Who vs Whom
Complete Rules, Tricks & Exercises with Answers
The single rule that trips up 80% of SSC CGL aspirants — mastered in one read.
20
MCQs
6
Error Spotting
4
Sentence Improvement
5
Examiner Traps
8
FAQ
Master Trick — Learn This First
The He / Him Substitution Rule
Replace the blank with either “he” (or she/they) or “him” (or her/them). The form that sounds correct tells you which pronoun to use:
HE → WHO
If “he” fits, use Who
Q: _____ won the match?
Test: He won ✓ (not “Him won”)
→ Who won the match?
HIM → WHOM
If “him” fits, use Whom
Q: _____ did you meet?
Test: You met him ✓ (not “You met he”)
→ Whom did you meet?
💡 Memory Hook: both Him and Whom end in “m” — they go together.
✅ When to Use “Who”
Use Who whenever the pronoun acts as the subject — the one performing the action.
Subject of the Main Verb
When the pronoun performs the action — it is the subject — use 'Who'.
✅ Who broke the window?
✅ The student who scored highest got a scholarship.
🔑 Test: He broke it → He = subject → Who.
Subject of a Relative Clause
When introducing a relative clause where the pronoun is the clause's own subject.
✅ She is the teacher who inspires everyone.
✅ The officer who arrested him has been promoted.
🔑 She inspires → she = subject in clause → Who.
After 'Do You Think / Believe / Suppose'
When parenthetical insertions come between the pronoun and its verb, remove them first.
❌ Whom do you think will pass?
✅ Who do you think will pass?
❌ Whom do you suppose is guilty?
✅ Who do you suppose is guilty?
🔑 Remove 'do you think' → '_____ will pass' → subject → Who.
🎯 When to Use “Whom”
Use Whom whenever the pronoun acts as the object — the one receiving the action, or when following a preposition.
Object of a Verb
When the pronoun receives the action of a verb — it is the direct or indirect object.
✅ Whom did the judge sentence?
✅ She is the person whom I admire most.
🔑 The judge sentenced him → him → Whom.
After a Preposition
Any preposition (to, for, by, with, about, from, of...) directly before the pronoun demands 'Whom'.
❌ To who should I address this?
✅ To whom should I address this?
❌ For who are you voting?
✅ For whom are you voting?
🔑 Preposition + Whom. This is non-negotiable in formal English and SSC.
Object of an Infinitive
When the pronoun is the object of a 'to + verb' construction.
✅ I don't know whom to trust.
✅ She couldn't decide whom to invite.
🔑 Trust him → 'whom to trust'. The infinitive's object → Whom.
📊 Who vs Whom — Quick Reference Table
| Feature | WHO | WHOM |
|---|---|---|
| Grammatical Role | Subject of a verb Who called you? | Object of a verb or preposition Whom did you call? |
| Substitution Test | Replaceable by He / She / They He called → Who | Replaceable by Him / Her / Them You called him → Whom |
| After Preposition | Never directly after a preposition ❌ To who did you write? | Always used after a preposition ✅ To whom did you write? |
| Relative Clauses | Subject of the relative clause The man who won... | Object of the relative clause The man whom we hired... |
| Formal Register | Used in both formal and informal Who are you talking to? | More formal; required in written/SSC To whom are you talking? |
Common Indian Student Mistakes
These errors are directly caused by Hindi/Urdu thinking patterns — and SSC specifically targets them.
Who did you give the money to?
✅ Whom did you give the money to? / To whom did you give the money?
हिंदी में 'किसे' और 'कौन' दोनों एक जैसे लगते हैं — पर अंग्रेज़ी में object के लिए 'whom' ज़रूरी है।
Object of 'give' → 'whom'. In Hindi, 'किसे' = 'whom' (object form), but students mistakenly map it to 'who'.
The person whom is speaking is my teacher.
✅ The person who is speaking is my teacher.
'जो बोल रहा है' में 'जो' subject है — यहाँ 'who' आएगा, 'whom' नहीं।
'Is speaking' needs a subject → 'who'. 'Whom' cannot be a subject — ever.
Whom do you think is the best candidate?
✅ Who do you think is the best candidate?
'Do you think' को हटाओ → '_____ is the best candidate' → subject → 'who'।
Remove the parenthetical insertion. The pronoun is the subject of 'is' — use 'Who'.
He is the man who I met yesterday.
✅ He is the man whom I met yesterday.
'Main usse mila' → 'him' = object → 'whom'. Students often use 'who' for both forms in casual speech.
'I met him' → 'whom I met'. Object of 'met' → 'whom'.
Give this reward to whomever deserves it.
✅ Give this reward to whoever deserves it.
'Jo deserve kare usse do' — यहाँ 'whoever' clause का subject है, इसलिए 'whoever' सही है।
The entire clause 'whoever deserves it' is the object of 'to'. Inside the clause, pronoun = subject of 'deserves' → 'whoever'.
The teacher who we respected has retired.
✅ The teacher whom we respected has retired.
'Humne unhe respect kiya' → 'him/her' = object → 'whom we respected' सही है।
'We respected her' → object → 'whom'. The relative pronoun is the object of 'respected'.
🪤 Examiner Traps — SSC Elimination Techniques
These are the exact patterns SSC, IBPS, and CHSL examiners use. Recognise the trap before reading the options.
The 'Do You Think' Insertion Trap
Trap #1“_____ do you think should be appointed director?”
