It is very usual for somebody to get confused between “Who” and “Whom”. Do you also struggle to understand the difference between ‘Who” and “Whom” during IELTS preparation or in the IELTS grammar part? If yes, then this blog can help assist you in overcoming the challenges faced in using “Who” vs “Whom”.
Proper use of these words is necessary, as, despite being pronouns, these have different grammatical usage in English. Understanding the distinction between who and whom makes all the difference.
In this blog, we have covered all the essential details regarding IELTS grammar, the difference between who vs whom, and much more.
There are rules regarding when to use “Whom” and “Who”. "Who" is used as a subjective pronoun, and "Whom" is a pronoun with objectivity. This essentially indicates that "Whom" functions as an object in sentences and that "Who" is always the subject of a verb. However, the subject pronoun "Who" identifies the person who performs a task. For instance, "That's the girl who scored the goal,". Here “the girl” was the one who was scoring. Further, it is the topic of "scored." Therefore, the action is given to "Whom”, which is the objective pronoun.
To refer to the subject of the sentence, “Who” should be used
To mention the object of a verb or preposition, “Whom” must be used
Please be careful since there is one exception: after a preposition, the beginning of a sentence or clause is the one situation in which you should always use “Whom”. For instance, to whom was that letter addressed? (Not "to who"). Additionally, I'm conducting some research for my teacher, who is currently at a meeting. (Not "for whom").
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"Who" serves as an example of how to understand the subject of a verb in a sentence because it is always employed as a subjective pronoun. On the other hand, the objective pronoun "Whom" is always used as an object in a phrase.
Let's explore the situations in which we must use "Who", which designates the person who acted. To learn more about it in detail, we can say, "That's the girl who baked the cake," as an example. Because the girl does the baking, "Who", in this instance, represents the subject of the verb "baked."
However, "Whom" refers to the verb's object when it is used. It also describes the person who receives an action. For example, to whom it may concern, I am writing to inquire about the employment availability at your organisation. Here, the word "inquire" has "Whom" as its object rather than "employment."
To learn more about the difference between who and whom precisely, let us have a look at the table below:
Who | Whom | |
---|---|---|
Type of Pronoun |
Subjective |
Objective |
Usage in a Sentence |
It is the subject of a verb in a sentence. |
It is the object of a verb in a sentence. |
Type of Causative Verb |
Doer of an action. |
Receiver of an action. |
Context |
Informal |
Formal |
Example |
Who bought the painting? |
My brother is a kind man whom I adore. |
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Who vs Whom can be used in several ways to form a sentence. Let’s learn more about them in this section through some examples:
Below are the various ways to use “Who” in a sentence.
“Who” to ask a question can be used as an interrogative pronoun
Here are some instances where you can use “who” as an interrogative pronoun: “Who stole the money from the bank?” and “Who do you love the most in your family?”
Connecting a main clause to a relative clause can be used as a relative pronoun “Who”
If the relative clause gives vital information, it remains with the main clause.
If the relative clause does not give necessary information, it is separated from the main clause with commas.
“The woman who works at the pharmacy is beautiful.” and “The scientist who discovered the medicine by mistake has received numerous grants.” are examples of using “Who” as a relative pronoun.
Below are the various ways to use “Whom” in a sentence.
“Whom” can be used as a verb or preposition object.
Here are some instances where you can use “Whom would you rather have as a teammate?” or “To whom did you talk today?” are some of the examples where you can use “Whom” as a verb or preposition object.
Connecting the main clause to a relative clause, then “Whom” can be used as a relative pronoun.
If the relative clause gives vital information, it remains with the main clause.
If the relative clause does not give necessary information, it is separated from the main clause with commas.
For Instance, using “Whom” as a relative pronoun, “My father is an intelligent man whom I admire” and “Sana, with whom I study, can speak five languages.”
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To determine whether a pronoun is a subject or an object, replace "Who" and "Whom" with "he," "she," or "him."
The pronoun is the verb's subject if "he" or "she" makes grammatical sense in the sentence. It is appropriate to use "him" or "her" if necessary because it is an object in the sentence.
The specifications that apply to "Who" also apply to "whoever." The specifications that apply to "Whom" also apply to "whomever."
People who want to be identified by their gender can be referred to using pronouns. Relative pronouns give more light on the sentence's subject. As relative pronouns, “Who” and “Whom” denote the noun or noun phrase that comes before them in the sentence.
“Whom” example: Many people dislike the new chairman whom we have elected. In the clause “whom we have elected,” the pronoun whom is the object of the compound verb have elected. One would say, “We have elected him.”
“Who” example: I am scared of the old woman who lives on Main Street. In the clause “who lives on Main Street,” the pronoun who is the subject. One would say, “She lives on Main Street.”
When asking a question, you can use the terms "Who" or "Whom" as interrogative pronouns.
If he, she, it, or they are the subject pronouns, you might begin with "Who."
To help you understand the differences and guiding principles of “Who” and “Whom”, consider the following examples of “Who” and “Whom”.
Who do you think will win the race?
He is the one who found the hidden treasure in the ancient ruins.
Who is the author of this book?
Who won the singing competition?
I guess because the only one who should be looking at it is my mother.
Whom did they invite to the party?
I have a close friend with whom I can share my deepest secrets.
Whom do you think I should ask for advice?
The person with whom I went to the concert was a college friend.
Whom did they invite to the wedding?
Suggested: How to use Adjectives and Adverbs in your IELTS Grammar test?
To sum up, "Who" and "Whom" have entirely different meanings and usage because the first refers to the sentence's subject and the second to the verb or preposition's object. Overall, students must know the significance of context before using these words. Knowing and applying grammar rules carefully can help students to use who vs whom in the appropriate context.
If you want to know more about IELTS grammar or want to prepare for IELTS, we recommend you sign up for our IELTS courses designed by our experts. Please contact Prepare IELTS Exam (PI) expert counsellors if you need further guidance. Our team of education experts is dedicated to assisting you in the best possible way for the IELTS exam. You can also get a one-on-one counselling session online via our platform. Contact us at info@prepareieltsexam.com or call us at +91 9773398388.
If you want to know the subject of a sentence, use “who”, and if you want to know about the object, then use “Whom”. The trick is to look for the verb and see if “he/she” or “him/her” makes sense. For example, “Who ate the last cupcake?”, “For whom did you get the flowers?”.
It is less unusual to use “whom” at the beginning of a sentence, specifically in formal writing. For instance, “Whom do you believe?” is correct. The main point to make sure is that “whom” is used correctly according to its importance in the sentence.
When inquiring about a person performing an activity, use "who." For instance, “Who is going to the party?”. In this, you are asking about the person who will attend the party. You can always replace “who” with “she” or “he” to check if either it fits in the sentence or not.
When a person is doing something, “Who” is used, like “Who ate the sandwiches?”; however, when the person is doing or receiving an action, “Whom” is used, for example, “Whom did you trust?” So, if you want to use “him” or “her,” you can use “whom,” and if you want to use “he” or “she,” then you can use “who.”
When the person is receiving an action, you can ask, “Whom?” For example, “ To whom did you lend the money?” In this example, you are interested in the person who received the money. You can always use “Who” instead of “he” or “she” to check whether it fits in the sentence.
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