47:
1054:
is because the vowel was formerly /aː/, and thus it did not undergo the sound change in Old
English, but in Middle English (following spelling change) the vowel changed to /uː/ and it followed the same sound change as
618:
does not pick out a specific individual in the world, but rather asks about the identity of such an individual, should they exist. In a subordinate clause, though, this may be different. For example,
383:
1351:
They are not interrogative words. They appear in exclamative phrases on their own or in exclamative clauses, and, as with interrogatives, participate in
422:
1581:
1538:
1500:
378:
249:
929:
Interrogative words typically appear initially in interrogative clauses. It is possible, however, for adjuncts to be moved in front (
327:
658:
cannot be used to ask about a person unless it is not clear that it is a person. However, it may be used for a person's role (
415:
315:
941:
When there are two or more interrogative phrases in a single clause, only one may move to the front of the clause, as in
987:
983:
179:
1352:
1241:
are mostly excluded from the relative words. Most or all of the archaic interrogative words are also relative words.
392:
140:
1605:
283:
356:
1757:
408:
56:
728:(both distinctly archaic) refer to a place (broadly conceived) with respectively a "from" and a "to" meaning.
1725:
1696:
1667:
741:
335:
267:
221:
20:
1752:
1218:
287:
1016:
530:
309:
275:
200:
154:
146:
46:
807:
764:
584:
319:
174:
123:
763:
Although the main role of interrogative words is to mark a clause as interrogative, each also has a
776:
480:
347:
271:
238:
135:
1767:
1717:
1688:
1659:
1597:
1569:
1488:
1103:
897:
755:, like other subordinators, have no semantic value, and simply mark the clause as interrogative.
737:
438:
244:
194:
170:
158:
104:
1098:"how"). In English, the gradual change of voiceless stops into voiceless fricatives (phase 1 of
964:
for example, is often used to signal that the speaker didn't hear or understand what was said.
791:(itself a noun phrase and interrogative phrase, although it lacks dependents) functions as the
1577:
1565:
1534:
1496:
1484:
792:
575:
Along with the words listed above, the members include some older or archaic words, including
257:
1639:
1230:
1111:
1107:
861:
561:
461:
230:
225:
190:
185:
127:
119:
767:
when used in a phrase with one or more dependents, just as any word would. For example, in
1762:
889:
388:
253:
234:
108:
61:
38:
1264:
An inaudible, incomprehensible, or implausible word can be questioned with either of the
1099:
1009:
997:
799:
95:
70:
1114:
dialects still preserve the original sound (i.e. rather than ), most have only the .
1746:
1265:
819:
642:
is used to ask about or denote the identity of almost anything including situations (
505:
465:
216:
204:
162:
131:
81:
1644:
1627:
974:
352:
279:
732:
All of the words above may be used to ask for any number of answers. For example,
1138:
654:). It cannot typically be used for persons, especially on its own. For example,
544:
The main role of these words is to mark a clause as interrogative. For example,
331:
166:
150:
113:
16:
English words that indicate a question is being asked, as a grammatical category
627:
323:
1217:
There is significant overlap between the
English interrogative words and the
1022:, resulting in the initial sound being either /w/ (in most dialects) or /h/ (
603:
814:
rarely does so. Moreover, the form of the word may constrain its function.
1038:). This was the result of two sound changes – /hw/ > /h/ before /uː/ (
607:
595:, formed from one of the central interrogative words plus a preposition.
476:
1299:
Echo-question words are not interrogative words. In the first example,
1106:
is responsible for "wh-" of interrogatives. Although some varieties of
100:
24:
712:
is used to ask about or denote manner, dispositions, and evaluations.
685:
606:
speaking, when used in a main clause, the interrogative words do not
472:
468:
364:
304:
299:
76:
65:
1015:
These underwent further sound changes and spelling changes, notably
972:
Ultimately, the
English interrogative words (those beginning with
360:
718:
is used to ask about or denote reasons, causes, and explanations.
