Grammar 101: How to use who and whom correctly?

What’s the difference between who and whom? These are two words that cause a lot of confusion, even for native-English speakers. So, it’s well worth taking a few minutes to know the difference between the two. Below, the difference who and whom is explained, and its grammatical rules. We’ve also given some who vs whom examples, and how to use them correctly. If you want to avoid mistakes in using who vs whom, read on.

What Is the Difference Between Who and Whom?

Who and whom are both relative and interrogative pronouns used to refer to people, but they serve different grammatical functions in a sentence. Understanding this difference is especially important in formal English and IELTS writing, where accuracy matters.

Who is used as the subject of a sentence or clause — it performs the action. Whom is used as the object of a verb or a preposition — it receives the action.

Although many English speakers use who in everyday conversation regardless of grammar rules, whom is still considered correct and appropriate in formal contexts, academic writing, and English proficiency exams such as IELTS.

A Simple Way to Remember the Rule in Using Who and Whom

A reliable way to choose between who and whom is to replace the word with a personal pronoun:

• Use who if the sentence works with he, she, or they.

• Use whom if the sentence works with him, her, or them.

This quick test can help you identify whether the word is acting as a subject or an object.

Examples Using Who

• Who is calling you? → He is calling you.

• Who wrote this report for the meeting? → She wrote this report.

• Who will be responsible for submitting the application? → They will be responsible.

Examples Using Whom

• Whom did you meet at the conference? → You met him at the conference.

• To whom should I send the completed form? → Send the form to her.

• Whom are they inviting to the interview? → They are inviting them.

Why Properly Using of Who and Whom Matters for IELTS?

In the IELTS Speaking test, using who instead of whom is generally acceptable in natural conversation. However, in IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2, correct use of whom—especially after prepositions like to, for, and with—demonstrates a higher level of grammatical range and accuracy.

Using who and whom correctly can help your writing sound more formal, precise, and academically appropriate.

Key Takeaway

Mastering this distinction will make your formal English clearer and help you avoid common grammar mistakes in exams and professional writing.

Now that we’ve gone through the grammar rules and shown you some examples, let’s test your understanding with this quick “Who vs Whom” test. Write down your answers and check later if you all got them correctly.

Quiz: Select “who” or “whom” for each sentence 

1. Who/Whom is paying for this? 

2. He saw a gentleman who/whom he presumed to be the director, and told him about Helen. 

3. At the porch he met two of the landed gentry, one of who/whom he knew. 

4. Who/whom wants dinner?  

5. Here in dwells an old man with who/whom I would like to converse. 

6. This is the lady who/whom I told you about. 

7. Who/whom is going to the ball game? 

8. Lisa is the girl with who/whom I’m driving to Maine.  

9. Who/Whom did the candidate choose for his running mate? 

10. To Who/Whom were you talking just now?

Mastering grammar points like who and whom helps you write more clearly and accurately in the IELTS exam. Keep building your skills with our IELTS grammar lessons, practical examples, and guided practice, designed to help you use English confidently in real test situations.

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