Who and whose are used a lot in English grammar in general as well as IELTS exercises in particular. In addition to their common role as relative pronouns, the two words Whose and Who also act as interrogative words in different situations. These two words have similar spellings and many people are easily confused about their meanings and usage. In the following article, IDP will guide you on how to distinguish Who - Whose as well as how to use them in each case.
Definitions of Who and Whose
Who (/huː/):
In questions: a pronoun that means Who?, referring to a person, and functions as the subject.
In relative clauses: replaces a noun referring to a person and also acts as the subject.
Whose (/huːz/):
In questions: a pronoun that means Whose?, asking about possession.
In relative clauses: replaces a possessive adjective when the noun before it refers to a person or thing. It is always followed by a noun.
Using Who and Whose in Questions
As question words, both Who and Whose are placed at the beginning of a question. However, they serve different functions:
Who | Whose |
|---|---|
Meaning: Who? Which person? | Meaning: Whose? Belonging to whom? |
Structure: | Structure: |
1. Who + to be + noun/adjective? |
Who is that girl? | 1. Whose + to be + noun?
Whose is that pretty jean? | 2. Who + verb + object?
Who made this mess? | 2. Whose + noun + to be + object?
Whose iPhone is this? | 3. Who + auxiliary + subject + verb?
Who did Jane marry? | 3. Whose + noun + auxiliary + subject + verb?
Whose laptop are you using? |
Who vs Whose in Relative Clauses
Using Who and Whose in relative clauses can be tricky. Both can be used in defining and non-defining clauses, but their roles are different:
Who | Whose |
|---|---|
Functions as the subjectb or object in the clause. | |
Used to refer to people or sometimes pets. | Functions as a possessive determiner . |
Used to show ownership. Always followed by a noun. | |
Example 1: The girl who has red hair is beautiful. | |
→ “Who” replaces “the girl” and acts as the subject. | Example 1: The man whose wallet was stolen is my friend. |
→ “Whose wallet” = “That man's wallet” | |
Example 2: That man, who is talking to my mother, is my teacher. | |
Example 3: I gave the money to the boy who is the shop owner’s son. | |
→ “Who” replaces “the boy” and is the object of the verb. |
Additional Notes:
"That" can sometimes replace "Who" in defining relative clauses. Example: The man that is running the company is successful.
Whose = Of which Example: The boy whose car you borrowed is John. = The boy of which car you borrowed is John.
Words like some of, both of, all of, many of can appear before Whose. Example: I have many friends, some of whose cars are luxury models.
Comparison Table: Who vs Whose in Relative Clauses
Category | Who | Whose |
|---|---|---|
Refers to | People (subject or object) | Possession (people or things) |
Role | Subject/Object | Possessive adjective |
Followed by | Verb | Noun |
Can be replaced by | "That" (in defining clauses) | "Of which" (formal contexts) |
Who’s vs Whose – Common Confusion
Who’s and Whose are homophones (sound alike), but they have different meanings:
Who’s = contraction of Who is, Who has, or Who was.
Whose = shows possession.
Tip: To check which one is correct, try expanding “Who’s” into “Who is” or “Who has.” If it makes sense, it’s “Who’s.” Otherwise, it should be “Whose.”
Examples:
I have a brother who’s very handsome. → Who’s = Who is
I have a brother whose car is black. → Possessive = Whose
I have a brother who’s got a new car. → Who’s = Who has
Practice Exercise: Who vs Whose
Fill in the blanks with who or whose:
We helped some people ___ houses fell down after a flood.
A pacifist is a person ___ believes that all wars are wrong.
An orphan is a child ___ parents are dead ___ is very poor.
This school is only for children ___ first language is not Vietnamese.
The movie is about a girl ___ runs away from home.
I met someone ___ sister I went to the company with.
The male candidate, ___ I had not voted for, lost the election.
___ gave you this cat?
___ helmet is this?
The Mercedes over there, ___ door has a big dent, is mine.
Answer Key:
Whose
Who
Whose... who
Whose
Who
Whose
Who
Who
Whose
Whose
We hope this article from IDP has helped you clearly understand when to use Who and Whose, both as question words and in relative clauses. Keep following IDP for more helpful English grammar tips and IELTS strategies!