interrogative
C1Formal, Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
Relating to or used in asking a question.
1) Serving to question, inquire, or examine; characterized by questioning. 2) In grammar, a word (e.g., who, what, why) or a sentence/clause structure used to ask a question.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used both as a grammatical term and a descriptor for a tone or manner that is questioning. In grammar, 'interrogative' specifically refers to the sentence mood, pronouns, adverbs, or determiners used in forming questions (e.g., interrogative pronoun 'which', interrogative mood of a clause).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Neutral in both. Primarily technical/grammatical or formal.
Frequency
Used with similar frequency in both varieties, primarily in educational, linguistic, and formal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] + noun (e.g., an interrogative pronoun)verb + [adjective] (e.g., sounded interrogative)preposition + [adjective] (e.g., in an interrogative tone)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly with 'interrogative'. The word itself is not typically used idiomatically.]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in formal reports: 'The survey concluded with an interrogative section.'
Academic
Common in linguistics, language teaching, and formal writing to describe question forms and analytical methods.
Everyday
Uncommon. Mostly replaced by simpler terms like 'question' or 'questioning'.
Technical
Very common in grammar, linguistics, and logic to precisely categorise sentence or word types.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The barrister began to interrogative the witness vigorously.
American English
- The detective started to interrogative the suspect under bright lights.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- 'What' is an interrogative word.
- 'Where do you live?' is an interrogative sentence.
- The teacher used an interrogative tone to encourage discussion.
- In English, we change the word order to make an interrogative form.
- Her interrogative approach to the data revealed several inconsistencies.
- Linguists classify 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', and 'how' as interrogative pronouns or adverbs.
- The interview was conducted in a persistently interrogative manner, putting the candidate on the defensive.
- The study contrasted the use of declarative and interrogative statements in political discourse.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an INTERROGATOR (someone who questions) + the suffix '-IVE' (having the nature of). An interrogative word has the nature of an interrogator—it asks questions.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUESTIONING IS PROBING (e.g., 'Her interrogative gaze drilled into him').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Russian 'вопросительный' is a direct equivalent for the grammatical sense. The main trap is overusing 'interrogative' in everyday speech where simple 'question' would be more natural (e.g., 'He asked in an interrogative tone' sounds overly formal vs. 'He asked in a questioning tone').
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'interrogative' (asking) with 'rhetorical' (not expecting an answer).
- Misspelling as 'interogative' (missing an 'r').
- Using it redundantly: 'an interrogative question' (just 'a question' is sufficient).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences is in the interrogative mood?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary technical use is in grammar, it can also describe a questioning tone, look, or manner (e.g., 'an interrogative glance').
A 'question' is the general concept. 'Interrogative' is the formal, often grammatical, label for the structures (words, sentences) used to form questions. It's like the difference between 'action' (concept) and 'verb' (grammatical label).
Yes. In grammar, it is commonly used as a noun to refer to a type of word (e.g., 'The five Ws are interrogatives').
Grammatically, yes. A rhetorical question has the form (syntax) of an interrogative but serves a different communicative purpose, often to make a point rather than seek information.