Interrogative Pronoun vs Interrogative Adjective
Understanding the difference between interrogative pronouns and interrogative adjectives is essential for using them correctly in the English language. Both are used when formulating questions but have different functions. Interrogative pronouns represent the subject of the question, while interrogative adjectives modify a noun and cannot stand alone. This article will explain these two categories in more detail and highlight their differences.
What is an Interrogative Pronoun?
Interrogative pronouns are used when asking a question to represent the subject of the question. Examples of interrogative pronouns include who, whom, which, and what. The following sentences illustrate their usage:
Who – Who gave you that?
Whom – Whom did you call?
Which – Which do you like?
What – What happened to you yesterday?
In these examples, the interrogative pronoun represents the subject of the question, which is then replaced by a noun in the answer. Interrogative pronouns can function as either the subject or object of a sentence.
What is an Interrogative Adjective?
Adjectives generally describe or modify a noun, and interrogative adjectives are no exception. They modify a noun through interrogation, with “which” and “what” being the most common examples. However, unlike interrogative pronouns, interrogative adjectives require the presence of a noun and cannot stand alone. Consider the following example:
Which book is yours?
Here, the interrogative adjective “which” modifies the noun “book.” If the sentence were “which is yours?” the word “which” would be an interrogative pronoun rather than an adjective, as it would stand alone without a noun.
Key Takeaways
- Interrogative pronouns represent the subject of a question, while interrogative adjectives modify a noun.
- Examples of interrogative pronouns include who, whom, which, and what; examples of interrogative adjectives include which and what.
- The main difference between interrogative pronouns and interrogative adjectives is that the former can stand alone, while the latter requires the support of a noun.
