“Who” and “whom” in English

Hi , everyone! Today, we're going to dive into an important grammar topic: the difference between 'who' and 'whom'.

These two words are often confusing for many English learners, but understanding when to use each one will help you sound more natural and correct in both writing and speaking.

learn: Superlative adjectives

1. Overview

"Who" and "whom" are both relative pronouns , but they are used differently based on their grammatical role in a sentence .

• Who : This is used as the subject of a sentence or clause. It refers to the who is performing the action.
• Example:
• "Who is coming to your birthday party?"
• "Who" is the subject of the verb "is coming."
• Whom: This is used as the object of a verb or a preposition. It refers to the one who is receiving the action.
• Example:
• "To whom should I address this letter?"
• "Whom" is the object of the preposition "to."

2. The Rule

Who is used when the person is the subject (the one doing the action).

Whom is used when the person is the object (the one receiving the action).

3. When to Use "Who" or "Whom"

If you're not sure whether to use "who" or "whom," you can try answering the question:

• If the answer would use a subject pronoun like "he," "she," or "they," use who.
• If the answer would use an object pronoun like "him," "her," or "them," use whom.

Tasks

Task 1: Choose "who" or "whom"

1. She is the one ________ invited me to the event.

2. To ________ did you send the letter?

3. I wonder ________ will be the next president.

4. This is the student ________ I was talking about.

5. Can you tell me ________ she is looking for?

6. The teacher is the one ________ taught me everything I know.

7. I have a friend ________ speaks five languages.

8. With ________ are you going to the concert?

9. He is the one ________ we should have asked for advice.

10. The person ________ called you is waiting outside.

Answers:

1. who

2. whom

3. who

4. whom

5. who

6. who

7. who

8. whom

9. who

10. who

Task 2: Identify whether "who" or "whom" is correct in the following sentences.

The sentence	The correct answer (who or whom )
She is the one…………. always makes everyone laugh.	Who
The people with …………..   I am traveling are great.	Whom
Do you know the person ………. I invited to dinner?	Whom
I met a girl ………. loves to paint	Who
To …………. did you give the keys?	Whom
I wonder ………. left their jacket on the chair.	Who
The dog ………. barked all night finally calmed down .	Who
Do you remember the man ………. used to live here?	Who

Task 3: write 15 sentences using the expression “who”.

Answers : 

• Who is the artist who painted this beautiful mural?
• Who is responsible for cleaning the kitchen?
• The person who called you earlier left a message.
• I don’t know who took my pen from the desk.
• The author who wrote that book is coming to visit our school.
• I don’t know who to trust in this situation.
• There’s someone at the door who wants to speak with you.
• The children who are playing outside are my neighbors.
• I wonder who will be the next leader of the group.
• Who is the best candidate for the job?
• I can’t believe who showed up at the event!
• The team who won the championship is celebrating today.
• The friend who helped me move is a lifesaver.
• He’s the man who founded the company.
• The customer who complained about the service was very polite.

Task 4: write 15 sentences using the expression “whom”.

Answers:

• The teacher whom I admire most is Ms. Smith .
• I don’t know with whom Sarah went to the party.
• The doctor to whom you spoke is on vacation this week.
• The friend with whom I traveled to Paris is an excellent photographer.
• The person for whom the gift is intended will be so happy.
• The author, to whom the award was given, gave a great speech.
• The woman to whom I gave the book was very grateful.
• The person from whom I bought this jacket was very kind.
• Whom did you choose as your partner for the project?
• The woman whom I saw at the store is my neighbor.
• The author whom I admire most just released a new book.
• The client to whom we presented the proposal was impressed.
• The friend with whom I went on vacation is getting married.
• The man to whom I gave my phone number never called.
• Whom did you consult before making that decision?

Recapitulation of the lesson

"Great job, everyone! You've now learned the key differences between 'who' and 'whom' and how to use them correctly in sentences. Remember, 'who' is for the subject, and 'whom' is for the object—whether it’s the object of a verb or a preposition.

If you're ever unsure, just ask yourself if the answer would be ‘he/she/they’ (for who) or ‘him/her/them’ (for whom). Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes ; they’re an important part of learning! 

Thanks for your attention and participation today .