How to Use "Who" in a Sentence
"Who" as a Question Word
Who asks about a person's identity. It functions as the subject of the question.
- Who left the door open?
- Who is responsible for this account?
- Who wants to go first?
In each case, who is the one performing the action. You do not need any additional subject.
"Who" in Relative Clauses
A relative clause gives more information about a noun. Who introduces clauses about people.
- The woman who called earlier left a message.
- Students who submit late will lose points.
- I spoke to the technician who fixed the server.
The clause beginning with who describes the noun right before it. Removing the clause should leave a sentence that still makes grammatical sense: "The woman left a message."
"Who" vs. "Whom"
This distinction trips up many writers. The rule is straightforward:
- Who = subject (the person doing the action)
- Whom = object (the person receiving the action)
Test it by substituting he/she or him/her:
- Who called you? (He called you. Subject = who.)
- Whom did you call? (You called him. Object = whom.)
- The manager who approved the budget is on vacation. (She approved the budget.)
- The manager whom we contacted has not replied. (We contacted her.)
In casual speech, who is often used in place of whom, and most listeners will not notice. In formal writing, maintaining the distinction shows precision.
"Who" vs. "That"
Both can introduce relative clauses, but they are not identical.
- Use who for people: "The engineer who designed the bridge won an award."
- Use that for things (and sometimes people in informal contexts): "The bridge that collapsed was built in 1960."
Using that for people is not grammatically wrong, but who is preferred in most style guides because it sounds more natural when referring to humans.
Example Sentences
- Who is picking up the supplies?
- The candidate who scored highest will receive the scholarship.
- I need to find out who approved this expense.
- She is someone who follows through on commitments.
- Who do you think should lead the project? (Informal; formally, "Whom do you think...")
- Anyone who wants to attend must register by Friday.
Quick Reference
Use who when the person is the subject of the verb that follows. Use whom when the person is the object. When in doubt, try the he/him test described above.
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From keywords to paragraphs
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