Whose or which

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi,

Could you tell me which is better:

  1. The plan whose purpose is…
  2. The plan which purpose is…
  3. The plan the purpose of which is…

Is #2 usually used?

Thank you!

2

Whose is normally used for people like the word ‘Who’.

3 (but only in writing) in speech it would be normal to say 'The purpose of the plan is …

3

Thank you Ashby, but if it is such as:

The plan the purpose of which is A is carried out by B, is it normal to say: The plan which purpose is A is carried out by B?

4

Hi Haihao,

I’m afraid

just doesn’t make sense. The plan whose purpose just about works although ‘whose’ is happier with animate rather than animate nouns but I would choose: The plan, the purpose of which is …

Alan

5

Hi Alan,

Thank you very much for the clarification. In fact I found such a usage in a technical document, and doubted about its legitimacy.

Regards,

Haihao