Who vs. Whom: What's the Difference?
Choose who or whom with a reliable subject-and-object test, natural examples, formal usage guidance, a short quiz, and FAQs.
Who is used as the subject of a verb, while whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition. Replace the word with he or she to test for who, and with him or her to test for whom. In informal conversation, who often replaces whom except directly after a preposition.
Working with a longer passage? Use our free AI text summarizer to turn it into a focused overview, then return here to check the wording.
An invitation draft asks, “Whom is presenting the award?” The answer would be “She is presenting,” not “Her is presenting,” so the correct question is “Who is presenting the award?”
Who vs. Whom at a glance
| Word | Typical role | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| who | Subject pronoun | the person performing the action or being described | Who approved the final design? |
| whom | Object pronoun | the person receiving the action or following a preposition | Whom did the committee select? |
How to use who
Who performs the grammatical job of I, he, she, we, or they. It can introduce a question or a relative clause when the person is the subject of that clause.
Who approved the final design?
How to use whom
Whom performs the job of me, him, her, us, or them. It is most visible in formal writing and after prepositions, as in to whom or with whom.
Whom did the committee select?
Rules that make the choice easier
Use the he-or-him replacement test
If he or she fits the answer, choose who. If him or her fits, choose whom: They selected him, so Whom did they select?
Find the role inside the relevant clause
Ignore surrounding words and identify who performs the verb in that clause. In Who do you think will win?, who is the subject of will win.
Match formality to the context
Whom remains standard after a fronted preposition and in formal prose, while conversational English commonly uses who as an object.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Do not choose whom merely because a sentence sounds formal.
- Do not use whom as the subject of its own verb.
- Avoid awkward constructions when a natural rewrite makes the sentence clearer.
Quick practice
1. ___ sent the message?
Answer: Who
2. To ___ should I address the letter?
Answer: whom
3. ___ do you believe will lead the team?
Answer: Who
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to choose who or whom?
Answer with he or him. He points to who; him points to whom.
Can I use who instead of whom?
Often in informal English, yes. Formal writing still favors whom for objects, especially after prepositions.
Is it who I spoke to or whom I spoke to?
Whom I spoke to is formally correct because the person is the object, but who I spoke to is common in conversation.
Is it who do you think or whom do you think?
The following clause decides: “Who do you think will win?” but “Whom do you think they chose?”