Key Takeaways
- Who is used as the subject of a sentence, performing actions or being described,
- Whom functions as the object of a verb or preposition, receiving the action.
- Choosing between who and whom depends on their role within the sentence structure.
- In formal writing, correct usage of whom involves replacing with him or her tests.
- In everyday speech, many native speakers prefer using who in most cases, even when whom is correct.
What is Who?
Who is a pronoun that is used to refer to the subject of a sentence. It asks about or describes the person performing the action.
Subject of a sentence
When a person is doing the action, who is the right choice. It comes before the verb, showing who is responsible.
Question form
In questions, who helps inquire about the person involved in an activity. It replaces the subject in interrogative sentences.
Subjective case usage
Who always takes the nominative case, meaning it acts as the subject. Although incomplete. It can be the answer to “who did what?”
Informal usage
In casual conversations, who is frequently used even when whom might be grammatically correct. It’s accepted in spoken language.
What is Whom?
Whom is a pronoun that refers to the object of a verb or preposition. It receives the action or is linked with a preposition,
Object of a verb
When a person is receiving the action, whom is the proper choice. It appears after the verb or directly in the object position.
Prepositional object
Whom follows prepositions like to, with, by, or for, indicating the person being affected by the preposition.
Formal context
In formal writing, whom are preferred to maintain grammatical correctness, especially in complex sentences.
Replacing with him or her
To test if whom is correct, replace it with him or her; if the sentence still makes sense, whom is the right choice.
Comparison Table
Below is a detailed comparison of who and whom across different grammatical aspects.
| Aspect | Who | Whom |
|---|---|---|
| Role in sentence | Subject performing the action | Object receiving the action or linked with prepositions |
| Placement | Before the verb | After the verb or preposition |
| Case used | Nominative case | Objective case |
| Question form | Who is doing what? | Whom did you see? |
| Preposition attachment | Rarely used after prepositions | Common after prepositions like to, with |
| Formality level | Informal and formal | Mostly formal |
| Pronoun replacement test | He or she | Him or her |
| Usage in questions | Who is involved? | Whom to invite? |
| Common mistake | Using whom instead of who | Using who instead of whom |
| Pronoun case clarity | Clear when acting as subject | Clear when acting as object |
Key Differences
- Role in sentence is clearly visible in who acts as the doer, while whom is the receiver of the action.
- Placement revolves around who appearing before the verb, and whom after prepositions or verbs.
- Use of case is noticeable when who uses nominative, but whom uses objective forms.
- Formality relates to who being acceptable in speech, whereas whom is preferred in formal writing contexts.
FAQs
How can I tell if I should use who or whom in complex sentences?
In complicated sentences, break down the clause to see if the pronoun is doing or receiving the action. If it’s doing, use who; if receiving, whom,
Are there exceptions where whom is never used?
In modern speech, many native speakers avoid whom except in very formal writing. In some dialects, whom is rarely used, replaced by who.
Can I start a sentence with whom?
Starting a sentence with whom is grammatically correct but sounds formal or archaic in casual speech. Often, rephrasing to who can be more natural.
Does the choice between who and whom affect sentence clarity?
Yes, using the correct form helps clarify who is performing or receiving the action, making your communication more precise and professional.
Although incomplete.
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