Who vs. Whom: Understanding Pronouns in Sentence Structure

When should we use 'who' or 'whom' in a sentence?

Do you know the proper usage of 'who' and 'whom' in different contexts?

Answer:

The pronouns 'who' and 'whom' serve different functions in a sentence, depending on whether they are used as the subject or object.

When deciding whether to use 'who' or 'whom' in a sentence, it is important to consider their roles as subject and object pronouns. 'Who' is used when referring to the subject of a sentence, while 'whom' is used when referring to the object.

For example, in the sentence "The audience loved the magician, who pulled a rabbit out of his hat," 'who' is used because it refers to the magician as the one performing the action of pulling a rabbit out of his hat.

On the other hand, in the sentence "The audience loved the magician, whom they found tacky but charming," 'whom' is used because it refers to the magician as the object of the action—they found him tacky but charming.

Remember, 'who' is for the subject (he/she/they) and 'whom' is for the object (him/her/them) in a sentence. By understanding this distinction, you can confidently use 'who' and 'whom' correctly in your writing.