What are Interrogative Adjectives? Definition; Examples

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Interrogative Adjectives

You may have come across the word ‘Interrogatives’ quite a number of times. It is not only an integral part of adjectives, pronouns, and tenses alike; but a crucial tool for interrogating someone or any questionable action. However, to find out its impact on the world of Adjectives, first, let’s learn what interrogative adjectives are and how they differ from pronouns through the lens of definition and examples of this blog article. 

Check Out the Complete List of Adjectives from A to Z
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What is an Interrogative Adjective? – Definition

While Adjectives are infamous for pointing out qualities and other specifications of a subject, interrogative adjectives play up front to ask a question about that subject. Whereas, its accomplices in the interrogation are words like “what, which, and whose”

Let’s take a look at the implementation of this definition in the examples below:

What book are you reading?

Which dress do you like better?

Whose dog is barking?

Learn More About Adjective: Definition, Usage, Example, Forms, and Types here!

List of Interrogative Adjectives with Usage

As you are already aware, there are three important representatives of interrogative adjectives, ‘what, which, and whose’. You should also learn how and where to use them through the examples tabulated below:

Interrogative AdjectivesUsage and Example
WhatTo ask about the identity of something (noun/pronoun/subject)
ExampleWhat is your favourite colour?
WhichTo ask about a specific choice out of a group of options
ExampleWhich restaurant do you want to go to?
WhoseTo ask about ownership of something
ExampleWhose car is parked in front of the house?

Quick Read: What are Comparative and Superlative Adjectives? Everything You Need to Know

Interrogative Adjectives Examples

As long as you still have any doubt regarding the interrogative adjectives, continue your reading  with the examples of interrogatives from hereon for a further understanding:

Examples of ‘What’Examples of ‘Which’Examples of ‘Whose’
What is your favourite colour?Which book should I read next?Whose book is this?
What time is it?Which dress looks better on me?Whose car is parked in front of the house?
What is the meaning of life?Which car should we buy?Whose dog is barking?
What are you doing this weekend?Which country do you want to visit?Whose birthday is it today?
What do you think about the new movie?Which class are you taking this semester?Whose idea was this?

Difference Between Interrogative Adjectives and Interrogative Pronouns

We have been coming across interrogative pronouns very often in this article, which means there might be a slight difference or similarity between the two. So, let’s check and clarify if they really differ from interrogative adjectives in some manner or not.

ParticularsInterrogative AdjectivesInterrogative Pronouns
DefinitionModifies or describes a nounReplaces or stands in for a noun
ExampleWhat kind of car do you drive?What did you eat for breakfast?
ExplanationIn the above example, the adjective ‘what’ is followed by the noun ‘car’. On the other hand, here, the pronoun ‘what’ stands alone

Also Read: Deciphering the Difference: Adjective vs. Adverb in English

Types of Adjectives
Descriptive AdjectivesDemonstrative Adjectives
Interrogative AdjectivesNumerical Adjectives
Possessive AdjectivesProper Adjectives
Article AdjectivesQuantifier Adjectives
Compound AdjectivesPredicative Adjectives
Attributive AdjectivesComparative Adjectives
Superlative AdjectivesDegree of Comparision

FAQs

1. What are interrogative adjectives?

Interrogative adjectives are adjectives that modify a noun and are used to ask questions. They include words like what, which, and whose, and they help in asking questions about identity, selection, or ownership related to the noun they describe.

2. How do interrogative adjectives differ from interrogative pronouns?

Interrogative adjectives modify or describe a noun and are directly followed by the noun they refer to, such as in “Which dress do you like?”. Interrogative pronouns, on the other hand, stand alone without a noun immediately following them, like in “What do you want?”.

3. Can you give examples of sentences using interrogative adjectives?

Here are a few examples:
What book are you reading?
Which restaurant do you want to go to?
Whose car is parked in front of the house?

4. Why are interrogative adjectives important?

Interrogative adjectives are important as they allow us to form questions that help clarify specific information about a subject. They are essential for effective communication, especially when gathering details about identity, choice, or ownership.

5. What are some common interrogative adjectives, and how are they used?

The three main interrogative adjectives are what, which, and whose. Each has a unique usage:
What is used to ask about identity (e.g., What is your favorite color?).
Which is used for choosing among options (e.g., Which movie would you like to watch?).
Whose asks about ownership (e.g., Whose phone is this?).

This was all about the Interrogative Adjectives and how to use them. Hope you understand the concept and where it’s used. You can also follow Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs.

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