The who vs. whom debate is a long-standing one. Other than the customary “to whom it may concern” letter, you won’t see “whom” very often anymore. Instead, you’ll see the word “who” in sentences that should contain the word “whom”. And this is expected because “who” and “whom” are easily confused.
Still, there is a correct way to do things. In this article, you will learn when to use “whom” and “who” in your sentences.
Using Who vs. Whom in Questions
There are two things you need to remember when deciding to use “whom” or “who” in a sentence. When you are asking a question about a subject, you use “who”.
Example: Who needs a room in this apartment complex? (She does)
Example: Who do you think left the room? (I think he did)
But when you are asking a question about an object, you use “whom”.
Example: Whom did you visit? (I visited her)
Example: For Whom is the package on the desk? (It is for him)
Subjects usually perform an action (indicated by a verb) to an object. the subject is also the first basic element of a sentence, which the predicate assumes something about. In the “who” examples you’ll see that “who” is the subject of the sentences. Like subjects, objects are usually nouns (or pronouns), and in the “whom” examples you will see that “whom” refers to a noun that something is being done to or something is being referred to.
Another way to decide if you should use “who” or “whom” in a specific sentence, is the subject-object pronoun test. Pronouns generally have a subject and an object form. In fact, “who” is the subject pronoun to the “whom” object pronoun.
Therefore, if the answer to your question includes a subject pronoun, such as the “she does” response to the first “who” example, then you should use “who”. However, if the answer to your question requires the use of an object pronoun, such as the “it is for him” response to the second “whom” example, then you should use “whom”.
Using Who vs. Whom in Subordinate Clauses
Another name for a subordinate clause is a dependent clause, and these are clauses that are grammatically subordinate to an independent clause ( or main clause). In subordinate clauses, you apply the same principles to the use of “who” and “whom” as you would in a question.
When you are dealing with subjects you use the pronouns “who” and “whoever”.
Example: We stopped the woman who had the baby. (She had the baby)
Example: The winner of the contest is whoever gets there first. (He gets there first)
When you are dealing with objects you use the pronouns “whom” and “whomever”.
Example: They told him whom he should visit. (He should visit her)
Example: The new captain will be whomever has the best history. (The new captain is him)
The Different Forms of Who and Whom
Depending on the type of clause you use, the pronouns “who” and “whom” will assume different forms. When the pronouns “who” and “whom” appear in sentences that ask a question, they are called interrogative pronouns. However, when the pronouns “who” and “whom” appear in declarative sentences, they are called relative pronouns.
Why It Is Important to Know When to Use Who and Whom
Understanding when to use “who” and “whom” is important for maintaining clarity and correctness in writing, which ensures that your message is clear and easily understood by your audience.
Leave a Reply