Who vs. Whom - The Only Trick You'll Ever Need

Let’s get one thing straight: literally nobody uses the word "whom" in real life. If you walked up to your friend and asked, "To whom are you texting?", they would look at you like you just glitched out.

But the second you start writing a formal essay, suddenly you're expected to know exactly when to drop a "whom" into your sentences. If you guess, it usually sounds incredibly awkward.

Luckily, you do not need to memorize what a "subjective pronoun" is. There is a ridiculously simple trick that works every single time.

The "He vs. Him" Cheat Code

Here is the only rule you actually need to care about:

• If you can answer the question with he (or she), use who.

• If you can answer the question with him (or her), use whom.

Notice how "whom" and "him" both end with an M? That’s your mental trigger.

Testing It Out

Scenario 1:

"Who/Whom ate the last slice of pizza?"

Try answering it. Would you say, "He ate the pizza" or "Him ate the pizza"?

You'd definitely say "He ate the pizza." So, the correct word is who.

(Who ate the last slice of pizza?)

Scenario 2:

"Who/Whom should I invite to the party?"

Flip it to answer. Would you say, "I should invite he" or "I should invite him"?

"I should invite him" is obviously the right answer. Since you used him, you need the M word.

(Whom should I invite to the party?)

The Preposition Trap

This is usually where "whom" pops up in school papers. Prepositions are those little directional words like to, for, with, about.

If you see one of those words directly in front of your who/whom, it is almost always going to be whom.

• "To whom it may concern." (Because you'd give the letter to him).

• "The teacher with whom I was speaking." (Because you speak with him).

That’s honestly all there is to it. Run the quick "he vs. him" test in your head before you type. If it ends in an M, use whom. If not, who.