When we establish familiarity with the grammatical classes, we soon notice their distinct particularities and their real functions that, although imperceptible, especially when it comes to orality, manifest themselves in a preponderant.
Therefore, specifically, we will portray about the interrogative pronouns that, starting with its literal sense, they already reveal to us that they are indicated in the sense of asking questions, sometimes direct, sometimes indirect. Thus, by way of illustration, let us analyze the following statements:
How many candidates will participate in this test? (direct form)
It is not known for sure how many candidates will participate in this test. (indirect form)
Based on this presupposition, let us now set out to know about the situations in which we evidence the use of interrogative pronouns. These being manifested by:
* When it comes to colloquial language, we usually come across the repetition of the pronoun “that”, in order to emphasize the question:
Our! Whatwhat did I make you so upset?
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
* We found that the pronoun "who" is always used in a substantive function:
Who did this mess here?
Subject
Per who will the order be delivered?
liability agent
* With regard to the pronoun "quanto", it can be used as a noun pronoun or adjective pronoun:
How many exercises have you solved?
* In reference to the pronoun “that”, we say that it can be used both as a noun pronoun and as an adjective pronoun. With regard to the first circumstance (noun), it has the meaning of “what” and as for the second, it denotes the idea regarding “what kind of”:
What friend did you prove to be at that time? (what kind of friend)
What problem causes you to lose sleep? (referring to something)
By Vânia Duarte
Graduated in Letters
Brazil School Team
Grammar - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
DUARTE, Vânia Maria do Nascimento. "Interrogative Pronouns – Circumstances of Use"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/pronomes-interrogativos-circunstancias-uso.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
