whose
used in relative clauses
You use a noun phrase containing whose /huːz/ at the beginning of a relative clause to show who or what something belongs to or is connected with. Whose is used in both defining and non-defining clauses.
A noun phrase containing whose can be the subject or object of a verb, or the object of a preposition.
It is a story whose purpose is to entertain.
This was one of the students whose work I had seen.
When whose is the object of a preposition, the preposition can come at the beginning or end of the clause.
You should consider the people in whose home you are staying.
It was an article whose subject I have never heard of.
used in questions
You use whose in questions when you are asking who something belongs to or is connected with. Whose can be a determiner or a pronoun.
Whose fault is it?
Whose is this?
used in reported clauses
Whose is also used in reported clauses.
It would be interesting to know whose idea it was.
Do you know whose fault it is?
Be careful
Don't confuse whose with who's, which is also pronounced /huːz/. When you write down what someone says, you can write ‘who is’ or ‘who has’ as who's. Don't write them as ‘whose’.
Don't confuse whose with who's, which is also pronounced /huːz/. When you write down what someone says, you can write ‘who is’ or ‘who has’ as who's. Don't write them as ‘whose’.
‘Edward drove me here.’ – ‘Who’s Edward?'
Who's left these boots here?