❌ Most students choose
Whom
✅ Correct answer
Who
Why: Remove 'do you think' → '_____ should be appointed' → subject → 'Who'. SSC uses this insertion to distract students into writing 'Whom'.
The Preposition at the END Trap
Trap #2“_____ are you referring to?”
❌ Most students choose
Who
✅ Correct answer
Whom
Why: There's a preposition 'to' at the end. The pronoun is the object of 'to' → 'Whom'. In formal sentences, rewrite as: 'To whom are you referring?'
The 'No Error' Trap
Trap #3“He is the candidate whom the panel selected. — Any error?”
❌ Most students choose
Changing 'whom' to 'who'
✅ Correct answer
No error — 'whom' is correct
Why: The panel selected HIM → object → 'whom' is perfectly correct. SSC plants no-error traps with correct 'whom' to trick students who overgeneralise 'who'.
The 'Whoever vs Whomever' Trap
Trap #4“The prize goes to _____ scores the highest.”
❌ Most students choose
whomever
✅ Correct answer
whoever
Why: 'whoever scores the highest' — the pronoun is the SUBJECT of 'scores' inside the clause. The whole clause (not just the pronoun) is the object of 'to'. → 'whoever'.
The 'Whose vs Whom' Confusion
Trap #5“The girl _____ bag was stolen filed a complaint.”
❌ Most students choose
whom
✅ Correct answer
whose
Why: 'Whose' shows possession (her bag). 'Whom' cannot show possession. 'Whose' = possessive relative pronoun. When ownership is indicated, always use 'whose'.
📋 Real Exam Examples — SSC Pattern
Questions modelled on actual SSC CGL, CHSL, and IBPS PO papers.
Scene: SSC CGL 2023 actual pattern
“The officer _____ we had complained against was suspended.”
We had complained against HIM → object of the preposition 'against' → 'whom'.
Scene: CHSL 2022 error spotting
“She is the singer who the audience loved the most.”
The audience loved HER → object of 'loved' → 'whom the audience loved'.
Scene: IBPS PO 2023 fill in the blank
“Ask _____ you wish, but I will not change my decision.”
Ask HIM/HER → object of 'ask' → 'whom'. 'Whoever you wish' is also possible if 'whoever' is an option.
Scene: MTS 2022 sentence improvement
“Who should we report the incident to?”
We report it to HIM → object → 'Whom'. Moving the preposition to the front ('To whom') is the most formal option — SSC Sentence Improvement often tests this.
🎮 Interactive Practice
20 MCQs · 6 Error Spotting · 4 Sentence Improvement — all SSC CGL level with detailed explanations.
🔀 Decision Flowchart — Never Get It Wrong Again
(to, for, with, by, about…)
('do you think', 'I believe', etc.)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
1What is the easiest trick to choose between Who and Whom?
Use the He/Him substitution trick: answer the question using 'he' or 'him'. He → Who (both end without 'm'). Him → Whom (both end in 'm'). Example: '_____ called?' → He called → Who. '_____ did you call?' → You called him → Whom.
2When must I always use 'Whom'?
Three non-negotiable cases: (1) After any preposition — 'to whom', 'for whom', 'with whom'. (2) As the object of a verb — 'She is the person whom I trust'. (3) As the object of an infinitive — 'I don't know whom to call'.
3Does 'do you think / do you believe' change Who to Whom?
No! These are parenthetical insertions — ignore them when deciding. 'Who do you think will win?' Remove 'do you think' → '_____ will win' → subject → Who. This is one of SSC's most frequent traps.
4What is the difference between Whoever and Whomever?
Same He/Him rule applied inside the embedded clause. 'Give it to whoever wants it' — he wants it → whoever (subject). 'I'll hire whomever you recommend' — you recommend him → whomever (object). Critically: when the entire clause is the object of a preposition, look INSIDE the clause to decide.
5Is 'Who did you speak to?' grammatically correct?
Informally yes, but formally it should be 'Whom did you speak to?' or ideally 'To whom did you speak?' SSC Sentence Improvement tests this exact upgrade. The formal rule requires 'whom' after 'to'.
6How many marks does Who/Whom carry in SSC CGL?
SSC CGL English (25 questions) typically tests Who/Whom in Error Spotting (1–2 Qs), Sentence Improvement (1 Q), and Fill in the Blanks (1 Q) — potentially 3–4 marks. One rule, multiple question types.
7Can 'Whom' ever be a subject?
Never. 'Whom' is always in the objective case. If you see 'Whom is speaking?', it is incorrect — the subject of 'is speaking' must be 'Who'. This is also a trap in error spotting: 'whom' appearing as a subject is always the error.
8What is the 'Whose' vs 'Whom' distinction?
'Whose' shows possession — 'The boy whose phone rang' (his phone). 'Whom' is the objective case — 'The boy whom I saw' (I saw him). Never use 'whom' to show possession. If the answer is 'his/her/their', use 'whose'.
📥
Free PDF Worksheet
30 Who vs Whom exercises with answers — printable for offline practice.
🔗 Related Grammar Guides
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Full Grammar RuleBook
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Prof. Amirul Khan
English faculty specialising in competitive exam preparation for SSC CGL, IBPS PO, UPSC, and CHSL. Author of the Examiner Trap Series — high-yield grammar guides targeting the exact patterns examiners use year after year.