Who vs Whom: Examples, Difference & Definition

Who and whom are two words that might look similar but have different meanings. 

These two words confuse many people while taking IELTS Writing and Speaking Tests. Even native English speakers get confused between them. Therefore, it is essential to understand the difference between who and whom. 

We have explained in detail the definition and application of both the words in a sentence and their synonyms to help you understand the words better and use them wisely in your IELTS preparation and in daily conversation.

So, let’s get started.

Difference between Who vs Whom 

‘Who’ is always used as a subjective pronoun, meaning it is the subject of a verb in a sentence. On the other hand, ‘whom’ is an objective pronoun and is always used as an object in a sentence.

To clarify further, let’s look at examples when we use ‘who’, which refers to the doer of an action. For instance, we can say, ‘That’s the boy who baked the cake’. Here, ‘who’ represents the subject of the verb ‘baked’ because the boy does the baking.

Alternatively, when we use ‘whom’, it means the object of the verb. It also refers to the receiver of an action. For example, we can say, ‘To whom it may concern, I am writing to inquire about the job vacancy at your company.’ Here, ‘whom’ is the object of the verb ‘inquire’, not ‘like’.

Refer to the table below to learn more about who vs. whom.

	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.

Grammar Rules for Who vs Whom

Some essential grammar rules for who vs whom are as follows: 

• “Who” should be used when referring to the subject of a sentence, while “whom” refers to the object of a verb or preposition.
• “Whom” is the correct choice after a preposition. Instead of saying “with whom” or “one of whom,” it is grammatically correct to say “with whom” or “one of whom.”
• When a preposition is used at the beginning of a sentence or clause, you should always use ‘whom’. For example, instead of saying ‘to whom’, you should say ‘whom’. Similarly, instead of saying “for who,” you should say “for whom.”

Usage of Who vs Whom in a Sentence

Who vs whom can be used in different ways in a sentence. Let’s delve into the detailed explanation of the usage of who and whom. 

How to Use Who in a Sentence?

Below are the various ways to use who in a sentence. 

• To ask a question, “who” can be used as an interrogative pronoun. 
• Examples of using “who” as an interrogative pronoun are: “Who stole the jewellery?” and “Who do you think you are talking to?” 
• “Who” can also be used as a relative pronoun, connecting a main clause to a relative clause. 

• If the relative clause gives essential information, it stays with the main clause. 
• If the relative clause does not give important information, it is separated from the main clause with commas. 
• Examples of using “who” as a relative pronoun are: “The woman who works at the pharmacy is beautiful.” and “The scientist who discovered the medicine by mistake has received  numerous grants.”

How to Use Whom in a Sentence?

Below are the different ways to use whom in a sentence.

• “Whom” can be used as a verb or preposition object. 
• Examples of using “who” as a verb or preposition object are: “From whom did we receive these gifts?” and “There’s no one whom I like more.” 
• “Whom” can also be used as a relative pronoun, connecting a main clause to a relative clause. 

• If the relative clause gives essential information, it stays with the main clause. 
• If the relative clause does not give important information, it is separated from the main clause with commas. 
• Examples of using “whom” as a relative pronoun are: “My father is an intelligent man whom I admire” and “Sana, with whom I study, can speak five languages.”

Read about other confusing words:

• Advice v/s Advise
• Affect vs Effect
• Belief vs believe

When to use Who vs Whom

Rule 1: Subject or Object?

If you want to determine if a pronoun is a subject or object, you should replace Who and whom with ‘he’ and ‘she’ or ‘him’ and ‘her.’

If ‘he’ or ‘she’ in the sentence makes sense grammatically, then the pronoun is the verb’s subject. If you have to use ‘him’ or ‘her’, which fits well, it is an object to the sentence.

Rule 2: Beginning with a question

Both the words ‘who’ and ‘whom’ can be applied at the beginning of the question as interrogative pronouns. 

You can start with ‘who’ if the subject pronoun is he, she, it, or they. 

Rule 3: Dependent Clause

Pronouns can be used to refer to individuals who wish to be referred to to indicate their gender identity. Relative pronouns provide more information on the subject of the sentence. Who and Whom can function as relative pronouns, which means it means the noun or noun phrase earlier in the sentence.

Rule 4: Whoever and Whomever

The rules applied to ‘who’ is the same for ‘whoever’. The rules applied to ’ whom’ are the same for ‘whomever’.

5 Examples of Who and Whom

Listed below are some examples of who and whom for a better understanding of the differences and principles of who and whom.

Who

1. The girl who sat beside her was her daughter.
2. Are you going to tell me who she is?
3. I guess because the only one who should be looking at it is my mother.
4. I have a close friend who is a talented musician and plays multiple instruments.
5. He is the one who found the hidden treasure in the ancient ruins.

Whom

1. The person with whom I went to the concert was a childhood friend.
2. I have a close friend with whom I can share my deepest secrets.
3. I have a colleague with whom I share common interests in history.
4. Riya, with whom I work closely, is an excellent team player.
5. We attended an art workshop with professionals with whom we gained valuable insights.

Also, read other grammar topics:

• Subject and Object
• Masculine and Feminine
• Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Homonyms vs Homophones vs Homographs

Complex Usage of Who vs Whom

You have learned the basics of who vs whom, but it can be more complicated. Let’s look at the example given below: 

“A number of colleagues went to the cafe, one of who/whom was the birthday girl.”

The correct usage here is ‘whom’, so the sentence should be:

“A number of colleagues went to the cafe, one of whom was the birthday girl.”

The reason is that “whom” is the object of the verb “was” in the subordinate clause “one of whom,” and it reflects the relationship between the pronoun and the verb in this context.

Final Thoughts

Knowing when to use “who” and “whom” is important for clear communication. It might seem like a small grammar detail, but it makes a big difference. In IELTS preparation, this skill is really important. It shows that you’re good with language.

This is important for getting a good score on the test. So, understanding when to use “who” and “whom” is not just about grammar. It’s a smart move to do well in the IELTS exam. In short, getting the hang of “who” and “whom” adds a touch of sophistication to your language skills. It’s a small but important step toward doing well in your IELTS journey.

Frequently Asked Questions