1050:
in Middle
English. The unusual pronunciation versus spelling of
457:
396:
263:
694:
is used to ask about or denote one or more members from a set.
1307:
is not phrase-initial. Neither is possible for interrogative
1042:) and /hw/ > /w/ otherwise – and the spelling change from
630:
a particular way of doing it rather than asking about a way.
798:
Different words have different functions depending on their
1078:
merged into the lave of the word, as it did in Old
Frisian
1059:
before it, but with the Middle
English spelling unchanged.
933:) and interrogative words may even appear elsewhere, as in
662:), and it can be combined with a noun denoting a person (
548:
is marked as an interrogative clause by the presence of
1576:(2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1290:
Previous attachés included Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart.
1161:), and instrumental (masculine and neuter singular) (
826:), for instance, can function as a determiner, while
744:
purposes, though, interrogative words are singular.)
1169:) respectively. Other interrogative words, such as
1145:, reflecting its masculine and feminine nominative (
1281:
We'll have to extrapolate for the next three years.
960:Interrogative words may also be used on their own.
779:within the noun phrase (and interrogative phrase)
19:"whether" redirects here. Not to be confused with
1402:for the word category that we call "determiner".
1394:
1392:
1323:There are only two English exclamative words,
1137:, can all be considered to come from a single
1086:"how"), but it can still be seen in Old Saxon
736:can be asked whether the expected response is
1628:"The Germanic Interrogatives of the how Type"
1602:The Cambridge History of the English Language
1493:The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
684:) is limited to asking about the identity of
416:
8:
1285:We'll have to what for the next three years?
1574:A Student's Introduction to English Grammar
759:Lexical categories and syntactic functions
423:
409:
29:
1643:
1495:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1479:
1477:
1475:
1473:
1471:
1469:
1248:is limited to denoting persons, relative
700:is used to ask about or denote locations.
1467:
1465:
1463:
1461:
1459:
1457:
1455:
1453:
1451:
1449:
1260:Interrogative versus echo-question words
1026:) and the initial spelling being either
1560:
1558:
1556:
1554:
1552:
1550:
1524:
1522:
1520:
1518:
1516:
1514:
1512:
1445:
1364:
996:, the former of which was reflected in
806:may typically function as a subject, a
37:
1319:Interrogative versus exclamative words
1201:), or other words from the same root (
668:What child doesn't love their parents?
1621:
1619:
1617:
1615:
1229:are not interrogative words, and, in
1157:), neuter nominative and accusative (
706:is used to ask about or denote times.
7:
802:. For example, while a pronoun like
1533:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
1346:How nice it is to finally meet you!
1244:Although as an interrogative word,
479:. The main members associated with
384:AmE and BrE grammatical differences
379:African-American Vernacular English
610:but rather question. For example,
14:
1428:In other contexts, echo-question
288:Transitive and intransitive verbs
1189:, derive either from compounds (
45:
1432:can belong to other categories.
1213:Interrogative vs relative words
464:with a central role in forming
1645:10.1080/00437956.1963.11659802
1252:may denote non-persons, as in
1:
1531:Oxford Modern English Grammar
1254:a book whose cover is missing
931:Tomorrow where are you going?
1102:) during the development of
1626:Wilbur, Terence H. (1963).
870:is a pronoun or determiner.
1784:
1606:Cambridge University Press
1604:. Vol. I. Cambridge:
1572:; Reynolds, Brett (2022).
1385:If it works, that's great.
1303:is a verb; in the second,
1193:coming from a compound of
664:What person would do that?
554:I wonder whether it's true
18:
1722:Oxford English Dictionary
1693:Oxford English Dictionary
1664:Oxford English Dictionary
1377:I wonder if it will work,
1341:How much snow has fallen!
1221:, but the relative words
846:(together with its forms
656:What is behind that door?
