Whose questions: asking who owns something

The idea

Put whose before the possessed noun: Whose keys are these? It can also stand alone: Whose is this suitcase? Match is/are to the thing or things, not to the unknown owner.

Examples

• Whose umbrella is this?
• Whose shoes are by the door?
• Whose phone is ringing?
• Whose is this red suitcase?
• Whose keys are these?
• Whose lunch is in the fridge?

Watch out

Whose asks about possession. Who's contracts who is or who has: Who's running late? means Who is running late? The identical sound does not make the spellings interchangeable.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct option. ___ umbrella is this? (Whose / Who’s)

   Show answer or example answer

   Whose

   Whose asks who owns the umbrella; who is umbrella would not form this question.

2. Choose the correct option. Whose shoes ___ by the door? (is / are)

   Show answer or example answer

   are

   are agrees with plural shoes. The number of owners is not the deciding factor.

3. Choose the correct option. ___ running late? (Whose / Who’s)

   Show answer or example answer

   Who’s

   Who's expands to Who is: the question asks which person is running late.

Use it today

Write three lost-property questions about one coat, two gloves and a suitcase. Answer each using a name with 's or a possessive pronoun.