Many of Who or Many of Whom? Which Is Correct? (+ Examples)

Navigating the intricacies of English grammar can sometimes feel like a daunting task, especially when common words like “who” and “whom” are involved. These relative pronouns, crucial for connecting clauses and referring to people, often cause confusion. The distinction between them hinges on their grammatical function within a sentence: subject versus object.

Understanding this fundamental difference is key to using them correctly, ensuring your writing is both grammatically sound and clear. Many people struggle with this, leading to sentences that, while perhaps understandable, lack the polish of correct usage. This guide aims to demystify the “who” versus “whom” dilemma, providing clear explanations and practical examples to help you master their application.

The Subject-Object Distinction

The core of understanding “who” and “whom” lies in their grammatical roles. “Who” functions as a subject pronoun, meaning it performs the action of the verb or is described by the verb. Think of it as the equivalent of “he,” “she,” or “they” when they are acting as the subject of a sentence.

Conversely, “whom” acts as an object pronoun. It receives the action of the verb or is the object of a preposition. This means it’s akin to “him,” “her,” or “them” when they are acting as the object in a sentence.

This fundamental difference dictates which pronoun to use in any given situation. When in doubt, try substituting “he/she/they” for “who” and “him/her/them” for “whom” to test the grammatical correctness.

“Who” as a Subject Pronoun

When “who” is used, it is performing the action of the verb in the clause it introduces. It acts as the subject of that particular verb.

Consider the sentence: “She is the one who sings beautifully.” Here, “who” is the subject of the verb “sings.” The clause “who sings beautifully” describes “the one.”

To check, you can rephrase the subordinate clause as a standalone sentence: “She sings beautifully.” Since “she” is the subject, “who” is the correct pronoun.

“Whom” as an Object Pronoun

When “whom” is used, it is either the direct object of a verb or the object of a preposition. It is not performing the action; rather, the action is being done to it, or it follows a preposition.

For example: “She is the one whom I admire.” In this case, “whom” is the direct object of the verb “admire.” The clause “whom I admire” tells us more about “the one.”

If we rephrase the subordinate clause: “I admire him.” Since “him” is the object, “whom” is the correct pronoun.

“Whom” After Prepositions

A very common and reliable way to identify the need for “whom” is when it directly follows a preposition. Prepositions like “to,” “for,” “with,” “about,” “from,” and “by” always take object pronouns.

Thus, if a pronoun follows one of these prepositions, “whom” is almost always the correct choice. For instance, “To whom should I address this letter?” The preposition “to” governs “whom.”

Similarly, “This is the person with whom I traveled.” The preposition “with” requires the object pronoun “whom.”

This rule is particularly helpful because prepositions clearly signal that an object is needed, making the choice between “who” and “whom” more straightforward.

The “Many of Who” vs. “Many of Whom” Dilemma

The phrase “many of who” or “many of whom” presents a common grammatical stumbling block. The decision between “who” and “whom” here depends entirely on the grammatical function of the pronoun within the relative clause it introduces.

If the individuals referred to by “many” are performing an action or being described, “who” is correct. If they are receiving an action or are the object of a preposition, “whom” is correct.

The key is to isolate the relative clause and determine the role of the pronoun within it.

Analyzing “Many of Who”

The construction “many of who” is correct when the “who” acts as the subject of the verb within its clause. This means the individuals are performing the action described by that verb.

Consider the sentence: “Many of who were present agreed with the proposal.” To analyze this, isolate the clause: “who were present.” Here, “who” is the subject of the verb “were.”

If we test this by substituting: “Many of them were present.” Since “them” functions as the subject in this parallel construction, “who” is indeed the correct choice.

This pattern holds true for any verb where the pronoun is the performer of the action.

Analyzing “Many of Whom”

Conversely, “many of whom” is correct when “whom” functions as the object within its clause, either receiving an action or following a preposition.

Take the example: “He spoke to many of whom he had never met before.” Let’s examine the clause: “whom he had never met before.” Here, “whom” is the direct object of the verb “met.”

