Whose is awh-word. We usewhoseto ask questions and to introduce relative clauses.
Whoseas a question word
We usewhoseto ask a question about possession:
Whosebirthday is it today?
Whosehouse was used in the film ‘Gosford Park’?
Whoseare these gloves?
We usewhosein indirect questions:
Juliet wonderedwhosethe sports car was.
Don’t confusewhoseandwho’s.Who’smeanswho is:
Whosebook is this?(Who does this book belong to?)
Who’sdriving us home?(Who is driving us home?)
Whosein relative clauses
We usewhoseto introduce a relative clause indicating possession by people, animals and things:
John works with that other chapwhosename I can’t remember.
Shirley has a 17-year-old daughterwhoseambition is to be a photographer.
This is the bookwhosetitle I couldn’t remember.
Typical error
We don’t usewhosewhen we meanwho’s(who is)
Who’sthere?
Not:Whose there?
Whoselittle brother is he?
Not:Who’s little brother is he?
See also:
Relative clauses
Questions: interrogative pronouns (what,who)
Indirect speech: reporting questions
Relative pronoun:whose