529:). Those associated with
521:, all of which also have
1419:form" may be misleading.
978:in addition to the word
769:What time works for you?
1726:Oxford University Press
1697:Oxford University Press
1668:Oxford University Press
1411:Thus the common terms "
947:What did who say to do?
939:And you put this where?
1219:English relative words
1070:, from Proto-Germanic
734:Who comes on Thursday?
676:(with its other forms
531:closed-ended questions
583:, and other compound
316:Conditional sentences
1398:Aarts uses the term
1379:not the conditional
1353:unbounded dependency
955:What who said to do?
951:Who what said to do?
943:Who said to do what?
481:open-ended questions
1570:Pullum, Geoffrey K.
1529:Aarts, Bas (2011).
1489:Pullum, Geoffrey K.
1020:-cluster reductions
984:Proto-Indo-European
982:), derive from the
896:) but sometimes an
648:What is that thing?
624:I know how to do it
571:Extended membership
439:interrogative words
33:Part of a series on
1566:Huddleston, Rodney
1485:Huddleston, Rodney
1336:What a lovely day!
1104:Germanic languages
1090:, Old High German
920:are subordinators.
902:How was the movie?
765:syntactic function
738:singular or plural
567:as interrogative.
562:subordinate clause
546:How did you do it?
1583:978-1-009-08574-8
1540:978-0-19-953319-0
1502:978-0-521-43146-0
882:is a preposition.
876:is a preposition.
688:or denoting them.
616:Who likes sewage?
565:whether it's true
433:
432:
1775:
1737:
1736:
1734:
1732:
1714:
1708:
1707:
1705:
1703:
1685:
1679:
1678:
1676:
1674:
1656:
1650:
1649:
1647:
1623:
1610:
1609:
1598:Hogg, Richard M.
1594:
1588:
1587:
1562:
1545:
1544:
1526:
1507:
1506:
1481:
1433:
1426:
1420:
1409:
1403:
1396:
1387:
1369:
1231:Standard English
1108:American English
894:How rusty is it?
838:Individual words
800:lexical category
644:What's happening
634:Individual words
442:(also known as "
425:
418:
411:
393:Grammar disputes
389:Double negatives
386:
49:
30:
1783:
1782:
1778:
1777:
1776:
1774:
1773:
1772:
1758:English grammar
1743:
1742:
1741:
1740:
1730:
1728:
1716:
1715:
1711:
1701:
1699:
1687:
1686:
1682:
1672:
1670:
1658:
1657:
1653:
1625:
1624:
1613:
1596:
1595:
1591:
1584:
1564:
1563:
1548:
1541:
1528:
1527:
1510:
1503:
1483:
1482:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1436:
1427:
1423:
1410:
1406:
1397:
1390:
1370:
1366:
1361:
1355:constructions.
1321:
1294:Robin vain who?
1262:
1215:
970:
927:
854:) is a pronoun.
840:
775:functions as a
761:
650:), and places (
636:
601:
573:
429:
400:
399:
395:
391:
387:
382:
381:
376:
368:
367:
363:
359:
355:
350:
340:
339:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
314:
302:
292:
291:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
268:Irregular verbs
266:
262:
243:
224:
222:Auxiliary verbs
219:
209:
208:
207:
203:
199:
184:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
107:
103:
98:
88:
87:
86:
75:
64:
59:
39:English grammar
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1781:
1779:
1771:
1770:
1765:
1760:
1755:
1745:
1744:
1739:
1738:
1709:
1680:
1651:
1638:(3): 328–334.
1611:
1600:, ed. (1992).
1589:
1582:
1546:
1539:
1508:
1501:
1444:
1443:
1441:
1438:
1435:
1434:
1421:
1404:
1388:
1363:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1349:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1320:
1317:
1297:
1296:
1287:
1261:
1258:
1214:
1211:
1205:deriving from
998:Proto-Germanic
969:
966:
949:(and neither *
926:
923:
922:
921:
911:
905:
888:is usually an
883:
877:
871:
865:
864:or determiner.
