Interrogative Determiners

In English grammar, interrogative determiners are words placed before a noun to ask questions about that noun. They modify the noun by questioning its identity, quality, or ownership.

The three interrogative determiners in English are Which, What, and Whose.

The Three Interrogative Determiners

Here is the breakdown of how each interrogative determiner is used:

1. Which (Choice among options)

Used when asking for specific information about a noun where there is a limited number of choices.

  • Which bus goes to the airport? (Choosing from a few available buses).
  • Which subject do you prefer, history or math?

2. What (General identity or kind)

Used when asking for general information about a noun where there is an unlimited number of choices.

  • What kind of music do you like? (Unlimited musical choices).
  • What size do you wear?

3. Whose (Ownership/Possession)

Used to ask who owns or is associated with a noun.

  • Whose car is parked in the driveway? (To whom does the car belong?).
  • Whose idea was this?

Interrogative Determiners vs. Interrogative Pronouns

Just like demonstratives, the interrogative words (which, what, whose) can function as either determiners or pronouns:

1. Interrogative Determiner: Placed directly before a noun.

  • Which book do you want?
  • What color do you like?
  • Whose car is this?

2. Interrogative Pronoun: Stands alone, usually followed by a verb.

  • Which is your book?
  • What is your favorite color?
  • Whose is this car?

Choice: Which vs. What

Sometimes, which and what can be used interchangeably, but the key difference lies in the speaker’s mind regarding the number of options:

1. Which: Implies a selection from a known, closed set of options.

  • Which flavor of ice cream do you want? (Usually from the flavors available in the shop).
  • Which pair of shoes is yours? (Implies there are only two pairs).

2. What: Implies a completely open-ended question.

  • What job would you like to have in the future? (Out of all jobs in the world).
  • What type of movie do you enjoy? (Unlimited movie types).

Complete Sentence Examples

Here are more examples of interrogative determiners in action:

  1. Which jacket belongs to you?
  2. What color would you like to paint the living room?
  3. Whose keys are these on the counter?
  4. Which path should we take to reach the summit?
  5. What languages can you speak fluently?
  6. Whose signature is required on this document?
  7. Which restaurant did you choose for dinner?
  8. What time does the flight depart?