2007-10-05 14:07:30 · 6 answers · asked by Nalawala 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
"Who" is subjective, meaning it should only be used as the subject.
"Whom" is objective, meaning it should only be used as an object in a sentence.
Both of them are pronouns. To make it easier, think of the pronouns "he" and "him." Where ever you can safely use "he," you can safely use "who." Where ever you can safely use "him," you can safely use "whom."
Example 1: To whom did you give the sandwich ? (Would you say, "I gave the sandwich to "him" or to "he"?)
Example 2: Who is at the door? (Would you say, "He is at the door" ... or "Him is at the door"?)
2007-10-05 14:15:43 · answer #1 · answered by scruffycat 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Here's how I finally got it straight: Change the sentence so that, instead of "who" or "whom," you have "he" or "him," or "she" or "her." If it's "him" or "her," use "whom." Examples:
Who/Whom should I give this to?
change to: Should I give it to her?
answer: Whom should...?
He must know who/whom you are going with.
change to: Are you going with him?
answer: He must know whom you are....
I know the man who/whom sitting over there is John.
change to: He is sitting over there.
answer: The man who is....
It may seem silly to go through all that, but it worked for me.
2007-10-06 01:31:50 · answer #2 · answered by Diana 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the guy above isn't right.
"Who" is the subject form. For example:
I like my teacher, who is really funny.
But "whom" is the objective form. It is used when it is the object being spoken of in a sentence, but not the subject.
For example,
"With whom shall I go to the store?"
or
"You gave this to someone whom I do not know."
Just rememeber this: rearrange the sentence using he/him, or she/her. Wherever you use he/she you use who. Wherever you use him/her, you use whom.
I hope I helped.
2007-10-05 21:17:51 · answer #3 · answered by GOTHIC TARA J 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Who" is used for the subject. "Whom is used for an object, usually the object of a preposition: WITH whom are you going? TO whom does this belong? This letter is FROM whom?
For reference, "he" is used for a subject, "him" is used for an object. For example, He is going /Who is going? To whom does it belong?/ It belongs to him. This letter is from whom/It is from him.
2007-10-05 21:23:11 · answer #4 · answered by orazorca 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who are you looking for?
To whom it might concern.
2007-10-05 23:45:30 · answer #5 · answered by loralaey 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whom, when it is the object of a preposition.
2007-10-05 21:15:38 · answer #6 · answered by William C 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