Who vs Whom | Difference, Use & Examples
Who functions as the subject of a sentence or clause, but whom functions as an object.
- The subject pronoun “who” is correct if you can recast the sentence or clause with “she,” “he,” or “they.”
- The object pronoun “whom” is correct if you can recast with “her,” “him” or “them.”
Sentence or clause with who/whom | Recast |
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Who was responsible? | She was responsible. |
With whom does the responsibility lie? | The responsibility lies with her. |
The question is who is responsible for the crime. | …he is responsible for the crime. |
The question of to whom we can apportion the blame remains unanswered. | We can apportion the blame to him. |
The suspects, who were already known to the authorities, were arrested yesterday. | …they were already known to the authorities… |
The suspects, whom the authorities have been monitoring, were arrested yesterday. | …the authorities have been monitoring them… |
Whom has a very formal stylistic effect, which you may want to avoid. In informal contexts such as everyday conversations and emails, we normally use who as both a subject and an object pronoun.
How to use who
Who usually refers to people. In informal contexts, it can function as both a subject and an object.
It is used in questions as an interrogative pronoun.
Who did you go out with last night?
It also functions as a relative pronoun in adjective clauses (or relative clauses).
The salesperson, who was very helpful, ordered it for me.
If “who” functions as the object of a restrictive relative clause, you can leave it out. But you can’t leave it out if it is the subject of the restrictive clause.
- I gave the customer who you served just before lunch a refund.
- I gave the customer you served just before lunch a refund.
- The salesperson who served you is now on his lunch break.
- The salesperson served you is now on his lunch break.
How to use whom
“Whom” has a very formal stylistic effect. If you use it in informal contexts instead of “who,” it can sound unnatural or old-fashioned. Overly formal language can also sound impolite in informal interactions.
- Hi Sara! Who was that you were just talking to?
- Hi Sara! To whom were you just talking?
“Whom” functions as the object of a sentence or clause or the object of a preposition. It corresponds to the object pronouns “her,” “him,” and “they” and is used as a relative pronoun.
Whom as a relative pronoun examples | Corresponding object pronoun |
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The King for whom the castle was built never visited it. | The castle was built for him. |
The Queen, whom he wanted to marry there, did not like its location. | He wanted to marry her there. |
The King and Queen, of whom we know relatively little, were married in the capital. | We know relatively little of them. |
When to use who or whom
To check if “whom” is correct in your sentence or clause, try to recast it using her, him, or they. If it is possible, then “whom” is a grammatically correct choice.
Sentence or clause with whom | Check with her, him or they |
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Whom should we thank for this? | We should thank her for this. |
The student to whom she wanted to award the prize was absent. | She wanted to award the prize to him. |
Her brothers, whom she had not seen for 30 years, did not attend. | She had not seen them for 30 years. |
He spotted a woman whom he thought looked like the manager. | He thought her looked like the manager. [It should be “she,” so who is correct] |
She was apprehensive about whom would join the team. | Them would join the team. [It should be “they,” so who is correct] |
You typically have to use “whom” (rather than “who”) directly after a preposition. This is because “whom” is almost always the object of that preposition.
With whom would you like to speak, sir?
However, the object of a preposition can be a whole noun clause beginning with “who.” In this case, you can’t change “who” to “whom” directly after a preposition.
- She was apprehensive about who would join the team.
- She was apprehensive about whom would join the team.
- He is very interested in who is going to win.
- He is very interested in whom is going to win.
If you want to check whether your sentence with whom is correct, you can put it into QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker.
To Whom It May Concern
To Whom It May Concern is a standard opening to a formal email or letter addressed to a nonspecific recipient, such as a company or department.
It is a fixed expression, so it is incorrect to write “To Who It May Concern.”
I am writing to apply for the position of salesperson…
Who vs whom quiz
Frequently asked questions about who and whom
- Is it to who or to whom?
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To whom (not “to who”) is the correct choice in the formal letter greeting “To Whom It May Concern.”
“To whom” is also the correct option at the beginning of a question (e.g., “To whom shall I give it?”).
But bear in mind that “whom” has a very formal stylistic effect, which you may want to avoid. In most everyday contexts, it is better to use “who” and put the preposition “to” at the end (e.g., “Who shall I give it to?”).
“To whom” (not “to who”) is also grammatically correct at the beginning of an adjective clause (e.g., “The man, to whom she was married for ten years, did not attend”). But again, “who” is often the better option, with “to” in a later position (e.g., “The man, who she was married to for ten years, did not attend”).
Using “to whom” in a restrictive adjective clause produces sentences that can be difficult to read (e.g., “This is the man to whom she was married”). Here you can leave out “whom” altogether and move “to” to a later position (e.g., “This is the man she was married to”).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “who” and “whom” correctly.
- Is it by whom or by who?
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By whom (not “by who”) is the correct choice at the beginning of a question (e.g., “By whom was it written?”).
But “whom” has a very formal stylistic effect, which you may want to avoid, so in most everyday contexts it is better to use “who” and put the preposition “by” at the end (e.g., “Who was it written by?”).
“By whom” (not “by who”) is also the grammatically correct choice at the beginning of an adjective clause (e.g., “The Rector, by whom he was appointed, made no comment”). But again, “who” is often the better option, with “by” in a later position (e.g., “The Rector, who he was appointed by, made no comment”).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “who” and “whom” correctly.
- Is it from who or from whom?
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From whom (not “from who”) is the correct choice at the beginning of a question (e.g., “From whom did you get it?”).
But “whom” has a very formal stylistic effect, which you may want to avoid, so in most everyday contexts it is better to use “who” and put the preposition “from” at the end (e.g., “Who did you get it from?”).
“From whom” (not “from who”) is also the grammatically correct choice at the beginning of an adjective clause (e.g., “His colleague, from whom he learned so much, retired last year”). But again, “who” is often the better option, with “from” in a later position (e.g., “His colleague, who he learned so much from, retired last year”).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “who” and “whom” correctly.
- Is it for who or for whom?
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For whom (not “for who”) is the correct choice at the beginning of a question (e.g., “For whom is this delivery?”).
But “whom” has a very formal stylistic effect, which you may want to avoid, so in most everyday contexts it is better to use “who” and put the preposition “for” at the end (e.g., “Who is this delivery for?”).
“For whom” (not “for who”) is also the grammatically correct choice at the beginning of an adjective clause (e.g., “The teacher, for whom he was supposed to be substituting, was in her classroom”). But again, “who” is often the better option, with “for” in a later position (e.g., “The teacher, who he was supposed to be substituting for, was in her classroom”).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “who” and “whom” correctly.
- Is it to who or whom it may concern?
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The formal letter greeting “To Whom It May Concern” is a fixed expression. Who and whom are often confused, but it is incorrect to write “To Who It May Concern.”
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “who” and “whom” correctly.