h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have always been wondering the difference between who and whom. I have got a reference book and it says whom is used when the pronoun is the object of the sentence and who is used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence. What does it mean with object and subject and how can you tell which one.

WHO is subjective. Think of it as being parallel to I, HE or SHE. "I smell something terrible." "HE farted." "SHE Objected." "WHO didn't?"

WHOM is objective. Think of it as parallel to ME, HIM or HER. "Some of it got on ME!" "She chastised HIM." "He offended HER." "The blows fell upon WHOM?"

Hope that makes sense!

Thankyou it is a bit helpful but what happens if you cant tell which one. When I searched this question on the internet the websites just say when you replace it with I he she they we me him her them us then you can tell but what happens when both work. What is the difference between subject and object.

In a typical sentence, there are three parts. Subject, predicate (or verb), and object.

The subject is the noun or pronoun which does the action, the verb IS the action, and the object is on the receiving end.

John (subject) ate (verb) saurkraut (object).

Some sentences don't need an object at all, if the verb is intransitive, for example.

John (subject) farted (verb, intransitive).

If a noun is replaced with a pronoun, it takes either the subjective or objective form.

John (he) farted.

Jillian (subject) slapped (verb) John (him,object pronoun).

"Who" always occupies the subjective position while "whom" plays the objective role.

It's not all that hard, is it?

Thankyou it is becoming more clearer but do you mind giving an example which contains who and whom. You also say the object is the receiving end but how do you replace it with a pronoun.

Who (subject) hit (verb) whom (object)?

It is, of course, best not to bring Doctor Who into such discussions, which is why I'm doing it:

Who (subject) hit (verb) Who (object)!

Why is /hit/ always the verb of choice in these discussions? Do you think grammarians are sublimating violent tendencies through their pedantry?

TRiG.

Has anybody else got more examples of using who and whom because they are really helpful.

Simplistic -

Who did what to whom
?

Who's on first?

With whom is he on first?

I don't know.

Second base...

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Surely you mean pedanticism.

I ought to hit you for that.

Thankyou everybody for your help it makes a lot more sense now but I just want to make sure I understand here is a question.

Alan is going to tell the police -- he thinks is responsible for the attack.

Alan is going to tell the police -- he thinks to be responsible for the attack.

Please can someone fill in the blanks with either who or whom and say what is the subject verb and object of each sentence. Who and whom is only used once and I know what goes in where but I just want someone to explain how.

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Take out "HE THINKS"; it is a subordinate clause and not significant to the structure of the sentence. Then read the sentence out loud.

It should sound ridiculous with WHOM.

What about the second sentence and please can you explain in each sentence what is the subject verb and object.

The second sentence is poor grammar no matter what. If you must use "to be" incorrectly, it would still be WHO.

"Alan" is the subject

"will tell" is the predicate verb

"The police" is the object

The rest are supporting clauses, one major independent clause and a dependent clause.

(These used to be referred to a subordinate and insubordinate clauses, but it provided too many straight lines for jokes about rude elfs and grammarians are too pedantic to have senses of humour.)

"(These used to be referred to a subordinate and insubordinate clauses, but it provided too many straight lines for jokes about rude elfs and grammarians are too pedantic to have senses of humour.)"

I got the examples from my reference book. The first is supposed to be who and the second one is supposed to be whom. In the examples what is the who supposed to be representing and also how is it the subject of the verb.

If the second sentence is intnded to mean that Alan thinks the police are responsible for the attack, the book is correct, although the sentence is poorly constructed once the blanks are filled in.

But if you had the answer, why are you asking me and others to fill in the blanks? May I suggest that you use your reference book to learn grammar? That would be a little more decent than trying to trap those WHO are trying to help you.