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Interrogative
What Is an Interrogative?
An interrogative is a word used to help form a question. The interrogative words are classified as determiners, pronouns, or adverbs. For example:- Which car do you want? ("Which" is an interrogative determiner.)
- What do you want? ("Which" is an interrogative pronoun.)
- When do you want it? ("When" is an interrogative adverb.)
Table of Contents
- The Three Types of Interrogative
- (1) Interrogative Determiners ("What," "Which," and "Whose")
- (2) Interrogative Pronouns ("What," "Which," "Who," "Whom," and "Whose")
- (3) Interrogative Adverbs ("Why," "Where," "When," and "How")
- More about the Term "Interrogative"
- Why Interrogatives Are Important
- Printable Test
The Three Types of Interrogative

(1) Interrogative Determiners ("What," "Which," and "Whose")
An interrogative determiner is a word that modifies a noun by asking a question. Interrogative determiners are called "interrogative adjectives" in traditional grammar.- What time is it?
- Which shoes shall I wear?
- Whose bag is this? (Notice that these interrogative determiners all modify nouns ("time," "shoes, and "bag").)
- Whose one is this?
(2) Interrogative Pronouns ("What," "Which," "Who," "Whom," and "Whose")
Interrogative pronouns stand alone; i.e., they do not modify nouns. This is how they differ from interrogative determiners. The answer to a question posed with an interrogative pronoun will be a noun.- What is the capital of Peru?
- Which should I use?
- Who is that boy?
- Whom are you with?
- Whose is still working? (Notice that these interrogative pronouns do not modify nouns. Also, notice that they would be answered by a noun or, more likely, a noun phrase.)
(3) Interrogative Adverbs ("Why," "Where," "When," and "How")
The answer to a question posed with an interrogative adverb will be an adverb or an adverbial phrase. In other words, it will be a reason (answering "why"), a place (answering "where"), a time (answering "when"), or a manner (answering "how").- Why should I believe you?
- When will the bus arrive? (Notice that these interrogative adverbs would all be answered by an adverb or, more likely, some words functioning as an adverb, i.e., an adverbial phrase or an adverbial clause)
More about the Term "Interrogative"
More generally, the term "interrogative" is applicable to any sentence or construction that asks a question.The following all ask question. They are all examples of interrogative sentences.
- That painting is excellent, isn't it?
- Are you sure?
- Do you want one lump or two?
- Is it true or false?
- Eh?
If you're a native English speaker, then you almost certainly use the interrogatives without giving the grammar a second thought. Nevertheless, here are three common writing issues related to the interrogatives.
(Issue 1) Do not confuse "who's" and "whose."
"Who's" is a contraction. It is short for "who is" or "who has." If you cannot expand your "who's" to "who is" or "who has," then it is wrong. "Whose," as we've covered, is either an interrogative determiner (in which case, it will modify a noun) or an interrogative pronoun (in which case, it will stand alone). For example:- Whose cake is this?
- Whose is this?
- Who's cake is this?
(Issue 2) Avoid errors with "who" and "whom."
By the far the biggest issue with interrogative pronouns is confusing "who" and "whom."You can only use "who" when it is the subject of a verb. If it's not the subject of a verb, you should be using "whom." For example:
- Who saw the play?
- Who did you sit with?
- Whom do you know?
(Issue 3) Don't use a question mark after a non-question. (Beware indirect questions!)
A common issue related to interrogatives is writers thinking a non-question is a question and using a question mark.- I want to know if it's true?
- I wonder if I'll ever see them again?
- "Who's" is short for "who is" or "who has." That's a 100% rule.
- Who's going to Italy?
- Who's taken the tickets?
- "Whom" is never the subject of a verb. "Who" is always the subject of a verb.
- Who tricked whom?
- Don't use a question mark after a statement that contains an indirect question.
- I need to know if I've been chosen?
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