Meaning & use
who and what
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Used to ask about both the identity of a person or people and the nature or category of something.
Grammar: Often used as a pair in questions or as a noun phrase meaning 'identity and nature'.
Patterns
- who and what someone is
- ask who and what
The detective wanted to know who and what the stranger was.
In her essay, she explores who and what we become when we grow up.
The form asks who and what the meeting is for.
phrasefixed phrase
The combination of people involved and the things or issues concerned.
Grammar: Used as a compound object or subject, often after verbs like 'decide' or 'discuss'.
Patterns
- decide who and what
- discuss who and what
The committee will decide who and what gets funding.
We need to clarify who and what is responsible for the mistake.
The report lists who and what was affected by the new law.
Common combinations
- who and what
- The question of who and what we are is central to the novel.
- know who and what
- She didn't know who and what to expect at the interview.
- ask who and what
- The teacher asked who and what the poem was about.
Synonyms and how they differ
- identity and nature
- A more formal phrase that covers the same two ideas but is not used as a question.
Commonly confused: who and what or who or what?
who and what vs who or what
This asks for a choice between a person and a thing; 'who and what' asks for both together.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'who and what' correctly?
Choose one answer.
In an indirect question, the word order is subject + verb, so 'the package contained' is correct. Option B uses direct-question order, which is wrong after 'asked'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “who and what”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.