Using who is

Many native English speakers think "whom" sounds outdated or strange. This trend is particularly common in the United States. Especially when combined with prepositions, most people prefer to use "who" as the object pronoun. To most native English speakers, the examples below sound quite natural. Who, Whom, Whose f t p. Subjects, Objects and Possessive Forms To understand how to use "who," "whom," and "whose," you first have to understand the difference between subjects, objects, and possessive forms.

Subjects do an action: He loves movies. She goes to school. We enjoy Chinese food. The teachers like him. Thomas knows her.

The actor smiled at us. His bike is broken. The same rule applies in relative clauses. Knowing who is the subject of a clause while whom is the object of a clause is one thing. Seeing it in action will help this stick in your memory bank. Who both provides more information about a noun and seeks more information in questions. Sentences in which you would use who instead of whom include:. Remember, who is the person doing the action. As the subject of a clause, who tends to come before the verb of the sentence.

Now that you know how to use who correctly, take a look at sentences with whom. Remember that whom is receiving the action while who is performing the action. You can also learn the fundamental rules of using who vs. All rights reserved. Home Grammar Who or Whom? Easy Ways to Remember Who or Whom? Easy Ways to Remember. Above or over? Across , over or through? Advice or advise? Affect or effect? All or every? All or whole? Allow , permit or let?

Almost or nearly? Alone , lonely , or lonesome? Along or alongside? Already , still or yet? Also , as well or too? Alternate ly , alternative ly Although or though? Altogether or all together? Amount of , number of or quantity of? Any more or anymore? Anyone , anybody or anything? Apart from or except for? Arise or rise? Around or round? Arouse or rouse? As or like? As , because or since? As , when or while?

Been or gone? Begin or start? Beside or besides? Between or among? Born or borne? Bring , take and fetch Can , could or may? Classic or classical? Come or go? Consider or regard? Consist , comprise or compose? Content or contents? Different from , different to or different than? Do or make? Down , downwards or downward? During or for? Each or every? East or eastern ; north or northern?

Economic or economical? Efficient or effective? Elder , eldest or older , oldest? End or finish? Especially or specially? Except or except for? Expect , hope or wait?

Experience or experiment? Fall or fall down? Far or a long way? Farther , farthest or further , furthest? Fast , quick or quickly? Fell or felt? Female or feminine ; male or masculine? Finally , at last , lastly or in the end?

First , firstly or at first? Fit or suit? Following or the following? For or since? Forget or leave? Full or filled? Fun or funny? Get or go? Grateful or thankful? Hear or listen to? High or tall? Historic or historical?