The word "what" is primarily used as an interrogative pronoun and determiner in English to ask for specific information about something unknown. It can inquire about the nature, identity, quantity, quality, origin, purpose, or value of a thing or event. For example, "What is your name?" or "What happened?"
. Key uses of "what":
- Interrogative pronoun: Used to ask questions requesting information.
- Example: "What do you want?" "What does it cost?"
- Determiner: Used before a noun to specify which kind or type.
- Example: "What books can I read?" "What car do you drive?"
- Request for repetition: Used informally to ask someone to repeat something not heard or understood.
- Example: "She said what?"
- Relative pronoun in nominal relative clauses: Means "the thing which" or "that which," functioning like a noun phrase.
- Example: "What he said was true." "What I need is a lawyer."
Additionally, "what" can be used as a conjunction or intensifier in exclamations and sometimes informally at the end of sentences for rhetorical effect, especially in British English
. In summary, "what" is a versatile word used mainly to ask questions about specifics or to refer to something previously mentioned or implied.
