INTERROGATIVE CLAUSES

TOPIC: Interrogative Clauses

Learning Outcome
By the end of the lesson, you should be able to use interrogative clauses.
Materials
You will need an exercise book, a pen, a dictionary if possible and this handout.
Introduction
Interrogative clauses are sentences which are used to ask questions or seek information.
There are five interrogative pronouns and each one is used to ask either direct or indirect
questions. These pronouns are who, whose and whom that only refer to people; then what and
which that refer to both objects and people.
What This is used to ask questions about people or objects. For example:
o What do you want to do after school?
o I wonder what we are going to do after exams tomorrow.
Which This is used to ask questions about people or objects. For example:
o Which colour shall we put on the wall?
o Which of these ladies is your mother?
o Acheng asked me which direction to take when she was going to her sister.
Who This is used to ask questions about people. For example:
o Who was driving the car that caused an accident?
o We were wondering who was coming to replace our English language teacher.
Whom This is used to ask questions about specific people. For example:
o Whom did you speak to as you went out?
o Of all those standing, whom do you prefer to vote for?

Whose This is used to ask questions about people in relation to possession. For example:

Whose children have been sent away?
o I wonder whose book will be used for reference.
Interrogative pronouns can also work as indefinite pronouns when they take on the suffix –
ever. For example:
• Whatever our head teacher says will be accepted as truth.
• Whatsoever you want to say, I will not accept.
• Whichever course one takes, the end will always be good.
• Whoever picked my money should kindly return it to me.
Activity 1: Fill in the blank spaces with appropriate interrogative pronouns.
For example: .......... beautiful wife is that? Whose beautiful wife is that?
1. ................ threw the football that hit the glass?
2. ......................... would you prefer for breakfast, coffee or tea?
3. Everyone wondered ............... was to be our Guild President.
4. .........................time are we needed for assembly?
5. ........................ car is the most expensive these days?
6. ......................... is the name of the teacher who taught us English?
7. ......................... did you tell the lady who was asking about me?
8. .........................of these books have you read?
9. I still wonder ......................... exactly saved my cat from drowning.
10. The woman will take ............ is given to her.
11. .............. actually destroyed our fence?
12. ........... did you want me to tell her?