Exercise: who vs whom

who vs whom: What’s the Difference?

The difference between “who” and “whom” lies in their grammatical functions within a sentence. So, let’s explore ‘who‘ vs ‘whom‘:

Who:

• Function: “Who” is used as a subject pronoun.
• Example: “Who is at the door?” (In this question, “who” is the subject of the verb “is.”)

Whom:

• Function: “Whom” is used as an object pronoun.
• Example: “Whom did you invite to the party?” (In this question, “whom” is the object of the verb “invite.”)

In practical terms, determining whether to use “who” or “whom” can sometimes be challenging, especially in more complex sentences. However, a simple trick is to rephrase the sentence and see if “he” or “him” fits better:

• If “he” fits, use “who” (e.g., “Who is at the door?” –> “He is at the door.”)
• If “him” fits, use “whom” (e.g., “Whom did you invite to the party?” –> “You invited him to the party”)

It’s worth noting that the use of “whom” has become less common in everyday spoken English, and many people use “who” in both subjective and objective cases. In formal writing or situations where grammatical precision is crucial, the correct use of “whom” is still observed.

For a deeper understanding of interrogative pronouns, be sure to read “How to Use interrogative pronouns“

Let’s practice

Difficulty Level : Intermediate / Proficient / Advanced / Skilled

Instructions : In this exercise, choose between the words “who” and “whom” to fill in the blank in each sentence.

Exercises : who vs whom

1. To _______ should I address this letter ?
2. _______ did you invite to the party ?
3. The detective, _______ I trust implicitly, is on the case.
4. _______ is responsible for this mess ?
5. The student _______ you recommended for the scholarship has been accepted.
6. ______ should I ask for help when I need it ?
7. The manager, _____ we met yesterday, seems very competent.
8. _____ are you planning to nominate for the leadership position ?
9. I wonder _____ she chose as her dance partner.
10. The woman, _____ I assumed was the manager, was very helpful.
11. _ _____did you meet at the conference last week ?
12. The doctor, ______ I consulted about my health concerns, was very knowledgeable.
13. ______should I trust in this situation ?
14. _______ should I contact if I have questions about the project ?

Answers

1. To whom should I address this letter?
2. Who did you invite to the party?
3. The detective, whom I trust implicitly, is on the case.
4. Who is responsible for this mess?
5. The student whom you recommended for the scholarship has been accepted.
6. Whom should I ask for help when I need it?
7. The manager, whom we met yesterday, seems very competent.
8. Who are you planning to nominate for the leadership position?
9. I wonder whom she chose as her dance partner.
10. The woman, whom I assumed was the manager, was very helpful.
11. Who did you meet at the conference last week?
12. The doctor, whom I consulted about my health concerns, was very knowledgeable.
13. Who should I trust in this situation?
14. Whom should I contact if I have questions about the project?

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