Wh@ or Wh@m?
Subiect Form
who
@ Use the subject pronoun who when the pronoun functions as a
subject or as a predicate nominative in a sentenceor in a clause.
Player?
WEnowaschosenasthe MostValuable
[Who is the subject of the sentence.]
The playerw$nowaschosenasthe MVPis the Bulls'forward.
[Who is the subject of the adjective clause.]
You can check your choice of pronoun by replacing
who/whom with he/him or she/her.If he sounds right in
the sentence,use the subject pronoun who.lf. hin sounds
right, choose the object pronoun whom. You'Il need to
change a question into a statement to test for the
right pronoun.
(Who,Whom)did you call?
[Change the question into a statement.]
Youdid call(who,whom).
[Substitute he, him for who, whom.]
Youdid call(he,him).
fWhen you try out each pronoun, you will hear that
hin sounds right. Therefore, the sentencerequires an
object pronoun.l
WEromndid you call?fWhom is the object pronoun.]
Obiect Form
whom
aLry
When you need to choose
between who andwhom:
1..Decide what function the
pronoun performs.
2. Use who if the pronoun
functions as a subiect or a
predicate nominative.
3. Use whom if the pronoun
functions as a direct object,
an indirect object, or the
object of a preposition.
6 Use the object pronoun whom when the pronoun
functions as the direct obiect, indirect object, or object of a preposition
in a sentenceor in a clause.
Please
give this note to the first personwlronmvou see.
lWhom is the direct object of the adjective clauseyou seewhom.l
When you are choosing who or whom, ignore parenthetical expressions
(such as I think and I hope)that interrupt a subordinate clause.
(who,whom),I think,won the NobelPeacePrize.
He is the scientist
of the clause who won the Nobel PeacePrize.f
is
the
subject
[Who
,fr,(1
bV'b'
byr 8te9
Most people don't use whom when they talk. In formal writing
and speaking, however, and on grammar tests, use whom
whenever the pronoun functions as an object.
The Lotin noun
artificium gives us the
English noun ortifice,
meoning "o clever sl<ill"
or "trickery." A pointer
uses ortifrce to creote
the illusion of o threedimensionolscene on
o flot convos.And, os
used in Exercise6, only
on expert moy be oble
to tell the difference
between on ortificial
d i o m o n do n d t h e
reol thing.
Chapter7O. tlsingPronouns211
ffi
choosing the correct Pronoun
Underline the pronoun in parentheses that correctly completes each sentence.
EXAMeLEHarryHarlowwas a psychologist(who, whom) did researchon baby
monkeys.
w4&
When who
or whom
oppeorsin o
subordinote
clouse,focus
on how the
word
functions
within the
clouseonly.
1. He and his wife, (who, whom) he worked with, raised monkeys for
experiments.
2. Newborn monkeys (who, whom) were alone in cagesclung to cloth diapers.
3. The Harlows, (who, whom) studied infant love, created artificial
wire "mothers."
4. (Who, Whom) can guess whether the newborns clung to a cloth-covered
"mother" or a bare wire one?
5. The Harlows are only two of the scientists (who, whom) have studied
animal behavior.
6. Do you know anyone (who, whom) objects to using animals in
experiments?
7. The Harlows, (who, whom) psychologists praised for their experiments,
applied their findings to human babies.
8. Human newborns, (who, whom) are more helpless than monkeys, need
warmth and contact.
9. (Who, Whom) would you consult for advice on raising children?
10. Would you ask a relative (who, whom) you trust or read a book?
mffiil
Editing a Paragraph
Edit the following paragraphto correctall errorsin pronoun usage.
w4e
Some
sentences
contoinno
errors.
'Elaine'sfriend Gwen obiectsto scientistswho use animals as research
subiects.'She and her friends, who you may have met, are animal rights
activists.'They have written to governmentrepresentativeswhom, they believe,
should passlaws protecting animals.aTheyespeciallyopposeresearchers
whom,
for whateverreason,work with dogsand cats.sTheyhave also demonstrated
againstresearchscientistswho, they say,treat monkeyscruelly. 6Gwenand her
ftiends, many of who ale vegetarians,opposekilling animalsfor fur. TDoctors
o
a
o
E
a
who test medicalprocedureson animalsdisagree.slaboratory animalsbenefit
people who, they sat are desperatelyill. 'Doctors apply what they learn from
animal experimentsto savethe lives of peoplewho need treatment. 10Whodo
:.g
ct)
r
.q
you agreewith on animal rights issues?
212 Cnapter70 . usinghonouns
;
@
EECfYn Choosing the Correct Pronoun
Underline the pronoun in parenthesesthat correctly completes each sentenc(
(who, whom) did research
on ba:EXAMnLEHarryHarlowwas a psychologist
monKeys.
w46
When who
or whom
oppeors in o
subordinote
clouse, focus
on how the
word
func'tions
within the
clouse only.
1. He and his wife, (who, whom) he worked with, raised monkeys for
experiments.
2. Newborn monkeys (whe, whom) were alone in cagesclung to cloth diaF<r
3. The Harlows, (-tre, whom) studied infant love, created artificial
wire "mothers."
4. (!ytre, Whom) can guesswhether the newborns clung to a cloth-coverd
"mother" or a bare wire one?
5. The Harlows are only two of the scientists (who, whom) have studied
animal behavior.
6. Do you know anyone (-4e, whom) objects to using animals in
experiments?
7. The Harlows, (who, -bg!q) psychologists praised for their experiments
applied their findings to human babies.
8. Human newborns, (who, whom) are more helpless than monkeys, need
warmth and contact.
9. (Who, Whom) would you consult for advice on raising children?
10. Would you ask a relative (who, wbglq) you trust or read a book?
E3gflffl Editing a Paragraph
Edit the following paragraph to conect all errors in pronoun usage.
w4e
Some
sentences
contoinno
errors.
'Elaine's friend Gwen objects to scientistswho use animals as research
wnom
subjects.'She and her friends, v*o you may have met, are animal rights
wno
activists. 'They have written to government representativesv*€fr, they bel:
should passlaws protecting animals. aTheyespeciallyoppose researchersrt*.*
for whatever reason,work with dogs and cats. 'They have also demonstratec
against researchscientistswho, they sat treat monkeys cruelly. uGwenand h.wnom
friends, many of ++*e are vegetarians, oppose kiiling animals for fur TDoctor:
who test medical procedureson animals disagree.slaboratory animals benefit
wnom
people vrhe, they say, are desperately ill. 'Doctors apply what they learn frorn
Whorn
animal experiments to save the lives of people who need treatment. ro\{ffi6. 611
Extendthis lessonby havingmotivatedst,:
you agree with on animal rights issues? write a letterto their senatorsexplainingtr.
viewson usinoanimalsfor research.
212 Chapter10 o (JsingPronouns