Who vs. Whom: The Grammar Trap!

Last updated on September 22, 2024 by Liam Daniel

The problem with the words who and whom is that not only do they sound very similar, but we use them in situations that are very similar too. Knowing when to use which of the words is a difficult thing, and some of the most enthusiastic writers in the world still don’t know how to use the two correctly, so where does that leave the rest of us?

Thankfully, this guide will take you through how to use who and whom correctly, provide you with some common mistakes and examples, and give you a helpful little trick to check if you have used the words who or whom correctly, or whether it needs to be changed to the other one.

Who vs. Whom: What Is the Difference?

How to Decide:

  1. Use “who” when the pronoun is the subject (performing the action).
    • Example: “Who gave you this gift?”
  2. Use “whom” when the pronoun is the object (receiving the action).
    • Example: “Whom did you call?”
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Who vs. Whom: Definition and Examples

Who (Subject Pronoun):

  • Meaning: Refers to the person who is doing the action in a sentence.
  • Use: Functions as the subject of a verb (the person performing the action).
  • Examples:
    • “Who is coming to the party?”
    • “Do you know who called?”
  • Explanation: “Who” is used when the pronoun is the subject of the verb (the one doing the action).

Whom (Object Pronoun):

  • Meaning: Refers to the person who is receiving the action or is the object of a preposition.
  • Use: Functions as the object of a verb or preposition (the person being acted upon).
  • Examples:
    • “To whom did you send the letter?”
    • “Whom did you invite to the event?”
  • Explanation: “Whom” is used when the pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition (the one receiving the action).

Who vs. Whom: When to Use

When to Use Who

1) You are asking about the subject, i.e. the person who performs the action, e.g. Who is his mother? Who will come here tomorrow?

2) You are adding a clause to give additional information about the subject, e.g. Jennifer is my friend who likes reading.

3) You are asking about the name of someone or a group of people, e.g. Who is the class president?

When to Use Whom

1) You are asking about the object, i.e. the person to which the action is directed, e.g. Whom should I help? Whom did you ask to come with you?

2) You are adding a relative clause to give additional information about the object, e.g. She called the man whom she met yesterday.

3) You are asking an indirect question about the object, e.g. They asked me, whom I invited to dinner.

Quick Test: He/She vs. Him/Her

If you can answer the question with he/she, use who.

  • Example: “Who is calling?” → “He is calling.” (Use “who”)

If you can answer the question with him/her, use whom.

  • Example: “To whom are you speaking?” → “I am speaking to him.” (Use “whom”)

Who vs. Whom: Common Mistakes

Using “who” instead of “whom” as the object:

  • Incorrect: “Who did you give the book to?”
  • Correct: “Whom did you give the book to?”
  • Explanation: “Whom” is correct because it is the object of the verb “give.”

Using “whom” instead of “who” as the subject:

  • Incorrect: “Whom is calling?”
  • Correct: “Who is calling?”
  • Explanation: “Who” is correct because it is the subject of the verb “is calling.”

Exercises and Practice

To master the usage of “who” and “whom,” it’s helpful to engage in exercises that reinforce our understanding. “Who” is used when referring to the subject of a sentence—the person performing an action. “Whom,” on the other hand, is used when referring to the object—the person the action is being done to.

Multiple Choice

  1. (A) Who (B) Whom should I say is calling?
  2. To (A) who (B) whom did you give the keys?
  3. (A) Who (B) Whom do you think will win the game tonight?
  4. (A) Who (B) Whom did they blame for the mistake?
  5. With (A) who (B) whom are you going to the concert?
  6. (A) Who (B) Whom were you talking to just now?
  7. (A) Who (B) Whom has the tickets for the show?
  8. (A) Who (B) Whom do you believe we should trust?
  9. (A) Who (B) Whom did the coach select for the team captain?
  10. (A) Who (B) Whom are you going to vote for in the election?

Answers

  1. A) Who
  2. B) Whom
  3. A) Who
  4. B) Whom
  5. B) Whom
  6. B) Whom
  7. A) Who
  8. A) Who
  9. B) Whom
  10. B) Whom
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5 thoughts on “Who vs. Whom: The Grammar Trap!”

  1. Replacing whom with ”her him they” or who with ”he she they” doesn’t work.

    I’m comfortable with whom / who I am.
    I am comfortable with him I am.

    The world is a book, and those who / whom do not travel read only a page.

    The world is a book, and those him do not travel read only a page.

    I don’t get it.

    • They’re both “who” if we’re following the rules of this article. “I am/they are comfortable” and “they do not travel” would be what you’d replace the sentences with to find what to use.

      But for what it’s worth, I don’t think “whom” is used in common speech anymore, in fact I don’t remember anyone using it in my lifetime without saying it in a satirical or ironic way. So I wouldn’t worry about it, unless it’s required you use very formal writing. You’d just come off as pretentious otherwise, especially if you can’t speak the way you’ve written.

  3. Please add printable versions to your website. Using “right-click, print” results in the partial loss of information at the top of each page. It is also time-consuming to have to return again and again for the same information when I could have it on hand instead.

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