Pronoun Case: Who or Whoever Versus Whom or Whomever

1. Pronoun Case: Who or Whoever Versus Whom or Whomever MINI-LESSON #81 FROM THE UWF WRITING LAB’S 101 GRAMMAR MINI-LESSONS SERIES

2. Who and Whoever • Who and whoever are used when a subject is needed. • Substitute he (or she) for who and whoever. • He’s the professor who teaches Symbology. (He teaches Symbology.) • He who speaks must listen. (He speaks.) • Give the job to whoever applies. (He applies.)

3. Whom and Whomever • Whom and whomever are used when an object is needed. • Substitute him for whom and whomever. • Sometimes it may be necessary to rearrange the word order in which the word who or whom is functioning. • Are you trying to contact the people to whom this house belongs? (This house belongs to him.) • Give the job to whomever we recommend. (We recommend him.)

4. Let’s Practice! • I never met a man who/whom I didn’t like. • I never met a man whom I didn’t like. • Can you tell me who/whom you are? • Can you tell me who you are?

5. More Practice! • Who/whom is the artist who/whom painted this portrait of the woman who/whom he loved? • Who is the artist who painted this portrait of the woman whom he loved. • He is the one who/whom was going to leave. • He is the one who was going to leave.