The difference between 'who' and 'whom'

Use who as the subject, and use whom as the object. Here's a trick, the subject generally comes before the verb, and the object comes after the verb:

Pat gave Max a book.
Who gave whom . . . .

Prepositions also have objects:

Pat gave the book to Max.
Pat gave the book to whom?

With the passive, the subject

Casi:

With the passive, the subject and the object switch positions, so the object comes before the verb:

Max was given a book.
Whom was given a book?

Speakers often shorten "whom" to "who":

I'm confused by something you've said here, Casi. Are you saying that "Max" is the object in the sentence, "Max was given a book." ?

JTT wrote:
I'm confused by something you've said here, Casi. Are you saying that "Max" is the object in the sentence, "Max was given a book." ?

Yes. That's correct, JTT. "Max" has a dual function: It's the structural subject but it's also the semantic object (indirect kind) of the verb. Does that help ease your confusion?

Max (IO) was given the bo

Hello Casi

I too am puzzled. In this example, for instance, 'who' is the subject, and 'book' is the object:

1. 'Who was given the book?'

While here, 'Max' is the subject, and 'book' is again the object:

2. 'Max was given the book.'

While here:

3. *'Whom was given the book?'

the 'whom' is ungrammatical, and should be changed to

Hello Casi

I think we would say;
Who/Whom was the book given to?
but we can't say;
(*) Who/Whom was given the book?

paco

Hello JKB

We have already talked a lot on something related to this issue.
If you are interested in our discussion, please visit;[url="http://www.EnglishForward.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=67735"]post 67735[/url]

paco.

Thanks, Paco, I'd forgotten about that thread!

Since we're discussing passive constructions ('who was given the book?') rather than active constructions ('to whom did you give the book?'), it might be easier to take an example whose 'active version' doesn't contain an indirect object:

1. Who was killed? – subject pronoun 'who' in passive construction.
2. Whom did you kill

but we can't say;
(*) Who/Whom was given the book?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"Who was given the book?" is fine, Paco.

JTT

Suppose it is fine, then we may change it the way like this;
"Who/Whom was given the book (by them)?"
[passive -> active] -->"They gave who/whom the book?"
[active interrogative]-->"Who/Whom did they give the book?"
Have you ever used such a wh-question?

I always use a sentence like this;
--> "Who/Whom di

We can only retain one object in such sentences when we switch from active to passive:

1. 'To whom ( IO) did you ( S) give the book ( DO)?'

When we make this passive, the old IO becomes the new S; the DO remains as DO; and the old S becomes the new (unspecified) agent of the verb, i.e.

2. 'Who ( S) was given the book ( DO)?

If you want to include the agen