Is it Who or Whom?

This is a grammar rule that is often misunderstood by many writers. It is often also confused verbally in speech. The time to fix this error is now!

As parts of speech, both "who" and "whom" are pronouns. However, the difference between the two pronouns depends on subjects and objects.

So what are subjects and objects? When referring to people, the subject is the people performing an action, and the object is having something done to those people.

Okay, I know what you are thinking... this is getting too complicated! But it’s pretty easy. Use "who" when referring to the subject of a clause and use "whom" when referring to the object of the clause.

Examples:
"With whom did you argue?"

"Whom don’t you like?"

"Who jumped over the fence?"

"Who caught the ball?"

See the difference? An easy way to remember this rule is to give an answer to the question. If your answer is "he" or "she," use "who." If you answer is "him" or "her," use "whom."

Still not sure? Let our editors help you out

Related Topics:

Word Battle: Which Vs. That
Word Battle: Effect Vs. Affect


Return to Blog >>