Interrogative Pronouns in English! An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun used to ask questions. In this lesson, you will learn the definition, a complete list of interrogative pronouns (including whose), clear grammar rules, and practical examples with an ESL infographic.
Interrogative Pronoun Definition
Who, Whom, Whose, Which, and What are interrogative pronouns. They are used to ask questions about a person, thing, or information that we do not know.
Compound forms are created by adding -ever (e.g., whoever, whichever, whatever) to add emphasis, surprise, or a sense of “it doesn’t matter which/who.”
Important: These words can function as either:
- Interrogative pronouns (standing alone)
- Interrogative determiners (adjectives) (modifying a noun)
Pronoun: Which is yours?
Determiner: Which car is yours?
Interrogative Pronouns List
- Who: Used to ask about the subject (the person doing the action).
- Whom: Used to ask about the object (the person receiving the action).
- Whose: Used to ask about possession.
- Which: Used when choosing from a limited set.
- What: Used to ask for general information or identification.
- Whoever: Emphatic form of “who,” often expressing surprise or uncertainty.
- Whichever: Emphasizes “no restriction” in choosing from known options.
- Whatever: Used for emphasis when asking about things.
Interrogative Pronouns Examples & Explanation
Which
“Which is yours?”
- Here, which stands alone as a pronoun. It asks someone to choose from a limited number of options.
“Which one would you like?”
- In this sentence, which modifies one, so it functions as a determiner, not a pronoun.
What
“What is your name?”
- What is used to ask for identifying information. It does not refer to a “personal noun,” but rather asks for unknown information.
“What happened?”
- Here, what acts as the subject of the sentence.
Who (Subject)
“Who will be managing the buffet?”
- Who is the subject of the verb will be managing. It asks about the person performing the action.
“Who rang the bell?”
- Who is the subject that performs the action rang. It is not secondary; it is the core subject of the sentence.
Whom (Object)
“Whom did you tell about this?”
- Whom is the object of the verb tell. The subject is you.
“Whom were you meeting with?”
- Whom is the object of the preposition with.
- In modern informal English, many speakers use who instead of whom at the beginning of a sentence. However, whom is still preferred in formal writing.
Whose (Possession)
“Whose book is this?”
- Whose asks about ownership.
“Whose is this?”
- Here, whose stands alone as a pronoun.
“Whose car is parked outside?”
- In this sentence, whose functions as a determiner because it modifies car.
Compound Forms with -ever
“Whoever could have done this?”
- Whoever adds emphasis and expresses surprise or confusion.
“Whichever you choose is fine.”
- Whichever emphasizes that any option from a known set is acceptable.
“Whatever is causing the problem must be fixed.”
- Whatever emphasizes uncertainty about the thing involved.
Who vs. Whom: Clear Comparison
- Who = Subject (does the action)
- Whom = Object (receives the action)
Test Tip: Replace the word with he/she or him/her.
- If he/she fits → use who.
- If him/her fits → use whom.
Example:
_____ did you invite?
You invited him → Therefore: Whom did you invite?
Summary
Interrogative pronouns help us ask clear and specific questions.
- Use who for subjects.
- Use whom for objects (especially in formal English).
- Use whose for possession.
- Use which for limited choices.
- Use what for general information.
- Remember that these words can function as either pronouns or determiners depending on structure.
Understanding these distinctions will make your English more accurate, natural, and grammatically precise.
Interrogative Pronouns Exercises
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Interrogative Pronoun
Instructions: Choose the correct interrogative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, what) to complete each sentence.
- ________ is calling me at this hour?
- To ________ did you send the email?
- ________ car is parked in front of the house?
- ________ would you prefer: tea or coffee?
- ________ did you say happened last night?
- ________ invited you to the party?
- With ________ were you speaking?
- ________ book is this?
- ________ is your favorite subject?
- ________ of these dresses fits you best?
Answers – Exercise 1
- Who
- whom
- Whose
- Which
- What
- Who
- whom
- Whose
- What
- Which
Exercise 2: Identify Subject or Object (Who vs. Whom)
Instructions: Rewrite each sentence using who or whom correctly.
- _____ did you meet at the conference?
- _____ is responsible for this mistake?
- _____ are they hiring for the position?
- _____ broke the window?
- _____ were you talking about?
- _____ wants to volunteer?
- _____ did she invite to dinner?
- _____ called you yesterday?
- _____ should we contact for more information?
- _____ made this decision?
Answers – Exercise 2
- Whom did you meet at the conference?
- Who is responsible for this mistake?
- Whom are they hiring for the position?
- Who broke the window?
- Whom were you talking about?
- Who wants to volunteer?
- Whom did she invite to dinner?
- Who called you yesterday?
- Whom should we contact for more information?
- Who made this decision?