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Blaisem Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Who or Whom?
Hello there, first time poster here. I had a question on a probably very common topic that I hoped a patient soul here might still have it in them to deign to answer: Is who or whom in this sentence appropriate, and why?
I have three examples sentences that I am confused on. I will write my corresponding reasoning below each.
1. Give these old coats to __________ seems to need them most.
Answer: Whoever.
My Guess: Whomever. Whomever followed the preposition "to" which places it in the objective case as the object of a preposition. The blank above presents a dilemma for me: I have both the object of a preposition as well as, according to verb agreement with "seems," the subject of a subordinate clause. How do I distinguish in such a scenario between objective and nominative case?
2. __________ shall I say is calling?
Answer: Who
My Guess: Whom. "I" is the subject; whom would be the object of "say" and "is calling" is some kind of adverbial modifier of said object (not really sure on the role of the present progressive here). Why is the blank not the object of "say;" is not "I" the subject of that sentence?
Source for the above examples:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/who_quiz.htm?cgi_quiz_form=1
3. Add onto that the cast of veteran players, whom have all displayed highlight level individual play, and you have ...
Here I have no answer as it's part of an article that I stumbled upon. I originally wanted to dispute the use of whom here, but then it occurred to me that, in the sense of a relative clause, the linking pronoun (whom) might supposed to be "declinated" in the same case as its antecedent. In other words, if who/whom is referring to "veteran players" in the above sentence, it must follow the same case as "players," which in my mind is either the object of the preposition "of" or the direct object of the verb "add" -- I'm not actually sure which -- by which either case would be objective, and therefore whom would indeed be correct.
Can anyone please enlighten me to my reasoning above for the three examples? It would be much appreciated. Thanks so much in advance for any time and advice to any or all of them!
I have three examples sentences that I am confused on. I will write my corresponding reasoning below each.
1. Give these old coats to __________ seems to need them most.
Answer: Whoever.
My Guess: Whomever. Whomever followed the preposition "to" which places it in the objective case as the object of a preposition. The blank above presents a dilemma for me: I have both the object of a preposition as well as, according to verb agreement with "seems," the subject of a subordinate clause. How do I distinguish in such a scenario between objective and nominative case?
2. __________ shall I say is calling?
Answer: Who
My Guess: Whom. "I" is the subject; whom would be the object of "say" and "is calling" is some kind of adverbial modifier of said object (not really sure on the role of the present progressive here). Why is the blank not the object of "say;" is not "I" the subject of that sentence?
Source for the above examples:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/who_quiz.htm?cgi_quiz_form=1
3. Add onto that the cast of veteran players, whom have all displayed highlight level individual play, and you have ...
Here I have no answer as it's part of an article that I stumbled upon. I originally wanted to dispute the use of whom here, but then it occurred to me that, in the sense of a relative clause, the linking pronoun (whom) might supposed to be "declinated" in the same case as its antecedent. In other words, if who/whom is referring to "veteran players" in the above sentence, it must follow the same case as "players," which in my mind is either the object of the preposition "of" or the direct object of the verb "add" -- I'm not actually sure which -- by which either case would be objective, and therefore whom would indeed be correct.
Can anyone please enlighten me to my reasoning above for the three examples? It would be much appreciated. Thanks so much in advance for any time and advice to any or all of them!
Top answer
Welcome to the English Forums, Blaisem. This issue used to confuse me, too, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it. 1.
- Welcome to the English Forums, Blaisem.
- This issue used to confuse me, too, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it.
- 1.
- Give these old coats to whoever seems to need them most.
- Whoever is the subject of seems to need them most .
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2 Answers
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Welcome to the English Forums, Blaisem. This issue used to confuse me, too, but it’s easy once you get the hang of it.
1. Give these old coats to whoever seems to need them most.
Whoever is the subject of seems to need them most. The fused relative noun phrase whoever seems to need them most is object of the preposition.
2. Who
1. Give these old coats to whoever seems to need them most.
Whoever is the subject of seems to need them most. The fused relative noun phrase whoever seems to need them most is object of the preposition.
2. Who
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I think I'll need some practice but you answered it clearly and understandably. Thank you very much 
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