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Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Who is used as the subject of a sentence, performing the action directly,
- Whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition, receiving the action,
- Choosing between who and whom depends on their grammatical role in a sentence.
- In formal writing, correct usage of whom involves replacing it with him or her.
- In everyday speech, people use who instead of whom, leading to common mistakes.
What is Who?
Who is a pronoun which refers to the subject of a sentence or clause. It performs the action and is the focus of the sentence.
Subject of a sentence
When you want to identify someone doing an action, who is the go-to pronoun. For example, “Who is coming to the party?”
Interrogative use
Who is also used to ask questions about a person or people involved. It helps clarify identities in inquiries.
Relative pronoun in clauses
Who introduces relative clauses that provide additional information about a person. E.g., “The man who called you is waiting.”
Subject in indirect questions
In indirect questions, who is used to inquire about someone, like “I wonder who will win.”
What is Whom?
Whom is a pronoun that acts as the object of a verb or preposition in a sentence. It appears in formal contexts,
Object of a verb
When someone are receiving the action, whom is used, Although incomplete. For example, “Whom did you see?”
Object of a preposition
Whom follows prepositions like to, for, with, or by. For instance, “To whom should I address the letter?”
Formal writing and speech
Whom is favored in formal contexts, especially in professional or academic writing. It maintains grammatical correctness.
Inverting in questions
In questions, wh- words are inverted, and whom appears after prepositions or as the object, such as “Whom are you inviting?”
Comparison Table
Below is a table comparing various aspects of who and whom, highlighting their usage in real-world situations.
| Aspect | Who | Whom |
|---|---|---|
| Role in sentence | Subject performing action | Object receiving action |
| Common in speech | Frequently used in casual talk | Less common, more formal |
| Preferred in formal writing | Less preferred, replaced with ‘who’ | Correct choice in formal contexts |
| Question format | Who is coming? | Whom did you call? |
| Prepositional use | Less common, replaced | Follows prepositions like to, with |
| Replacing with him/her | Can be replaced with ‘he’ or ‘she’ | Can be replaced with ‘him’ or ‘her’ |
| In relative clauses | The person who called me | The person whom you met |
| In indirect questions | I wonder who is responsible | I wonder whom you contacted |
| Inverting in questions | Who is there? | Whom should I ask? |
| Common mistake by learners | Using whom as subject | Using who as object |
Key Differences
- Subject vs. Although incomplete. Object is clearly visible in sentence structure, where who acts as the subject, and whom as the object.
- Formality level revolves around who being more casual and whom more formal, especially in written language.
- Question placement is noticeable when forming questions; who appears at the beginning, while whom follows prepositions or appears after inversion.
- Usage in clauses relates to whether the pronoun introduces a subject clause or an object clause in complex sentences.
FAQs
How can I determine whether to use who or whom in a sentence?
To decide, replace the pronoun with he or him. If ‘he’ fits, use who; if ‘him’ fits, use whom. This trick helps clarify their grammatical role.
Are there any exceptions in modern usage for whom?
Yes, in conversational English, many native speakers omit whom, favoring who even in formal situations. However, in formal writing, correctness still favors whom in object positions.
Can whom be used as a relative pronoun in non-human contexts?
No, whom refers specifically to people. For objects or animals, other pronouns like which or that are used instead. Whom’s usage is reserved for persons.
Is there a difference in pronunciation between who and whom?
Both are pronounced similarly in casual speech, but in formal contexts, whom is pronounced with a clear ‘m’ sound, making it slightly more distinct.
