Who vs. Whom
The Basic Rule
- Who = subject (does the action)
- Whom = object (receives the action)
The He/Him Test
For “who” → substitute “he/she/they”
- Who called? → He called. ✓ (Use who)
- Who is coming? → She is coming. ✓ (Use who)
For “whom” → substitute “him/her/them”
- To whom did you speak? → I spoke to him. ✓ (Use whom)
- Whom did you call? → I called him. ✓ (Use whom)
Memory Trick
- Who = he (both end in no ‘m’)
- Whom = him (both end in ‘m’)
Who - As Subject
“Who” performs the action.
Examples
- Who ate my sandwich? (He ate it.)
- The woman who called is my mother. (She called.)
- Who is responsible? (He is responsible.)
- I know who did it. (He did it.)
Whom - As Object
“Whom” receives the action.
Examples
- Whom did you see? (I saw him.)
- To whom should I send this? (Send it to him.)
- The person whom I called wasn’t home. (I called him.)
- Whom did they hire? (They hired her.)
After Prepositions
Use “whom” after prepositions (to, for, with, from, etc.):
- To whom it may concern
- With whom are you going?
- For whom is this gift?
- From whom did you get it?
In Modern Usage
Formal Writing
- The candidate whom we selected…
- To whom should I address this?
Informal Speaking
Many people use “who” in all cases:
- Who did you call? (informal, common)
- Who is this for? (informal, common)
“Whom” is becoming less common in casual speech, but it’s still important for formal writing.
Practice Examples
| Question | Answer | Test |
|---|---|---|
| ___ called? | Who | He called. |
| ___ did you invite? | Whom | I invited him. |
| ___ is coming? | Who | She is coming. |
| With ___ did you go? | whom | I went with him. |
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| Whom called? | Who called? |
| Who did you give it to? | To whom did you give it? (formal) |
| I know whom did it. | I know who did it. |
Not sure whether to use who or whom? Substitute he or him: if he fits, use who; if him fits, use whom. Both end in m, which makes them easy to remember.