855:
839:
836:
760:
757:
730:
729:
719:
713:
707:
701:
695:
689:
671:
635:
632:
600:
597:
572:
569:
475:and in asking
431:
430:
428:
427:
420:
413:
405:
402:
401:
377:
374:
373:
370:
369:
357:Capitalization
351:
346:
345:
342:
341:
303:
298:
297:
294:
293:
220:
215:
214:
211:
210:
159:Interrogatives
132:Demonstratives
99:
94:
93:
90:
89:
60:
55:
54:
51:
50:
42:
41:
35:
34:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1780:
1769:
1766:
1764:
1761:
1759:
1756:
1754:
1753:English words
1751:
1750:
1748:
1727:
1723:
1719:
1713:
1710:
1698:
1694:
1690:
1684:
1681:
1669:
1665:
1661:
1655:
1652:
1646:
1641:
1637:
1633:
1629:
1622:
1620:
1618:
1616:
1612:
1608:. p. 35.
1607:
1603:
1599:
1593:
1590:
1585:
1579:
1575:
1571:
1567:
1561:
1559:
1557:
1555:
1553:
1551:
1547:
1542:
1536:
1532:
1525:
1523:
1521:
1519:
1517:
1515:
1513:
1509:
1504:
1498:
1494:
1490:
1486:
1480:
1478:
1476:
1474:
1472:
1470:
1468:
1466:
1464:
1462:
1460:
1458:
1456:
1454:
1452:
1450:
1446:
1439:
1431:
1425:
1422:
1418:
1414:
1408:
1405:
1401:
1400:determinative
1395:
1393:
1389:
1386:
1382:
1378:
1374:
1368:
1365:
1358:
1356:
1354:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1333:
1332:
1330:
1326:
1318:
1316:
1314:
1310:
1306:
1302:
1295:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1282:
1279:
1278:
1277:
1275:
1271:
1267:
1266:echo-question
1259:
1257:
1255:
1251:
1247:
1242:
1240:
1236:
1232:
1228:
1224:
1220:
1212:
1210:
1208:
1204:
1200:
1196:
1192:
1188:
1184:
1180:
1176:
1172:
1168:
1164:
1160:
1156:
1153:), genitive (
1152:
1148:
1144:
1140:
1136:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1120:
1115:
1113:
1109:
1105:
1101:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1085:
1081:
1077:
1073:
1069:
1066:(Old English
1065:
1060:
1058:
1053:
1049:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1029:
1025:
1021:
1019:
1013:
1011:
1007:
1003:
999:
995:
994:
990:
985:
981:
977:
976:
967:
965:
963:
958:
956:
952:
948:
944:
940:
936:
935:You did what?
932:
924:
919:
915:
912:
910:is an adverb.
