Whose.?' as a question-word

Whose? asks about possession The possessor is always a person and we expect the answer to be somebody's name + s (Kate s) or a possessive pronoun (e g mine) When the possession is a thing, things, or a substance, the noun can be omitted after Whose Whose (umbrella) is this?- (It's) mine Whose (umbrellas) are these? - (They're) mine Whose (coffee) is this? - (It's) mine

When the 'possession' is a person, Whose is followed by a noun Whose son/daughter is (s)he? - Kate s (= Kate's son/daughter) Whose children are they? - The Lakers (= the Lakers' children) Note that questions with Whose can also be phrased as Whose is this (umbrella)? Whose are those children?

13 Questions, answers, negatives

How...?'as a question-word

13.40.1 'How much...?/How many...?'

How can combine with much to inquire about the quantity of a substance or the volume of a liquid [uncountable nouns > 2.14].

How much sugar/milk do you want in your tea? How much can combine with abstract uncountable nouns as well:

How much time have we? How much space is there on that shelf¹ How much can also refer to cost:

How much does this cost? (i.e. How much money?) How can combine with many to inquire about number (people and things: i.e. plural countable nouns) [> 5.13]:

How many people are invited⁹ How many windows are broken?

13.40.2 'How...?' + adjective or adverb

How will combine with a variety of adjectives, some of which can also function as adverbs, such as: big, deep, far, hard, long, old, sharp wide [> 7.13-14 and compare > 6.16]:

How far is it to Banbury? How far did you drive today? How combines more readily with adjectives expressing a higher, rather than a lower, degree: How long/old, etc. rather than How little/short/young. We only use How + lower degree adjectives when we are particularly concerned about smallness, etc.:

/ think he's too young for the job - How young is he then?

We need a short article to fill the paper - How short must it be? How + adjectives referring to dimension (e.g. How long?) are similar in meaning to What + nouns (dimension) e.g. What length? [> 13.34.8]:

How long is this pool? (= What length is this pool?)

13.40.3 'How...?' + adverb

How combines with adverbs to ask about:

- frequency: How often do you visit your mother? - Once a week

- degree: How well do you know him? - Nor very well -'time: How quickly can you do it for me? - In two days