Interrogative Pronouns

 INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS

 The Interrogative Pronouns introduce questions. It helps to ask about something. Often it has no antecedent because the antecedent is unknown. That is why the question is being asked. The interrogative pronouns are who, whom, which, what and the compounds formed with the suffix ever whoever, whomever, whichever, and whatever.

 The Interrogative Pronouns also act as determiners:

Example

• It doesn't matter which book you read.

• He doesn't know whose child he hurt.

  In this determiner role, they are sometimes called interrogative adjectives. Moreover which or what can also be used as interrogative adjectives

 Like the relative pronouns, the Interrogative Pronouns introduce noun clauses, and like the relative pronouns, the Interrogative Pronouns play a subject role in the clauses the introduce:

• We know who is guilty of this theft.

• I already told the lady what consequences she has to face.

 The underlined word in each of the following sentences is an interrogative pronoun:

• Which wants to go for a ride first? Which is the subject of the sentence.

• Who wrote the poem 'Prospice'? In the same way, who is the subject of the sentence.

• Whom do you think we should call?

 Here, whom is the object of the verb call.

• To whom do you want to invite? Here the interrogative pronoun whom is the object of the preposition to.

• What did she say?

Here the Interrogative Pronoun, what is the direct object of the verb say.

Use of 'what' as subject:

• What happened at the meeting? What is floating in the river?

Here, what can be replaced by a subject.

• Nothing happened at the meeting.

• A bright object is floating in the river.

'what' as object:

• What did she say?

• What do you want?

Here, what can be replaced by an object.

• She said a few words.

• I want my money.

Use of 'who' as subject:

• Who told you that?

• Who can be replaced by a subject.

• Asad told me that.