Who/whom

Question

This is a question I heard on a game show (they used whom):

'Who did David become after he was fed the poison?'

OR

'Whom did David become after he was fed the poison?'
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Attempt at sentene inversion: David became whom/who after he was fed the poison.

I am struggling to invert this sentence into a statement. Generally the subject and verb are switched around, but I am struggling to determine the subject and verb in the sentence.

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David=subject
became=verb
whom=object
after he was fed the poison=prep phrase and adverbial clause

If this is correct, then technically my sentence inversion has not inverted the verb and subject................

Why would DID be omitted in the sentence inversion?

I feel whom is the right answer, but I would like help with steps to get to this conclusion, please.

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Thanks.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

In my mind I invert these sentences as "David did become whom." Whom is clearly the object of the verb. Others may choose to go the other step: "David became whom." But this doesn't change anything. David becomes a werewolf. David does become a werewolf. Does David become a werewolf?

The only reason I can see for omitting the "did" is that when you invert in the other direction (declarative to interrogatory) you find that the aux. "did" is necessary in forming the question (must be added), if it's not present in the statement. (So some may feel that it must be removed when doing the opposite.) You went to the movies. You did go to the movies. Did you go to the movies?

Eddie88 · Answer

Cool thanks Avangi.

Just to make sure I have it right, here is what i think:

In regards to Who or whom, as with all other pronouns which have different cases, the case is determined by whether it is the subject (nominative) or object (of the verb or preposition) in its own clause.

Is this right?

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I understand it well in the relative clauses, but here is an example where I would like help:

Who do you think is responsible? (Do you think he is responsible?)

If I invert it like in the brackets, I suppose it is an independent clause followed by a noun clause- the THAT is ommited... Is this correct?

If so, then HE would be the subject of the noun clause. It feels right

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Thanks.

Avangi · Answer

In regards to Who or whom, as with all other pronouns which have different cases, the case is determined by whether it is the subject (nominative) or object (of the verb or preposition) in its own clause.

Is this right? Yes. (Sorry, my quote button quit working again.)

"Who do you think is responsible?" is such a dog! I've seen so many analyses of this, and they all seem weird to me.

How do you transform it to a statement? He is responsible.?

If you ask the question, "Who is responsible," when you add "do you think" you simply change it from asking for fact to asking for opinion, from a semantic point of view.

I have no doubt, intuitively or logically, that "who" is the correct choice.

But we seem to get sucked into the "Whom do you trust" format.

I honestly can't think of a convincing way to explain it. I'm sure others can, because you have to be able to explain it somehow. (Mother is the necessity of invention.)

I just think of it as sort of parenthetical. "Who (do you think) is responsible." But that won't get you an A on the test.

Who/whom

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