The interrogative pronoun “Who” instead of “What”

[Bhikkhu1991a]

Hello,

Should the question use the interrogative pronoun “Who” instead of “What” because the correct answer is a person? Thank you.

1). What is the message for?
Tanya Smith -- CORRECT
Premium Insurance Company
Karl Klaussen
Toyaki Turbo

http://www.english-test.net/toeic/listening/insurance_agent_gives_a_quote_to_a_prospective_customer.html

Best wishes,
Bhikkhu1991a.

[Blue_Snow]

I saw the whole question some time ago. It's really confusing. Was What used because the choices included both people and thing?

[Torsten]

Thanks for pointing this out. We'll change it to 'who'.

TOEIC short conversations: An employee asks his co-worker to help him with the photo copier

[Slava]

Hello Bhikkhu1991a,

Please check the test again.



Many thanks
Slava

[Blue_Snow]

So, the insurance company doesn't affect it? Could you explain why? If it's correct then it's not confusing anymore.

[Torsten]

Since 'Premium Insurance Company' is a proper noun describing an organization you should use the question word 'who' rather than 'what'. Look at this:
'Who is the market leader in the soft drink industry?'
Coca Cola.

TOEIC short conversations: A business executive gives a financial report at a meeting

[Blue_Snow]

Well, I must have known it before but have hardly chance to use regularly.

[Azhar123]

Definition: An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun used in order to ask a question. Some of them refer only to people, like "who" and others refer to people and objects, etc like "what". They do not distinguish between singular and plural, so they only have one form. Interrogative pronouns produce information questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer.

For example:
# What is her phone number?
# What do you want?

Interrogative pronouns are: What, Which, Who, Whose, Whom. In addition, these pronouns may take the suffixes -ever and -soever.

Forms:
As we can see in the next table, these pronouns could act as a subject, object or possessive in a sentence.
Subject Object Possessive
who whom whose
which
that

WHAT can be used to ask about objects or people.
For example:

* What time is it?
* What is your name?
* What do you want?

WHICH can be used to ask about objects or people.
For example:

* Which chair are you talking about?
* Which jumper do you like?
* Which is your mother?

WHO can be used to ask about people
For example:

* Who are you?
* Which is your mother?
* Who has been sitting in my chair?

WHOSE can be used to ask about a possession relation.
For example:

* Whose is this book?
* Whose car did you drive here?

WHOM can be used to ask about people.It is less usual and more formal than "who"
For example:

* Whom did you phone?
* For whom will you vote?

NOTE: Either "which" or "what" can also be used as an interrogative adjective, and that "who," "whom," or "which" can also be used as a relative pronoun.

For example:

* The man whom she chose will do a wonderful job.

Examples

* Who is in charge?
* Which wants to see the dentist first?
* Who wrote the novel Rockbound?
* Whom do you think we should invite?
* What did she say?

Sample Resume