"Which"

• Which one is yours?
• Which key is yours?
• Which is your book and pen?
• Which pen do Smith want?
• Which can you choose?
• Which of your English books?
• Which flower do you like?
• Which actor do you like the most?
• Which of these five do you prefer?
• Which one did he choose, coffee or tea?
• Which actress don't you like the most?
• Which of these pens would you like?
• Which dress do you like best?
• Which kangaroo jumps the most?
• Which dress do you like the most?
• Which is your favourite Simpson?
• Which sister is blonde or brunette?
• Which coffee or tea did he choose?
• Which one did you want from me?
• Which cousin are you blonde or brunette?
• Which of these fruits would you like?

"Whose"

• Whose book is this?
• Whose pen was that?
• Whose pant is this?
• Whose watch is it?
• Whose can I do this for?
• Whose shoos are these?
• Whose hand am I holding?
• Whose book is in your hand?
• Whose book do I not know?
• Whose bag did you take?
• Whose pen did you want from me?
• Whose clothes are very beautiful?
• Whose company do you like?
• Whose mobile in your pocket?
• Whose work are we going to copy?
• Whose books are these on the table?
• Whose was the wicked man angry with?
• Whose books and pens are on the table?
• Whose are these, can you tell me?
• Whose do you think should play with?
• Whose handwriting is the most beautiful in class?

The suffixes "-ever" and "-soever" are used to indicate emphasis or surprise. (The suffix "-soever" is less common because it is considered old-fashioned.)

How to Use of Interrogative Pronouns

How to use of interrogative pronouns? The interrogative pronoun asked in the sentence is used to ask the question. These can be used as the object or subject of the sentence. They usually stand for what is unknown in the sentence. The interrogative pronoun asked never becomes plural and is used to ask questions that require more answers than ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

'Who' is usually used as a subjective or proprietary pronoun where 'Whom' as an objective pronoun. The pronoun in question is used to ask both direct and indirect questions.

Examples
The sentences containing various interrogative pronouns are as follows. All sentences end with a question mark due to the use of interrogative pronouns.

• What do you want as a birthday present?
• Whose factory does he work in?
• Tell me which is your shirt?
• What do you like to eat?
• Who do you believe in winning?
• To whom do you give credit for this work?
• Whose socks don't stink too much?
• Whose socks are stinking?
• You know what, I don't know?
• Who among you won the race yesterday?
• Whom will give the opportunity?
• Whose clothes do you wear?
• Which is usually the smallest bat?
• Whom do you know and know here?
• What's in there?
• Who are the best writers of the world?
• Which story book do you like to read?
• To whom is he asking it to?
• Whose story book do you like to write?
• Whom do you advising to nominate in the election?
• Who has designed this website?

Interrogative Pronouns Exercises

See these example questions of the pronoun exercise asked. Fill in the blanks with an interrogative pronoun. In the sample answer, the noun sentence that represents the interrogative pronoun is shown in bold.

Choose the best answer to complete each sentence below.

1. __________ threw the football?

A. who
B. what
C. which
D. whose

2. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­____________ would he like, coffee or tea?

A. who
B. whom
C. which
D. whose

3. ______________ time do we have to stay at the airport?

A. which
B. what
C. whose
D. whom

4. _____________ bike is that?

A. whom
B. whose
C. what
D. who

5. ____________ is your mother’s name?

A. who
B. whom
C. what
D. whose

6. _____________ did you tell me now?

A. whom
B. what
C. whose
D. which

7. ___________ of these pens have you write?

A. what
B. whom
C. whose
D. which

8. ______________ wants chocolate now?

A. what
B. whom
C. who
D. whose

9. ___________ is the president of Canada?

A. what
B. whom
C. who
D. whose

10 . ___________ are these books?

A. whom
B. what
C. whose
D. who

11. _______ shall we have for birthday party?

A. what
B. whom
C. who
D. whose

12. To ________  Alwx is asking for?

A. whom
B. what
C. whose
D. which

13. ___________ movie should we watch TV?

A. which
B. what
C. whose
D. whom

14. ___________ did you invite dinner?

A. which
B. what
C. whose
D. whom

15. ___________ bike should we take?

A. whom
B. what
C. whose
D. which

16. _________  is dancing with him?

A. who
B. what
C. whose
D. whom

17. ___________ did you have for breakfast?

A. whom
B. what
C. whose
D. which

18. __________ sport has started inside now?

A. what
B. whom
C. who
D. whose

19. To __________ were you talking to?

A. which
B. what
C. whose
D. whom

20. __________ does it belong to now?

A. who
B. what
C. whose
D. which

Interrogative Pronoun Exercise Answers:

1. A – Who threw the football?
2. C – Which would he like, coffee or tea?
3. B – What time do we have to stay at the airport?
4. B – Whose bike is that?
5. C – What is your mother’s name?
6. A – Whom did you tell me now?
7. D – Which of these pens have you write?
8. C – Who wants chocolate now?
9. C – Who is the president of Canada?
10. D – Who are these books?
11. C – Who shall we have for birthday party?
12. C – To whom Alex is asking for?
13. B – What movie should we watch TV?
14. D – Whom did you invite dinner?
15. C – Whose bike should we take?
16. A – Who is dancing with him?
17. B – What did you have for breakfast?
18. D – Whose sport has started inside now?
19. D – To whom were you talking to?
20. A – Who does it belong to now?

Conclusion

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