Who and whom have case, just like the pairs in Pronouns in Pairs: who is a subject, like he; whom is an object, like him. They often start the adjective clauses you studied in Grammar, and they start many questions.
The he/him test. Turn the question or the clause into a short statement, and put in he or him. If him fits, use whom; both end in m.
| Sentence | Statement test | Choice |
|---|---|---|
| (Who / Whom) called you? | He called you. | Who |
| (Who / Whom) did you call? | You called him. | Whom |
| To (who / whom) did you write? | You wrote to him. | whom |
| The girl (who / whom) won … | She won. | who |
Key idea
Who does what a subject does (he); whom receives an action or follows a preposition (him). Choose by the word’s job inside its own clause, not by the words around it.
Why it works
In a long sentence, who and whom tell the reader how the clause is built: who did the action and who received it.
Worked example: A clause in the middle
Our coach, (who / whom) everyone admires, is retiring.
- Take the clause alone: “everyone admires ___.”
- Everyone admires him: an object.
Answer: Our coach, whom everyone admires, is retiring.
Worked example: After a preposition, but a subject
Give the prize to (whoever / whomever) finishes first.
- To comes first, which tempts you toward whomever.
- But inside its clause the word is the subject of finishes: he finishes first.
- The whole clause is the object of to.
Answer: Give the prize to whoever finishes first.
Worked example: Words in between
(Who / Whom) do you think will win?
- Set aside do you think: “___ will win?”
- He will win: a subject.
Answer: Who do you think will win?
Common mistake
Choosing by the nearby words instead of the word’s job in its own clause, as in “to whomever finishes.” Also know the range: many people use who for both in conversation (“Who did you call?”), and that is normal speech. Formal writing keeps whom for objects.