Course on Interrogative Pronouns - TOEIC® Preparation
Interrogative pronouns (question words or wh-words) are words used to ask questions. They help to specify the subject, object, reason, place, or manner of what is being discussed.
In English, interrogative pronouns are generally words that begin with "wh-" (except for How). They are used to obtain information about:
- the person (Who, Whom, Whose),
- the thing or object (What, Which),
- the reason (Why),
- the place (Where),
- the time (When),
- the manner (How).
They introduce a direct question (Who is calling?) or indirect (I wonder who is calling).
1. Who
Who is used to ask about the identity of the person performing the action (or who is the subject).
- Who is at the door?
- Who wants to join me for lunch?
- Who called you last night?
2. Whom (formal context)
Whom is the object form of Who. In modern English, it is often used in formal contexts or after a preposition (to whom, for whom, with whom). In everyday language, people tend to use Who instead of Whom.
- Whom did you see at the party?
- To whom should I address this letter?
- With whom are you going?
3. Whose
Whose is used to ask to whom something belongs. It is the word used when you want to know who owns an object, an animal, or anything else.
- Whose book is this?
- Whose keys are on the table?
- Do you know whose car is blocking the driveway?
Whom or whose?
Whom (« who ») is used in formal contexts to designate the person receiving the action or after a preposition (to whom, for whom, with whom). If you can replace it with him/her, it is probably whom.
- Whom did you see at the party?
- To whom should I speak?
Whose (« Whose ») is used to ask to whom something belongs. It expresses a relationship of possession. If you can rephrase the question with his/her/their, it is whose.
- Whose book is this?
- Do you know whose car is blocking the driveway?
4. Which
Which is used to make a choice among several known options. It is the word used when you have a limited list of possibilities in front of you.
- Which color do you prefer: red or blue?
- Which seat would you like, front or back?
- Which of these candidates is the most qualified?
5. What
What is used to ask questions when you want to know what something is or get information about something.
- What are you doing?
- What is your name?
- What kind of music do you like?
- What happened yesterday?
What can sometimes have a meaning close to which in certain questions (What movie do you want to watch? vs. Which movie do you want to watch?) but, in general, what remains more open when the exact options are not known.
6. Why
It is used to ask about the reason or cause of an action or an event.
- Why are you late?
- Why did they cancel the meeting?
- Why is the sky blue?
7. Where
To ask about the place or location.
- Where do you live?
- Where is the station?
- Where did you put my keys?
8. When
To ask about the time, date, hour, period.
- When is your birthday?
- When does the train leave?
- When are we meeting?
9. How
To question about the manner in which something is done or the way to proceed.
- How do you make this cake?
- How did you get here?
- How can I solve this problem?
How is often used with other words to ask for specifics:
- How many (for countable nouns)
- How many books do you have?
- How much (for uncountable nouns or to talk about price, time)
- How much money do you need?
- How often
- How often do you exercise?
- How long
- How long have you been studying English?
- How far
- How far is the airport from here?
Conclusion
Interrogative pronouns are essential for asking relevant questions in English. They allow you to ask who, where, what, why, when, and how about a given subject, or to express a nuance of quantity, duration, or possession.
- Who: ask for the identity of the subject.
- Whom: ask for the identity of the object (formal register).
- Whose: ask for possession (whose?).
- Which: distinguish a choice between several limited options.
- What: ask for a thing or a general idea.
- Why: ask for the reason.
- Where: ask for the place.
- When: ask for the time.
- How: ask for the manner, and its variants for quantity, frequency, duration, etc.