909:
906:
903:
899:
895:
891:
887:
884:
881:
878:
875:
872:
869:
866:
863:
859:
856:
853:
849:
845:
842:
841:
837:
835:
833:
829:
825:
821:
817:
813:
809:
805:
801:
796:
794:
790:
786:
782:
778:
774:
770:
766:
758:
756:
754:
750:
747:In contrast,
745:
743:
739:
735:
727:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
708:
705:
702:
699:
696:
693:
690:
687:
683:
679:
675:
672:
669:
665:
661:
657:
653:
649:
646:), objects (
645:
641:
638:
637:
633:
631:
629:
625:
621:
617:
613:
609:
605:
598:
596:
594:
590:
586:
582:
578:
570:
568:
566:
563:
559:
555:
551:
547:
542:
540:
536:
532:
528:
525:forms (e.g.,
524:
520:
516:
512:
508:
507:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
482:
478:
474:
470:
467:
466:interrogative
463:
459:
455:
453:
448:
446:
441:
440:
426:
421:
419:
414:
412:
407:
406:
404:
403:
398:
394:
390:
385:
380:
375:Variant usage
372:
371:
366:
362:
358:
354:
353:Abbreviations
349:
344:
343:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
312:
311:
306:
301:
296:
295:
289:
285:
281:
280:Phrasal verbs
277:
276:Passive voice
273:
269:
265:
260:
259:
255:
251:
246:
241:
240:
236:
232:
227:
223:
218:
213:
212:
206:
202:
201:Subordinators
197:
196:
192:
187:
182:
181:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
155:Interjections
152:
148:
143:
142:
137:
133:
129:
125:
121:
116:
115:
110:
106:
102:
97:
92:
91:
84:
83:
82:frequentative
78:
73:
72:
67:
63:
58:
53:
52:
48:
44:
43:
40:
36:
32:
31:
26:
22:
1729:. Retrieved
1721:
1712:
1700:. Retrieved
1692:
1683:
1671:. Retrieved
1663:
1654:
1635:
1631:
1601:
1592:
1573:
1530:
1492:
1429:
1424:
1416:
1412:
1407:
1399:
1384:
1380:
1376:
1372:
1371:This is the
1367:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1328:
1324:
1322:
1312:
1308:
1304:
1300:
1298:
1293:
1289:
1284:
1280:
1273:
1269:
1263:
1253:
1249:
1245:
1243:
1238:
1234:
1226:
1222:
1216:
1206:
1202:
1198:
1194:
1190:
1186:
1182:
1178:
1174:
1170:
1166:
1162:
1158:
1154:
1150:
1146:
1142:
1134:
1130:
1126:
1122:
1118:
1116:
1110:and various
1095:
1091:
1087:
1083:
1079:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1063:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1047:
1043:
1039:
1035:
1031:
1027:
1023:
1017:
1014:
1005:
1001:
992:
988:
979:
973:
971:
961:
959:
954:
950:
946:
942:
938:
934:
930:
928:
917:
913:
907:
901:
893:
885:
879:
873:
867:
857:
851:
847:
843:
831:
827:
823:
815:
811:
803:
797:
788:
785:Who arrived?
784:
780:
772:
768:
762:
752:
748:
746:
733:
731:
725:
721:
715:
709:
703:
697:
691:
681:
677:
673:
667:
663:
659:
655:
651:
647:
643:
639:
623:
619:
615:
611:
604:Semantically
602:
592:
588:
585:prepositions
580:
576:
574:
564:
557:
553:
549:
545:
543:
538:
534:
526:
522:
518:
514:
510:
504:
500:
496:
492:
488:
484:
451:
450:
444:
443:
436:
434:
336:Zero-marking
308:
248:
229:
189:
178:
175:Prepositions
167:Portmanteaus
139:
124:Coordinators
112:
80:
69:
1731:18 November
1702:18 November
1673:18 November
1149:), dative (
1139:Old English
1100:Grimm's law
1010:Grimm's law
808:preposition
783:; while in
660:What is he?
348:Orthography
332:Periphrasis
272:Modal verbs
239:subjunctive
231:conditional
171:Possessives
151:Intensifier
136:Determiners
1747:Categories
1440:References
1415:word" or "
1117:The words
777:determiner
652:What city?
560:marks the
324:Do-support
310:in English
284:Verb usage
250:continuous
235:imperative
147:Expletives
105:Adjectives
96:Word types
71:in English
57:Morphology
1768:Semantics
1689:"Whither"
1008:, due to
968:Etymology
898:adjective
781:what time
742:agreement
599:Semantics
552:, and in
477:questions
328:Inversion
180:List here
141:List here
128:Compounds
1491:(2002).
1165:, later
1112:Scottish
1094:(German
1040:how, who
1024:how, who
834:cannot.
