When to Use “Who” vs ‘Whom’

By WR!TERS@WORK

When deciding whether to use who or whom, remember this simple rule: Replace the word with he or she, use who; if you can replace it with him or her, use whom. Use who when referring to the subject of a sentence and whom when referring to the object of a verb or preposition.

When faced with the choice between using who or whom, it’s helpful to remember a simple rule: Substitute the word with he or she – if it makes sense, use who; if you can substitute with him or her, opt for whom. To clarify further, use who when referring to the subject of a sentence, such as in Who is coming to the party?

Sample Question:

Miss Yoshida is one of three students who lead the class. I was part of her school’s

courses to prepare her for the job market.

2023 P6 English Prelim Singapore Chinese Girls

On the other hand, employ whom when referring to the object of a verb or preposition, as seen in To whom did you give the gift? Remembering this distinction can aid in selecting the appropriate pronoun and maintaining grammatical accuracy in your writing.

When to Use Who

When determining whether to use who or whom in a sentence, it is important to consider their roles as subject and object. For example, in sentences like Who would like to go on vacation? and Who made these awesome quesadillas?, who is used as the subject.

When to Use Whom

On the other hand, whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition. This can be seen in sentences such as To whom was the letter addressed? and Whom do you believe? or even in more complex sentences like I do not know with whom I will go to the prom.

Understanding the Difference

To understand when to use each pronoun, try substituting he/she/they for who and him/her/them for whom. If the subjective pronoun fits better (e.g., he/she/they), then you should use who. If the objective pronoun fits better (e.g., him/her/them), then you should use whom. Remember that you may need to rearrange the sentence slightly while testing it.

Sample Question:

The carrier bag charge was first announced in early 2022. At present, the larger supermarket operators who impose the charge report an annual turnover of more than $100 million and are better resourced to implement the requirements.

2023 P6 English Prelim Temasek Primary

For instance, consider the sentence: Who ate my sandwich? By substituting she and her – She ate my sandwich. She ate my sandwich – it becomes clear that the correct choice is who because it functions as a subject.

In order to consider using they and them here, we must first recognize a key aspect of this sentence: it is an interrogative sentence, indicating it is a question.

By transforming it into a declarative sentence through moving the subject to the start and changing it into a statement instead of a question, we can more easily determine which pronoun case feels more natural: I should talk to them or I should talk to them. The objective form, them, sounds appropriate, therefore indicating that the correct word is the objective one: whom.

Sample Question:

“My mother took me to the museum yesterday,”the boy said.

The boy said that it was his mother who took him to the museum yesterday.

2023 P6 English Prelim Temasek Primary

Whom should I speak with regarding labelling food in the refrigerator? Utilising questions can assist in deciding when to use who and when to use whom. Are you discussing someone who is performing an action?

Who drives her mother’s car to school? Gina drives her mother’s car to school. Indeed, you are referring to someone performing an action; hence, the pronoun pertains to the subject of the second sentence, Gina, prompting the usage of who in your query.

Consider these sentences: Whom did Gina pick up in her mother’s car today? Gina picked up Charlie in her mother’s car today. In this instance, we are not employing the pronoun to reference the subjects of these sentences (the individuals performing actions), but rather as an indication of who those actions are directed towards – Charlie.

Consequently, as Charlie is the direct object of the verb ‘pick up’ in the second sentence, we know that using ‘whom’ in this context is appropriate. If you find that examples with ‘whom’ seem overly formal or cumbersome, you are not alone.

Many individuals avoid using ‘whom’ in informal speech or writing; some only utilise it within established expressions such as ‘to whom it may concern.’ Others never use it at all. It is common and often acceptable within various contexts to hear sentences without ‘whom.’

Sample Question:

Simon, _______father is a Science professor, emerged as the champion of the Science Olympiad this year.

1) who

2) which

3) whom

4) whose

2023 P6 English Prelim Maris Stella

In informal speech or writing, many people tend to dodge using the word ‘whom.’ They may reserve its use for specific phrases like ‘to whom it may concern,’ while omitting it entirely in other situations. Omitting ‘whom’ is prevalent and widely accepted in various contexts and languages.

The avoidance of ‘whom’ can stem from a lack of confidence in its correct usage or simply because it feels antiquated. Some language experts argue that the distinction between ‘who’ and ‘whom’ is becoming less important in modern communication practices. While using ‘whom’ correctly can add formality to your writing, its absence is often unnoticed in everyday conversations.

Remembering the rules of when to use ‘whom’ can enhance your grasp of English grammar but is not always necessary for effective communication.

When it comes to deciding whom to trust and who to consult regarding labelling food in the refrigerator, having a grasp of the rules behind using them and who can help you determine if these distinctions are important for your writing endeavours.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. What Does a Writing Teacher Do?

At W@W, a writing teacher will teach students how to approach an essay using a Plot Curve. The teacher will guide students’ essay writing skills to find a plot that makes sense, craft characters with good motivations and believable actions, and wrap up the essay satisfyingly.

2. Can You Make a Career Out of Creative Writing?

Being a creative writer can yield a career of writing for advertising purposes or teaching writing to students. Writing is a highly important skill which is essential in employment, and being able to craft a piece of work using logic and eloquence can be trained from young.

3. What is An Improper Use of Lay and Lie?

A good writing teacher will be sensitive to their students’ needs as they will be able to tell how a student learns things best. Furthermore, a good writing teacher will correct students’ basic English language skills such as grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure.

4. Why Should I Be a Writing Tutor?

Being a writing tutor is valuable as you get to impart valuable skills of your own to your students. Furthermore, teaching writing provides another perspective and you may learn new things while teaching your students, such as about how your students learn a particular subject.

5. When is the Best Time to Teach a Child to Write?

Children start reading and being able to spell before they enter primary school. By Primary 2, children will be able to craft a narrative or a short piece of writing. Writing skills can be developed in early primary school and honed further when a child approaches Primary.