Key Takeaways
- Who is used as the subject of a sentence, indicating the doer of an action.
- Whom functions as the object of a verb or preposition, receiving the action.
- Choosing between who and whom depends on their grammatical role in the sentence structure.
- In informal speech, many people use who in place of whom, but formal writing prefers proper usage.
- Knowing these distinctions helps improve clarity and correctness in communication.
What is Who?
Who is a pronoun that refers to the person performing an action in a sentence. It acts as the subject, leading the clause or phrase.
Subject of a Sentence
When someone is doing the action, who is the correct choice. Although incomplete. For example, “Who is responsible for this project?”
Used in Interrogative Sentences
Questions about a person start with who, seeking to identify the individual involved. Like “Who called you yesterday?”
Relates to Indirect Questions
In indirect questions, who still functions as the subject, such as “I wonder who will arrive first.”
Pronoun in Relative Clauses
Who can introduce clauses giving more info about a person, like “The person who called me are waiting.”
It always acts as the subject within its clause, connecting ideas seamlessly.
What is Whom?
Whom is a pronoun that refers to the object of a verb or preposition, receiving the action. It is more formal, found in written language.
Object of a Verb
When someone receives an action, whom fits correctly. Example: “To whom should I address the letter?”
Object of a Preposition
Whom is used after prepositions like “to,” “for,” “with,” and “about.” For example, “The gift was for whom?”
In Formal Questions
Questions requiring the object of an action use whom, such as “Whom did you see at the party?”
Within Relative Clauses
Whom introduces clauses describing a person, like “The man whom you met yesterday is my uncle.”
It remains as the object in the sentence structure, emphasizing its role as receiver.
Comparison Table
Below is a comparison of how who and whom are used across different contexts.
| Aspect | Who | Whom |
|---|---|---|
| Subject of a verb | He who arrived early is my friend. | He was greeted by whom? |
| Object of a verb | They saw who at the park. | Whom did you call? |
| Object of a preposition | To who should I send this? | To whom does this belong? |
| Relative clause (subject) | The person who called me is here. | The person whom I called is not available. |
| Relative clause (object) | I met the man who helped me. | I met the man whom I admired. |
| Interrogative form | Who is at the door? | Whom did you invite? |
| Formal writing preference | Who is acceptable in casual contexts. | Whom is preferred in formal contexts. |
| Common usage in speech | People say “Who” regardless of role. | Many avoid using “whom” in regular conversations. |
| Role clarity | Who replaces the subject role. | Whom replaces the object role. |
| Prepositional phrase position | Who is used before the preposition in questions. | Whom follows the preposition. |
| Pronoun in complex sentences | Who is used to clarify actions performed. | Whom clarifies the receiver of actions. |
| Formality level | Lower in formality, more conversational. | Higher in formality, more precise. |
Key Differences
- Role in sentence is clearly visible in who as a subject, whereas whom functions as an object.
- Placement in questions revolves around prepositions, with who appearing before and whom after.
- Formality aspect is noticeable when choosing who in speech but opting for whom in formal writing.
- Function within relative clauses relates to whether it introduces a subject or object clause, guiding correct usage.
FAQs
How can I determine whether to use who or whom in complex sentences?
Identify if the pronoun is acting as a subject or an object. If as a subject, use who; if as an object, choose whom. Trying substituting with he or him can help decide.
Are there situations where who and whom are interchangeable?
In informal speech, many people use who regardless of grammatical role. However, in formal writing, correct usage enhances clarity and professionalism.
Can whom be used in questions starting with what or which?
Typically, questions starting with what or which are followed by the subject, so who or that is used. Whom appears with prepositions or as an object in questions.
Is it ever acceptable to replace whom with who in formal writing?
While many accept the use of who in conversational contexts, replacing whom with who in formal contexts are discouraged. Correctness depends on grammatical role rather than preference.