whose
Of which person?
Whose is a possessive form, like my or their, that has general reference to any person or group.
It is also the possessive form of the interrogative word who and is used in questions to learn who is the owner or person associated with something.
Finally, whose is used as the possessive form of which.
Old-fashioned usage guides sometimes disapprove of this use, in sentences like Here’s a book whose cover is missing, but today most speakers agree that this is more straightforward than Here’s a book to which the cover is missing.
Asking in nature
- relativeConnected by blood
- possessiveOverly attached, often toxically
- clauseProvision in agreement
- antecedentSomething that precedes
modifier · determiner · syntax · genitive · dependency · subordinate · restrictive · nonrestrictive
interrogative
Asking in nature
- relativeConnected by blood
- possessiveOverly attached, often toxically
- clauseProvision in agreement
antecedent · modifier · determiner · syntax · genitive · dependency · subordinate · restrictive · nonrestrictive · attributive
owner
Holder of title
- possessorOne who owns something
- holderOne who possesses
- proprietorBusiness holder
belonging · property · title · deed · custodian · steward · trustee · claimant · heir · beneficiary
which
Interrogative for selection
its · their · my · your · our · mine · yours · hers · theirs · ours
- questionsquestion, inquiry, questions, query, interrogatives
- determinersa, an, the, this, that
- possessivesmy, mine, your, yours, his
- subordinationsubordinate clause, dependent clause, subordination, relative clause, noun clause
- pronounsI, me, him, he, my
- question wordswhat, when, where, which, why
- who caresDismissive indifference expression
- who are youRequest for identification
- who knowsExpression of uncertainty
- guess whoPlayful identity challenge
- everybody who's anyoneAll notable or influential people
- who's thereKnock response query