As an expert in linguistics and English grammar, I can provide a detailed explanation on the use of "who" and "whom" in English sentences. The distinction between these two pronouns is a common point of confusion for many English speakers, but understanding their correct usage can greatly enhance the clarity and formality of one's speech and writing.

Step 1: English Explanation

The pronouns "who" and "whom" are used to refer to people. "Who" is a subjective pronoun, while "whom" is an objective pronoun. The term "subjective" refers to the subject of a sentence, which is the person or thing performing the action of the verb. Conversely, "objective" refers to the object of a sentence, which is the person or thing receiving the action.

To determine whether to use "who" or "whom," one can often apply a simple test: if you can replace the pronoun with "he" or "she" and the sentence still makes sense, use "who." If you can replace it with "him" or "her," use "whom." Here are some examples to illustrate this:

1. Subjective use ("who"):
- Who is going to the party tonight?
- I wonder who called me earlier.

2. Objective use ("whom"):
- To whom was the letter addressed?
- Whom did you say that to?

However, this test can sometimes be misleading, especially in more complex sentences. A more reliable method is to rephrase the sentence to find the true subject or object. For instance:

- Original: Whom did you see at the store?
- Rephrased: You saw him/ her at the store.

In the rephrased sentence, the pronoun is the object of the verb "saw," which means the original sentence should use "whom."

It's also important to note that "who" and "whom" can be used in both interrogative (questions) and relative (describing) clauses:

- Interrogative: Who is the best candidate for the job?
- Relative: The person who you spoke to is the manager.

"Whoever" and "whomever" are the plural or indefinite forms of "who" and "whom," respectively. They are used when the identity of the person is not known or is unspecified:

- Interrogative: Whoever takes the last cookie will have to make more.
- Relative: The book whomever you choose will be a great read.

The use of "who" and "whom" is often a matter of formal English, and in everyday speech, many people use "who" in both subjective and objective cases. However, in formal writing and in situations where you want to convey a higher level of language proficiency, the distinction is important.

Step 2: Divider

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Yes, though it may depend on whom you ask! --Who-- and --whoever-- are subjective pronouns; --whom-- and --whomever-- are in the objective case. That simply means that --who-- (and the same for --whoever--) is always subject to a verb, and that --whom-- (and the same for --whomever--) is always working as an object in a sentence.read more >>