Testing with substitution: “He had never met them before.” Since “them” is the object, “whom” is the correct pronoun.

Another instance involves prepositions: “She selected candidates, many of whom possessed excellent qualifications.” The preposition “of” governs “whom.”

If we consider the implied structure, it’s akin to “She selected candidates, and she possessed excellent qualifications from many of them.” The “of them” structure points to “whom.”

Practical Application: Subjective Testing

A reliable method for determining “who” versus “whom” involves a simple substitution test. Mentally remove the introductory phrase (like “many of,” “some of,” “a few of”) and the relative pronoun, then try substituting “he/she” (for subject) or “him/her” (for object) into the resulting clause.

For example, in “Many of [who/whom] attended the conference,” consider the clause “who/whom attended the conference.” If you substitute “he attended the conference,” it sounds correct. Therefore, “who” is the right choice.

If the sentence were “We invited many of [who/whom] were available,” the clause is “who/whom were available.” Substituting “he was available” works, indicating “who.”

This subjective testing, while requiring a moment’s thought, is highly effective for most common sentence structures.

Practical Application: Objective Testing

The objective testing method focuses on identifying the role of the pronoun as a direct object or the object of a preposition. If the pronoun is directly acted upon by a verb or follows a preposition, “whom” is the correct choice.

Consider: “The committee thanked the volunteers, many of whom were instrumental.” The clause is “whom were instrumental.” While “were instrumental” describes the volunteers, the preposition “of” in “many of whom” governs “whom” as the object of the prepositional phrase acting as an adjective.

A clearer example: “She greeted the participants, many of whom she recognized.” Here, “whom” is the direct object of “recognized.” Testing: “She recognized them.” This confirms “whom.”

This method is particularly useful when prepositions are present or when the verb’s action is clearly directed at the pronoun’s antecedent.

Common Pitfalls and Errors

One of the most frequent errors is using “who” when “whom” is grammatically required, especially in informal speech where the distinction is often blurred. People tend to default to “who” because it sounds more natural in casual conversation.

Another pitfall is overthinking the sentence structure. Sometimes, the relative clause is complex or embedded, making it difficult to isolate the pronoun’s function.

Misidentifying the subject and object within the subordinate clause is also a common mistake. This can lead to incorrect pronoun choices, undermining the clarity and correctness of the sentence.

Finally, relying solely on how a sentence sounds without grammatical analysis can lead to persistent errors.

Formal vs. Informal Usage

In formal writing, such as academic papers, professional reports, and literature, adhering to the “who” versus “whom” distinction is generally expected and considered a mark of good grammar. Using “whom” correctly enhances the formality and precision of your writing.

However, in very informal contexts, like text messages or casual conversations among friends, the strict adherence to “whom” is often relaxed. Many native English speakers will use “who” even when “whom” is technically correct, and it is usually understood without causing confusion.

The key is to be aware of your audience and the context. For professional or academic purposes, mastering “whom” is essential. For casual communication, the rules are more flexible.

When “Who” and “Whom” Can Be Tricky

Embedded questions can present challenges. For example, “I don’t know who is responsible.” Here, “who” is the subject of “is responsible” within the embedded question functioning as a noun clause. This is straightforward.

However, consider: “I don’t know whom to blame.” Here, “whom” is the object of the infinitive “to blame.” The structure is simplified, but the object role remains, making “whom” correct.

The phrase “many of whom” can also be tricky because the “of” acts as a preposition, immediately signaling that “whom” is likely correct, even if the subsequent verb’s role isn’t immediately obvious.

The Role of Prepositions in Determining “Whom”

Prepositions are powerful indicators for using “whom.” When a preposition immediately precedes the relative pronoun, that pronoun must be in the objective case, meaning “whom.”

Sentences like “This is the colleague with whom I collaborate” or “She is the teacher for whom the students prepared a gift” clearly demonstrate this rule. The prepositions “with” and “for” necessitate the use of “whom.”

