The question of whether to use ‘who’ or ‘whom’ is a tricky one which can trip up even the most pedantic of grammar perfectionists. In which context should one use ‘whom’? Is ‘whom’ simply over the top, literary style or is failing to use it in certain situations using it simply incorrect? Read on to learn all there is to know about ‘who’ and ‘whom’, when to use them and why.
Subjects and Objects
In order to fully understand when to use ‘who’ and ‘whom’, you first need to understand the simple concept of subjects and objects within sentences. Take the following sentence, for example:
‘The cat chased the mouse’.
In this sentence, the cat is the subject as she is the one doing the verb (chasing). The mouse is the object as he is the one having the verb done to him (being chased). It is usually easy to discern which is the subject and which is the object in a sentence, particularly if the sentence is active, like the one above. In passive sentences, however, the object usually comes first:
‘The mouse was being chased by the cat’
Word order does not dictate which is the subject or object. These can be found anywhere in a sentence, depending upon whether it is passive or active.
Who
The word ‘who’ should be used when it is the subject of the sentence, as in this example:
‘Who left their umbrella behind?’
Whom
‘Whom’ should be used when the word ‘who’ is the object of the sentence. In the following example, ‘whom’ is the object of the verb ‘to vote for’:
‘Whom do you think I should vote for in the election?’
The other rule to remember is that ‘whom’ is used when it follows a preposition, as in the sentence:
‘To whom should I post this forgotten umbrella?’.
The Decline of ‘Whom’
Proper use of ‘whom’ is becoming less and less common in the English language, where it is now generally accepted that ‘who’ can replace ‘whom’ in most circumstances. Use of ‘whom’ is now sometimes even considered archaic and overly high register, especially in speech.
In academic papers however, where you should aim for perfection in all aspects of your writing, proper use of ‘whom’ is appropriate, and indeed required. On the other hand, incorrect use of ‘whom’ can make you look very silly, so check carefully that it is definitely either the object of the sentence or that it comes after a preposition before you use it!
If you would like some more grammar advice, or would like to have your paper checked by a professional, get in touch with Proofread My Document today!
Subjects and Objects
In order to fully understand when to use ‘who’ and ‘whom’, you first need to understand the simple concept of subjects and objects within sentences. Take the following sentence, for example:
‘The cat chased the mouse’.
In this sentence, the cat is the subject as she is the one doing the verb (chasing). The mouse is the object as he is the one having the verb done to him (being chased). It is usually easy to discern which is the subject and which is the object in a sentence, particularly if the sentence is active, like the one above. In passive sentences, however, the object usually comes first:
‘The mouse was being chased by the cat’
Word order does not dictate which is the subject or object. These can be found anywhere in a sentence, depending upon whether it is passive or active.
Who
The word ‘who’ should be used when it is the subject of the sentence, as in this example:
‘Who left their umbrella behind?’
Whom
‘Whom’ should be used when the word ‘who’ is the object of the sentence. In the following example, ‘whom’ is the object of the verb ‘to vote for’:
‘Whom do you think I should vote for in the election?’
The other rule to remember is that ‘whom’ is used when it follows a preposition, as in the sentence:
‘To whom should I post this forgotten umbrella?’.
The Decline of ‘Whom’
Proper use of ‘whom’ is becoming less and less common in the English language, where it is now generally accepted that ‘who’ can replace ‘whom’ in most circumstances. Use of ‘whom’ is now sometimes even considered archaic and overly high register, especially in speech.
In academic papers however, where you should aim for perfection in all aspects of your writing, proper use of ‘whom’ is appropriate, and indeed required. On the other hand, incorrect use of ‘whom’ can make you look very silly, so check carefully that it is definitely either the object of the sentence or that it comes after a preposition before you use it!
If you would like some more grammar advice, or would like to have your paper checked by a professional, get in touch with Proofread My Document today!