Whoever Vs. Whomever: How To Always Pick The Right One - INK Blog

Main Whoever vs. Whomever Takeaways:

• Whoever is a subject pronoun. This means that it can replace pronouns like I, we, she, he, and they that are often the subject of a sentence.
• Whomever is an object pronoun. This means that it can replace pronouns like me, us, her, him, and them that are often the object of a sentence’s preposition or verb.
• Here’s a quick trick to remember the difference: If you’re referring to the pronoun him/her, you should use whomever. However, if he/she works better in the sentence, you should opt for whoever.
• You can begin a sentence using whomever if the object pronoun naturally falls at the beginning of the sentence.
• Whomsoever is a more formal word for whomever.
• Whosoever is a more formal word for whoever.
• Some modern grammarians believe whom is a dying pronoun, joining words like thee, thy, and thine.

Whomever made this salad is a culinary genius!Whoever made this salad is a culinary genius!Please make sure to give these supplies to whoever needs them most.Please make sure to give these supplies to whomever needs them most.

If you find yourself changing sentences around to avoid using these words, you aren’t alone. But there is another way. Knowing whether to use whoever or whomever can be easy once you know what makes them unique. This article will answer all of your whoever vs. whomever questions and give you a few simple tricks to remember the difference between these pronouns. And, we’ll show you how to use each with easy examples.

Many people believe that whomever is nothing more than a more formal version of whoever. But the truth is, they’re unique words with unique functions. So, what’s a writer to do if they’re deciding between whomever or whoever?

Which is Correct: Whoever or Whomever?

Here is the easiest way know if you should use whoever or whomever: associate the ‘m’ in whomever with the ‘m’ in him. Replace the word with him. Does the sentence still make sense? If so, then whomever is the correct pronoun. If not, then you should use whoever instead. This trick works because whoever is a subject pronoun like he/she/they. Conversely, whomever is an object pronoun like him/her/them.

Similarly, you can use the same trick to remember the difference between who and whom. This is because these pronouns are the roots of whoever and whomever.

Whoever and whomever are interrogative pronouns. Although they both relate to people, they aren’t interchangeable. Instead, they serve different functions in sentences.Sheshoveled snow off the sidewalk.Whoshoveled snow off the sidewalk out front?Whoevershoveled snow off the sidewalk did a great job.The letter was addressed tohim.Towhomwas the letter addressed?The letter should go towhomeverit was addressed.Pro Tip: When choosing whomever or whoever, pay attention to the clause that includes the word, rather than the entire sentence.

What is the Him Trick?

The Him Trick is the quickest and easiest way to remember the difference between whoever and whoever. Just link the ‘m’ in whomever to the ‘m’ in him. Replace the entire dependent clause beginning with whoever/whomever with him (The smoothie goes to whomever ordered it = the smoothie goes to him). Does the sentence still make sense? Is it still grammatically correct? If yes, then you know that whomever is the correct word to use. If no, then whoever is most likely the word you want. You can also use other object pronouns like her/them.

The reason this trick works is because whomever is an object pronoun like him/her/them. Conversely, whoever is a subject pronoun like he/her/they.

The money should go towhoever/whomeverneeds it most.The money should go tohim/he.

Here’s how the sentences look like following the Him Trick:

The money should go tohim.The money should go towhomeverneeds it most.Whoever/Whomeveris in charge of the third shift should report in at noon.He/himshould report in at noon.He should report in at noon.Whoever is in charge of the third shift should report in at noon.

Can you Start a Sentence With Whomever?

You can start a sentence with whomever, but it rarely happens. Use whomever at the beginning of a sentence when the object pronoun—the recipient of the action—falls at the beginning of a sentence. In this case, it’s grammatically correct to start a sentence with whomever. An example of one of these rare cases is: Whomeveryou choose for the role, it’s fine with me.

Whoever the committee nominates to run the fundraiser, we will support the decision.Whomever the committee nominates to run the fundraiser, we will support the decision

When Should you use Whomever in a Sentence?

You should use whomever in a sentence whenever you can rewrite the sentence using him. For example, the sentence “Please send the file to whomever requested it” becomes “Please five the file to him.” This is because whomever is an object pronoun, meaning that it refers to the verb or preposition of a sentence and not the subject. In this example, the subject is the file while the object is the person who requested the file. Since the verb send and the preposition to refer to the person that made the request, whomever is the correct object pronoun to use. As you can see, you should use an object pronoun to replace the entire dependent clause beginning with whomever.

Examples of Whomever in a Sentence

Here are examples of how to use whomever in a sentence:

I will give a name tag towhomeverneeds one.Mrs. Garner would like to speak to whomever is in charge.Please deliver the package to whomever it’s addressed.I’d love to hug whomever made this cake!The police plan to arrest whomever defaced this wall.

Whom/Whomever Recap:

• Whomserves as an object pronoun because it receives the action.
• As such, whom takes the place of other object pronouns like me, us, her, him, and them.
• Since it’s also an object pronoun, the same is true for whomever.