Use relative pronouns: who and whom

Key Notes :

Definition:

Relative Pronouns: Words that introduce relative clauses and connect them to a noun or pronoun in the main clause.

Usage of “Who”:

Subject Pronoun: “Who” is used as the subject of a verb in a relative clause.

Examples:

  • “The teacher who teaches math is very helpful.”
  • “She is the one who won the award.”

Usage of “Whom”:

Object Pronoun: “Whom” is used as the object of a verb or preposition in a relative clause.

Examples:

  • “The student whom you saw yesterday is my friend.”
  • “To whom did you give the book?”

Identifying “Who” vs. “Whom”:

To decide whether to use “who” or “whom,” ask if you can replace it with a subject pronoun (he, she, they) or an object pronoun (him, her, them):

  • If you would use he/she/they: Use who.

Example: “He is the person who called me.”

  • If you would use him/her/them: Use whom.

Example: “I saw him, whom I met last week.”

Informal Usage:

  • In informal contexts, many people use “who” instead of “whom,” even when “whom” is technically correct.
  • Example: “Who are you going to the party with?” (correct usage should be “whom”).

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