Tuesday Tidbit #6- Who’s confused about whom? (AKA- when to use who and whom)

Happy Tuesday to all you amazing people! I hope you had an awesome weekend!

I don’t know if it’s come across in my past couple Tidbit posts, but I kind of love grammar. And, since many of you are headed back to school/college/uni in a little while, I figured this is the month to gush about grammar!

This week’s Tidbit is all about knowing who’s who. Or rather, when to use who and whom. We’ve all seen a television show or movie where they let the audience know who the “smart one” is by having them correct someone with a quiet *ahem* “whoooom.” But if you’re going to be writing essays, or books, or blog posts, it might be helpful to actually know the difference between the two.

Just like a lot of grammar rules, there’s a trick to remembering which word to use when.

When to use “who:”

According to the official rule, “who” is used “to refer to the subject of the sentence.” All this means is if the answer to the question is “he” or “she,” use “who.” FOR EXAMPLE:

“Who stole Captain Holt’s Medal of Honor?” “He did, the one and only Jake Peralta.”

Because the subject is “he/she,” you would use “who.”

When to use “whom:”

Officially, “whom” is used “to refer to the object of a verb or preposition.” Basically, where “who” refers to “he/she,” our friend “whom” refers to “him/her.” FOR EXAMPLE:

“To whom do I address this RSVP?” “You should send it to her, the bride.”

So whenever you’re gonna answer with “him/her,” you’d use “whom.”

This is one of those tiny details that will help take your essays, novel, or blog posts stand out to anyone who’ll be reading your work!

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Thanks for reading!

Did this help you at all? Did you know the difference between the who and whom? Are there any other writing-related rules you’re confused by? Let me know in the comments below!