The quick and easy trick in distinguishing the proper usage of the words who and whom requires one to ask a simple question. The answer will provide you with the clue as to the appropriate from of the pronoun to be used. The technique is called the He/Him Method.
He/Him Method Steps
- Read the sentence out loud. If you can answer or replace the clause of the sentence with “he/she”, then you use the word who.
- If you can answer or replace the clause of the sentence with “him/her” then you use the word whom.
- To summarize:
- He/She = Who
- Him/Her = Whom
Examples
- Who/whom wrote that textbook?
- Answer: He/she wrote that textbook, therefore who is the correct answer.
- Who/whom do you admire?
- Answer: I admire him/her, therefore whom is the correct answer.
- Who/Whom hurt you?
- Answer: He/she hurt me, therefore who is the correct answer.
- We all can see who/whom is responsible.
- Answer: He/she pulled that prank, therefore who is the correct answer.
- We want to know on who/whom the responsibility lies.
- Answer: The responsibility lies on him/her, therefore whom is the correct answer