MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

When determining whether to use WHO or WHOM, what guideline should be followed?

1. Use WHO for subjects and WHOM for objects

2. Use WHO only in questions

3. Use WHOM only in formal writing

4. Use WHO regardless of position in the sentence

The correct answer is: Use WHO for subjects and WHOM for objects

The guideline that indicates to use "WHO" for subjects and "WHOM" for objects is rooted in the grammatical functions these pronouns serve within a sentence. "WHO" is the nominative case pronoun, meaning it acts as the subject of a verb, while "WHOM" is the accusative case pronoun, used as the object of a verb or preposition. For instance, in the sentence "Who is going to the store?" "Who" is the subject performing the action. Conversely, in "Whom did you see?" "Whom" is the object receiving the action of seeing. Understanding this distinction is crucial in determining the appropriate pronoun based on its role in the sentence, thereby ensuring correct grammatical usage. The other choices misunderstand the application of these pronouns. The statement suggesting that "WHO" is only for questions is inaccurate as "WHO" can also be used in statements when it serves as the subject. Likewise, stating that "WHOM" is reserved solely for formal writing overlooks its grammatical role in various contexts, including informal speech. Lastly, the suggestion to use "WHO" regardless of position fails to recognize the necessity of grammatical accuracy in pronoun choice based on the subject-object distinction.