Who knows who’s the who’s who these days? And whose job is it to keep up with such matters? While we’re unsure of the answer to either of those questions, we do know “who” is on first.
Who/Whom:
Who: Who is a subject pronoun used to refer to the subject of a sentence or clause: “Who do you think you are?”- Whom: Whom is an object pronoun used when the pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition: “To whom is that letter addressed?”
- Tip: Whom is often preceded by prepositions like “of,” “to,” “with,” “for,” and “in.”
- Tip—Checking your work: You can check whether you selected the correct pronoun by rearranging the surrounding phrase and adding either she or her. If you would add she, then you need who. If you would add her, then you need whom.
- Example: To who/whom was the letter addressed?
- To who did her address the letter? (nonsense)
- To whom did she address the letter? (correct)
- Example: To who/whom was the letter addressed?
Rule (who/whom): Use who to refer to the SUBJECT of a clause and whom to refer to the OBJECT of a clause.
Who’s/Whose:
- Who’s: Who’s is a contraction of “who is” or “who has”: “Who’s going to bring the dessert to this weekend’s potluck?”
- Whose: Whose is a possessive pronoun used to inquire into ownership or possession: “Whose Ford Focus is parked in front of the fire hydrant?”
Rule: If you need a CONTRACTION, use who’s; for POSSESSION, use whose.
So who’s ready for some practice problems?
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