questions

[michal761]

questions

hi,
can you please tell me what is the right way to write:
what picture is green?
or
which picture is green?

what animal is big
or
which animal is big

also, i saw in an english book the following text:
this is my cat luku.
she likes fruit
she likes music

my question- why is it reffering to the cat as she and not it? i thought that animal gets it.
thank you !

 

[Assiduous]

Answers

When you have choices then use "which" and when you don't have choices, use "what".
For example:
What picture did you take yesteday? (you don't know about more than one picture , but you don't know what this picture is)

Which picture did you take yesterday? (You know that there were more than one choice and you are not sure which of the choices was chosen)

Regarding to your question I believe that you have more than one choice (more than one color...) and then you have to ask "which" color etc.

When you ask "what" animal is big", then the meaning is generally speaking about animals. But when you ask "which animal is big" you have choices in front of you. Then both are correct and they do depend on context.


Animals get the pronoun "it" (includes dogs and cats). This is what all the English learning books state, but in fact, there is a trand to refer dogs and cats (and in some places even other animals) as to humans... and they get the pronoun he and she. It's so common that even some English textbooks consider it / teaching it / or at least make notes about that.

 

[michal761]

thank you very much !!!

 

[Assiduous]

You're welcome!

 

[iamdanacohen]

my opinion

from what i know it's usually what
i study English in burlington
very helpful