The difference between 'who' and 'whom'

1 2 3 4 5

Share on Facebook

paco2004

#77742 Wed, 02 Mar 05 08:52 AM

JTT

Suppose it is fine, then we may change it the way like this;
"Who/Whom was given the book (by them)?"
[passive -> active] -->"They gave who/whom the book?"
[active interrogative]-->"Who/Whom did they give the book?"
Have you ever used such a wh-question?

I always use a sentence like this;
--> "Who/Whom did they give the book to?"
--> "Who/Whom was the book given to (by them)?"

paco

paco2004

Joined on Wed, Nov 17 2004

Senior Member (4,095)

In Japan today even dogs are learning how to bow-wow in English.

Difference between, Whom

MrPedantic

#77748 Wed, 02 Mar 05 09:31 AM

We can only retain one object in such sentences when we switch from active to passive:

1. 'To whom ( IO) did you ( S) give the book ( DO)?'

When we make this passive, the old IO becomes the new S; the DO remains as DO; and the old S becomes the new (unspecified) agent of the verb, i.e.

2. 'Who ( S) was given the book ( DO)?

If you want to include the agent of the verb, you have to add a 'by' phrase:

3. ''Who ( S) was given the book ( DO), and by whom?'

Otherwise we are left with a sentence without a subject:

4. ???'Whom ( IO) was given the book ( O)?'

The 'who' in sentences #2 and #3 is not the kind of 'who' that can be replaced with 'whom' – it's the subject of the verb. 'Whom' can't be the subject of the verb; though it can indeed precede the verb.

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004

Veteran Member (11,930)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

Difference between, Verbs, Whom

just the truth

#77762 Wed, 02 Mar 05 11:04 AM

Hi Paco,

The demands that the active makes do not match those of the passive. I'm not suggesting that this is the most common passive structure, just that it is one such possibility.

Try googling it and similar ones. You'll see that it's common enough.

just the truth

Joined on Mon, Dec 27 2004

Regular Member (849)

Difference between, Whom

Casi

#77767 Wed, 02 Mar 05 11:26 AM

Mr P kindly added: 3. *'Whom was given the book?'

the 'whom' is ungrammatical, and should be changed to 'who' ('book' is still the object).

Thank you, Mr P. Kiss [K]

Edited, and noted.

Tuesday was a wonky day. . .

Casi

Joined on Sat, Sep 25 2004

Regular Member (547)

Difference between, Whom

paco2004

#77917 Wed, 02 Mar 05 11:18 PM

Hello People

Yesterday after I posted the previous message I rethought over this issue and I got to know I was wrong .
I should apologize to Casi, and thank to you all for letting me know my mistake.

Reading M.P's suggestion, I came to get a conclusion that we can make wh-interrogative sentences as follows.
(o) Who did Mary give the book to? [Here 'who' is IO and the subject (agent) is Mary]
(o) Who was given the book (by Mary)? [Here 'who' is the subject and receiver]
(o) Who was the book given to (by Mary) ? [Here 'who' is IO and the subject is 'the book']
But we can't say;
(x) Who did Mary give the book?
(x) Who was the book given (by Mary) ?

paco

paco2004