He is someone who I admire OR He is someone whom I admire Hi everyone:Here are two sentences:He is someone who I admire OR He is someone whom I admire Is the first sentence grammatically incorrect?

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He is someone who I admire OR He is someone whom I admire

Hi everyone:

Here are two sentences:

He is someone who I admire OR He is someone whom I admire

Is the first sentence grammatically incorrect?

15 มิ.ย. 2018 เวลา 17:26

ความคิดเห็น · 10

My answer is exactly the same as Michael’s. There is no UK/US distinction here.

Also, while Shimaa Taha should have said “object,” not “subject,” she is absolutely correct in pointing out that we don’t need to use any relative pronoun whatsoever in this example. The general rule in English is that the subject must always be stated explicitly (except in the imperative). Since the subject of the relative clause is “I,” that requirement is fulfilled. “He is someone I admire” is good style, since it’s clear succinct.

Yes, David, it’s a holdover from the case system of Old English. The endings are the same as for “he”.

Who (he): nominative

Whose (his): genitive

Whom (him): accusative, dative

15 มิถุนายน 2018

There's no UK/US distinction here.

1. "who" is correct for both subject and direct object clauses. Old grammar books might insist that only "whom" is correct for object clauses but this is not a standard view now.

2. "whom" is also correct for direct object clauses. It is more formal than "who"

3. only "whom" is correct when it follows a preposition e.g. to whom, from whom, "ask not for whom the bell tolls..".

4. "Preposition + whom" is a formal construction and can be replaced with "who + [verb phrase] + preposition"

e.g. Do not ask who the bell tolls for.

15 มิถุนายน 2018

You could say "He is someone (...) I admire." where (...) is "whom" but said in a such a very very very soft whisper that no one else can hear it.* That way you wouldn't sound like a fuddy duddy grammarian, but at the same time, you would be grammatically correct and pass English exams. How's that for having your cake and eating it, too?

*thank you, Phil. I see you have travelled that path already. Or not.

15 มิถุนายน 2018

@Michael Chambers

is this a hangover from when English had cases? I always noticed that WHOM seems correct when one would put it in the Dativ case, like you said- to whom, from whom, etc.

its a handy reference point, cases. I tell my students from Germany to think of he as Nominativ, and him as Akkusativ, for example.

15 มิถุนายน 2018