Who is the subject of a verb. Whom is never the subject of a verb. SUBJECT OF A VERB?

Verbs are doing words (e.g., to dance, to sit, to fly, to think) The subject of a verb is the person or thing that is doing the action.

Peter flies to Moscow on Tuesdays. (Peter is the subject of the verb to fly.) Helen's boss drinks like a fish during the day. (Helen's boss is the subject of the verb to drink.)

Who Subject of Verb

The word who can only be used when it is the subject of a verb. That might sound confusing, but it just means it is like the words I, he, she, we, and they. Just like who, each of these words can only be the subject of a verb. The difference with who is that some people are unsure when to use who and whom. Well, confusing that pair is no different from confusing these pairs: I/me, he/him, she/her, and they/them. Examples:

Who paid for the meal? (Who is the subject of the verb to pay.)

I have not seen the man who lives in the hut by the beach for a week. (Who is the subject of the verb to live.)

I wonder who is in charge. (Who is the subject of the verb to be; i.e., who is.)

Sarah gave the tickets to who? (Sarah is the subject of to give, but who is not the subject of any verb. Therefore, you cannot use who. It should be whom. This is like saying Sarah gave the tickets to he. )

Do you know the boy who rang the bell?

Whom Is Never the Subject of a Verb

Whom is never the subject of a verb. (Who, on the other hand, is always the subject of a verb.) Examples:

You sat by whom all night? (In this example, whom is not the subject of any verb. You is the subject of to sit.)

She is a wistful recluse whom lives near the river. (Whom cannot be the subject of the verb to live. It should be who.)

Claire saw whom yesterday? (In this example, whom is not the subject of any verb. Claire is the subject of to see.)

Kelvin was with whom?

Whom after Prepositions

Always use whom after prepositions. (Prepositions are words like to, with, by, on, in, near.)

You have a child by whom? (by preposition)

With whom did you see Janice? (with preposition)

That is the lady to whom I made the promise. (to preposition)

That is the lady whom I made the promise to.

To _______ did you send that letter? a) b) who whom

2 I've no idea _______ was standing by the lamp post when the robbery happened. a) b) who whom

3 _______ did you see lurking around last night? a) b) who whom

4 With _______ will she be going to the ball? a) b) who whom

5 I just can't think _______ might have done such a thing. a) b) who whom

6 _______ has left the fridge door open again? a) b) who whom

7 He would not tell me _______ he saw in the shadows that fateful night. a) who

b)

whom

8 We may never know _______ was responsible. a) b) who whom

1 Kerry Ann, __________ hates spiders, wears bug-stomping boots wherever she goes. 2 Professor Borglum glared at Reggie, __________ spent the entire class drawing space aliens in the
margins of the lecture outline.