Even in more complex sentences, if a preposition can be directly linked to the pronoun, “whom” is the correct choice. This rule is one of the most consistent and helpful for accurate usage.

“Many of Whom” in Complex Sentences

In complex sentences, the phrase “many of whom” often appears when referring to a subset of a larger group, where that subset is the object of a verb or preposition within a subordinate clause.

For instance: “The company hired several new employees, many of whom will be working in the marketing department.” Here, “whom” is the object of the implied preposition “of” within the phrase “many of whom,” and also serves as the subject of “will be working” in the larger clause structure. However, the prepositional phrase construction “many of whom” dictates the objective case.

Let’s re-examine the clause structure more precisely: “many of whom will be working.” The “of whom” part is a prepositional phrase modifying “many.” The pronoun “whom” is the object of the preposition “of.”

This distinction is subtle but crucial: the presence of “of” before the pronoun, when referring to a group, generally requires “whom.”

“Many of Who” in Complex Sentences

The construction “many of who” is less common in formal writing because the “of” often implies an objective relationship. However, it can be correct if the “who” is unequivocally the subject of the verb in its clause, and the “of” introduces a quantifier for that subject.

Consider this hypothetical: “We are looking for individuals, many of who can contribute innovative ideas.” If the intended meaning is that “many of these individuals can contribute,” then “who” as the subject of “can contribute” might seem plausible.

However, in standard English, the construction “many of who” is highly unusual and often considered incorrect even when the intended meaning is subjective. The more natural and grammatically accepted phrasing would typically involve “whom” or a restructuring of the sentence to avoid this specific construction if the subject is intended.

The prevailing grammatical convention strongly favors “many of whom” when referring to a group in this manner, even if the subsequent action is subjective. The “of” typically governs the objective case.

When to Use “Who” and “Whom”: A Quick Recap

To summarize, use “who” when the pronoun acts as the subject of a verb. This means the person or people referred to are performing the action.

Use “whom” when the pronoun acts as the object of a verb or the object of a preposition. This means the person or people are receiving the action or are governed by a preposition.

The “many of who” versus “many of whom” question is resolved by applying these same rules to the relative clause introduced by the phrase.

Examples and Practice

Let’s solidify understanding with more examples. “She is the artist who painted this masterpiece.” (“Who” is the subject of “painted.”)

“To whom did you give the package?” (“Whom” is the object of the preposition “to.”)

“The students, many of whom were struggling, needed extra help.” (“Whom” is the object of the preposition “of” in “many of whom.”)

“He’s the candidate who will lead the team.” (“Who” is the subject of “will lead.”)

Practice by creating your own sentences and testing them using the substitution method.

Avoiding the “Whom” Misuse in Casual Speech

While formal writing demands precision, casual speech often bypasses “whom.” This is not necessarily an error in informal settings but can lead to uncertainty when transitioning to formal contexts.

Many people find “whom” awkward or overly formal, opting for “who” or rephrasing the sentence to avoid the issue altogether.

For example, instead of “Whom are you calling?”, many would say “Who are you calling?” or “Who is it you’re calling?”. Understanding the formal rule helps you recognize the informality of these constructions.

The Grammaticality of “Many of Who” in Modern Usage

While traditional grammar dictates “whom” after “of” when referring to people, modern usage sometimes sees “who” creeping in, particularly in less formal contexts. However, this is still widely considered grammatically incorrect in standard English.

The perceived awkwardness of “whom” can lead writers to avoid constructions like “many of whom,” opting for sentence structures that don’t require the problematic pronoun.

For clarity and correctness in formal writing, it is best to adhere to the traditional rules, using “whom” when it functions as an object, even within phrases like “many of whom.”

Mastering Relative Pronouns for Clear Communication

The correct use of “who” and “whom,” including in phrases like “many of whom,” is fundamental to clear and precise communication, especially in formal writing.

By consistently applying the subject-object distinction and the preposition rule, you can confidently navigate these grammatical nuances.

Investing time in understanding and practicing these rules will significantly enhance the quality and professionalism of your written work.