"Who" and "Whom"

I've always had problems understanding when to use who or whom, does anyone here know?

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=who+vs+whom&btnG=Google+Search

I assume you mean things like "Who do I talk to?" and "To whom do I talk?"

"whom" is formal and is grammatically correct. Yet "who" is more common in informal setting (yet I don't think it is grammatically correct).

 

Real question is... does anyone here use "whom"?

 

I ll simplify.

"Who" is used as subject.

"Whom" is used as object.

In

"Who called you?", "who" is the object.

In

"Whom did you call?". "whom" is the object - coz the action (calling) is done by "you".

 

In writing, sometimes. In speech, not really. If someone uses "whom" in normal conversation, hopefully they're completely aware they're using stuffy language.

It's amusing when people try to use fancy grammar they think is correct, but really isn't. For example, "He gave the ring to Sam and I."

 

"Whom did stole keys?" sounds good? not really.. "Who stole my keys?" sounds much better.. I never ever knew that the word itself even existed.

 

Try searching the term "transitive and intransitive" term on the dictionary and you'll learn a lot from it.

 

I only use that word if i need to put something as an intruduction and i don't know who to address.

Like:

Tho whom it may concern,

BLA ,bla

 

Only the Queen uses 'Whom'

Is it as gay as using 'thy'

 

'thy'.. what's that?

 

I believe it's another word for ''you''

 

I have no idea which one to use and when either, but if last time I used who, I'll probably choose the second one this time..

 

For writing formal letters it's a good thing to use ''whom'' instead of ''who''. It's more formal and appropriate.

 

Who and Whom are NOT interchangeable! Not even based on "formal" versus "informal" language use.

A rule of thumb I use is if the word is in a prepositional phrase (ie a phrase regarding location: to the store, near the edge, at your face, with your mom, under your sister, etc) where the who/whom falls right after the actual preposition, use Whom.

It may seem that the formal/informal thing applies because people hardly ever put the who/whom directly after a preposition in informal speech, but that's a different issue.

</rant>

 

looks like you really know it, would you mind providing few examples to clarify the matter?

thanks, Michael

 

Who and whom aren't interchangeable, but informally you can use "who" all the time. Try it sometime, and I'm pretty sure no one will correct you.

For anyone who wants an explanation of the formal usage of who vs. whom, look at the usage note at:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=who

Also, I like their example of how "Whom shall I say is calling?" is incorrect grammar. I'll explain why that is if anybody wants me to*.

* I ended my sentence in a preposition, because I just don't care.

 

Ok, I bet no one will ask for an explanation of why "Whom shall I say is calling?" is wrong, so here you go:

Look down the page in:
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-1181,subcat-LANGUAGE.html

 

Michael,

examples:

Who will eat this tasty burrito?
By Whom will this tasty burrito be eaten?

Who killed my ocelot!?
My ocelot was killed by whom!?

I don't remember who gave me the lap dance.
I don't remember by whom I was given the lap dance.

In some of these cases, I believe the verb tense is changed as well, but I'm a bit rubbish with the whole transitive/intransitive thing (much to my chagrin).

ToRunForever:

Right you are. BUT there is such a thing as informal-and-correct. It's OK to be incorrect, I mean, the word police aren't going to come arrest you or anything.

For that matter, it is possible to be formal, yet incorrect (just about any use of "whom" will sound formal, whether correct or not).

I'm not a grammar Nazi, I'm just saying there is a concept of correct and incorrect usage independent of formal and informal usages.

 

My wife is an English teacher and she's always trying to explain this to me.

I've given up and just use "who" 100% of the time.

Learning when to use "fewer" instead of "less" was a big enough challenge for me.