who-who(m)ever

Question

Which one(s) is / are correct? 1- I’ll take ---- wants to go.A) who B) whoever2- Could I speak to ---- is in charge of International Sales please?A) whoever B) who3- He wants to know ---- is in charge of the company?A) who B) whoever4- You can bring ---- you like to the party.A) whoever B) whomever C) who5- . . . sells to ---- has the money to buy . . .A) whoever B) whomever C) who6- Send ---- you wish to send.A) whoever B) whomever C) who7- Give the invitation to ---- you wish.A) whomever B) whoever C) who8- ---- you wish to give the invitation to is welcome to it.A) Whoever B) Whomever C) Who

Pieanne · Accepted Answer

Would you please write your answers first? Thanks!  <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

CalifJim · Answer

Choose between whoever or whomever based on its function within the subordinate clause.

The third one is interesting. (It's not a question by the way, so you can drop the question mark.)
Either answer is possible depending what interpretation you give to know! It can mean get to know a person (become familiar with a person) or find out (a fact).

who(m) is appropriate only in indirect (or direct) questions. Verbs of knowing and understanding or paraphrases with similar semantic content often signal this structure.
One of the -ever words is used in other cases.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

thank you, Jim.

DiamondrgWhich one(s) is / are correct?

1- I’ll take ---- wants to go.

A) who B) whoever

2- Could I speak to ---- is in charge of International Sales please?

A) whoever B) who

3- He wants to know ---- is in charge of the company?

A) who B) whoever

"who" does not mean "the person who", does it?

4- You can bring ---- you like to the party.

A) whoever B) whomever C) who

Would "whoever" be incorrect here?

5- . . . sells to ---- has the money to buy . . .

A) whoever B) whomever C) who

Is it possibe to use "whomever" here?

6- Send ---- you wish to send.

A) whoever B) whomever C) who

7- Give the invitation to ---- you wish.

A) whomever B) whoever C) who

8- ---- you wish to give the invitation to is welcome to it.

A) Whoever B) Whomever C) Who

Would "whomever" be wrong here?

As for, it seems it depend on the kind of verb you use when deciding which to use, "who" or "whoever". For example,

1- I don't know whoever is following me.

2- She wants to know who is following me.

I think "who" in 1 or "whoever" in 2 is not possible, not only because of their semantic properties, but also 2's being an indirect question. Right?

CalifJim · Answer

1. OK
2. OK
3. OK - In this context, strictly speaking, no. "who" and "the person who" give a different reading because of the grouping "know the person" which results.
4. OK. "whoever" is correct informally, too. Yes. It is not correct in formal English.
5. OK. "whomever" is not correct, no.
6. OK.
7. OK.
8. "Whomever" is the more formal of the two.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

1- I don't know whoever is following me.

2- She wants to know who is following me.

I think "who" in 1 or "whoever" in 2 is not possible, not only because of their semantic properties, but also 2's being an indirect question. Right?
No. Both are "who"; both are indirect questions after "know".

CJ

Diamondrg · Answer

Thank you, Jim. Why is "whoever" in 1(below), "who" in 2 or "whoever" in 3 not possible? Doesn't "whoever" also mean "the person / people who"? How can we differentiate between especially 2 and 3?

1- I don't know who is following me.

well, would interpreting "I don't know whoever is following me." as "I don't think there is anyone that is following me." or "I don't know the person / people who is/are following me" be far too far-fetched?

2- I'll take whoever wants to go.

3- I don't know whoever wants to go.

are the sentences below correct correct?

4) I will punish whoever broke the window.

5) I will tell you whoever broke the window. I think "whoever" is correct, but why not "who"?

6) Tell me who broke the window. Is it possible to use "whoever"? If no, why? As you see, I seem to be stuck with these.

CalifJim · Answer

"Stuck", you say???!!! Why, I never would have guessed!

This is a tough one, and I'm inclined to say that I, too, am stuck.
The best approach, I think, is to ignore the unusual cases. Later you can study those, too, but you need to get the basics down first.

After a verb of knowing, understanding, asking, telling, etc. use "who", not "whoever". The idea is that this is an indirect question. You are talking about the answer to a question, not about any person mentioned in the question.

Who stole the tarts?
[I (don't) know / I can't imagine / I have no idea / Tell me / Don't ask me / There is no doubt about / Can anybody in class determine / Who knows ] who stole the tarts.

These can be paraphrased thus:
I don't know the answer to the question "Who stole the tarts?".
I can't imagine what the answer is to the question "Who stole the tarts?".
I have no idea what the answer is to the question "Who stole the tarts?".
Tell me the answer to the question "Who stole the tarts?".
... and so on.

When there is nothing that can trigger the idea of an answer to a question, use "whoever", not "who". The idea is that we are talking about some unknown person who is a participant in the main situation, not just a participant in an embedded question the answer to which we are focusing on.

I will punish a person. I will punish whoever stole the tarts.
Not: I will punish the answer to the question "Who stole the tarts?".
I will take a person. I will take whoever wants to go.
Not: I will take the answer to the question "Who wants to go?"

CJ

Diamondrg · Answer

Thank you Jim for your interest and explanations.

who-who(m)ever

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