Complicated Sentences with Who and Whom

If you've read our article on when to use the words "who" and "whom," you may think you're prepared to use "whom" whenever you need to. However, we suggest you read this article first in order to ensure you don't use "whom" when it actually should be "who"! For instance, what word do you use in sentences like "It will go to (who/whom) finds it"?

The correct word is actually "who"! "Who" is the subject of the verb "finds," so you have to use the subjective case. The fact that the preposition "to" comes before "who" may make the sentence seem wrong, but it is actually correct. Thus, "to who" can be correct as part of a complicated sentence like this one. (We will point out that in cases like these, "whoever" is often a better choice than "who" anyway. "It will go to whoever finds it" is the most sensible way to write the sentence.)

Now that we know that the word "who" actually can come after prepositions, when else might "who" be correct? One common mistake occurs with linking verbs. Linking verbs, such as "is" or "was," do not accept an object. Instead, they connect the subject with a subject complement, which also uses the subjective case. For instance, sentences like "It is me" are actually incorrect. They should read "It is I."

This means that, in a sentence like "It was (who/whom)," the correct word would actually be "who," the subject form! Look out for linking verbs, and if you see one, remember that the subjective case, "who," is correct in such situations.

There's one last thing to look out for. Make sure you know to what the verb is actually referring. If you have a phrase such as "(Who/Whom) do you think did it," it would be "who," the subject of "did," not the object of "think." Be careful with sentences containing multiple verbs! Remember that if you can replace it with "he," "she," or "they," use "who." "Who do you think did it?" "I think he did it."

Looking out for common mistakes like these will help you to avoid being hypercorrect. Now you're ready to start using "who" and "whom" properly!