Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are special question words that help us ask about people and things. The three main ones are who, what and which.
What You'll Learn
At this level, you will learn:
- How to use who, what and which to ask questions
- How to pick the right question word for different situations
- How to start a question with the correct interrogative pronoun
When to Use
- Asking about a person: "Who is your best friend?"
- Asking about a thing or an idea: "What is inside the box?"
- Choosing from a group: "Which bag is yours?"
- Finding out information: "What did you eat for recess?"
How to Form
Choosing the Right Question Word
| Question Word | Use It For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who | People | Who is at the door? |
| what | Things, actions or ideas | What is your favourite food? |
| which | Choosing from a few options | Which colour do you like — red or blue? |
Question Sentence Pattern
Question word + helping verb + subject + main verb + ?
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Who + is/are ...? | Who is your teacher? |
| What + is/are ...? | What is in your bag? |
| What + did ...? | What did you draw? |
| Which + is/are ...? | Which is your seat? |
| Which + do/does ...? | Which do you want? |
Key Rules
- "Who" is only for people: Use "who" when you want to know about a person. "Who made this card?" (a person made it)
- "What" is for things and actions: Use "what" when you want to know about a thing or what happened. "What did you buy at the bookshop?"
- "Which" is for choosing: Use "which" when there are a few choices to pick from. "Which seat do you want — this one or that one?"
- Always end with a question mark: Every question with who, what or which must end with ?
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| What is your mother? | Who is your mother? | Use "who" for people, not "what" |
| Who is on the table? | What is on the table? | A thing is on the table, so use "what" |
| What do you want, the cake or the pie? | Which do you want, the cake or the pie? | When there are choices, use "which" |
| Who is your favourite colour? | What is your favourite colour? | A colour is a thing, so use "what" |
Clue Words
Use "who" when the answer is a person:
teacher, friend, mother, father, brother, sister, he, she, they
Use "what" when the answer is a thing, action or idea:
something, it, a game, a food, an animal, a colour
Use "which" when you see choices or options:
or, this one, that one, the red one, the blue one, A or B
Tip: If you can answer with a person's name, use "who". If you can answer by pointing at one of a few options, use "which". For everything else, use "what".
Practice Tips
- Person or thing test: Read the question. Will the answer be a person? Use "who". Will it be a thing? Use "what".
- Choice test: Are there a few options to pick from? If yes, use "which" instead of "what".
- Answer check: Try answering your own question. If the answer fits, you picked the right question word.
Quick Reference
| Question Word | Asks About | Example Question | Example Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| who | A person | Who is your friend? | My friend is Amir. |
| what | A thing or action | What is in the basket? | There are books in the basket. |
| which | A choice from options | Which drink do you want? | I want the milo. |