822:form of
820:genitive
587:such as
527:whatever
437:English
254:habitual
186:Pronouns
120:Articles
101:Acronyms
77:Suffixes
66:Prefixes
1718:"Which"
1268:words,
1187:whither
1082:(Dutch
1074:), the
914:Whether
900:(e.g.,
892:(e.g.,
862:pronoun
793:subject
749:whether
740:. (For
726:whither
686:persons
628:denotes
593:wherein
589:whereby
581:whither
558:whether
535:whether
473:clauses
469:phrases
462:English
456:") are
305:Clauses
258:perfect
109:Adverbs
62:Plurals
25:weather
1763:Syntax
1580:
1537:
1499:
1183:whence
1080:hū, hō
925:Syntax
890:adverb
722:Whence
577:whence
517:, and
449:" or "
365:Hyphen
320:Copula
300:Syntax
245:Aspect
195:person
21:wether
1660:"Who"
1359:Notes
1250:whose
1246:whose
1227:while
1191:which
1185:, or
1179:where
1171:which
1141:word
1127:whose
986:root
962:What?
953:nor *
874:Where
868:Which
860:is a
852:whose
818:(the
816:Whose
810:like
698:Where
692:Which
682:whose
608:refer
523:-ever
515:whose
501:which
497:where
458:words
454:forms
447:words
361:Comma
217:Verbs
205:Verbs
163:Nouns
1733:2023
1704:2023
1675:2023
1632:WORD
1578:ISBN
1535:ISBN
1497:ISBN
1430:what
1327:and
1325:what
1309:what
1301:what
1270:what
1237:and
1235:what
1225:and
1223:that
1197:and
1159:hwæt
1155:hwæs
1151:hwām
1133:and
1131:what
1123:whom
1092:hwuo
1006:kha-
916:and
880:When
858:What
850:and
848:whom
832:whom
830:and
812:when
773:what
751:and
724:and
704:When
680:and
678:whom
640:What
537:and
533:are
511:whom
493:when
489:what
483:are
471:and
435:The
397:Thou
264:-ing
226:Mood
191:case
114:flat
1640:doi
1383:in
1375:in
1329:how
1313:who
1311:or
1305:who
1274:who
1272:or
1239:how
1209:).
1203:how
1199:līc
1195:hwā
1175:how
1167:hwī
1163:hwȳ
1147:hwā
1143:hwā
1135:why
1119:who
1096:wie
1088:hwō
1084:hoe
1064:how
1062:In
1057:how
1052:who
1046:to
1036:how
1030:or
1004:or
1002:χa-
1000:as
991:or
989:ko-
980:how
957:).
945:or
937:or
908:Why
886:How
844:Who
828:who
824:who
804:who
795:.
789:who
716:Why
710:How
674:Who
666:or
622:in
620:how
614:in
612:who
550:how
519:why
506:who
485:how
460:in
23:or
1749::
1724:.
1720:.
1695:.
1691:.
1666:.
1662:.
1636:19
1634:.
1630:.
1614:^
1568:;
1549:^
1511:^
1487:;
1448:^
1417:wh
1413:wh
1391:^
1381:if
1373:if
1331:.
1315:.
1292:/
1283:/
1276::
1256:.
1233:,
1207:hū
1181:,
1177:,
1173:,
1129:,
1125:,
1121:,
1072:χō
1068:hū
1048:wh
1044:hw
1028:wh
1018:wh
1012:.
993:ki
975:wh
918:if
904:).
787:,
771:,
753:if
670:).
626:,
591:,
579:,
556:,
541:.
539:if
513:,
509:,
503:,
499:,
495:,
491:,
487:,
452:wh
445:wh
256:·
252:·
237:·
233:·
193:·
1735:.
1706:.
1677:.
1648:.
1642::
1586:.
1543:.
1505:.
1076:w
1034:(
1032:h
424:e
417:t
410:v
313:)
307:(
261:)
247:(
242:)
228:(
198:)
188:(
183:)
177:(
144:)
138:(
117:)
111:(
85:)
79:(
74:)
68:(
27:.
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