Mekita Rivas, SNR communications associate, publishes a biweekly feature called "Grammar Guru."
Every other week, the Grammar Guru will share writing tips to help make your work as polished as possible. Some of these tips may address common spelling errors, while others will examine the many nuances of the English language.
Grammar Guru Tip #50
Knowing when to use "who" and "whom" can be endlessly confusing for even the most diligent of grammar geeks.
The difference between these two words?
"Who" is a subjective – or nominative – pronoun, along with "he," "she," "it," "we” and "they." It's used when the pronoun acts as the subject of a clause. "Whom" is an objective pronoun, along with "him," "her," "it", "us” and "them." It's used when the pronoun acts as the object of a clause.
Using "who" or "whom" depends on whether you're referring to the subject or object of a sentence.
Example:
Who gave you the diagnosis? I spoke to a doctor whom I know through a friend.
Pro tip: When in doubt, substitute "who" with the subjective pronouns "he" or "she." Similarly, substitute "whom" with the objective pronouns "him" or "her" to determine which word to use.
Example:
Who told you that? (She told me that.)
I consulted an architect whom I met in California. (I consulted him.)
Need some grammar guidance? The UNL Style Guide (http://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/) is a great resource for all university employees. If you have writing questions that the style guide doesn't answer, feel free to email the Grammar Guru at mrivas@unl.edu.