English Mastery
Module 6 · Mini Grammar Essentials

Who / Whom / Whose

Intermediate–Advanced40 min25 questions7 sections
Step 1

Quick Look

Three question words, one two-second test. WHO does the action (like HE); WHOM receives it (like HIM); WHOSE owns something (like HIS). Answer the question in your head with he or him — if HE fits, use who; if HIM fits, use whom. And a spelling landmine on the side: WHOSE (possession) vs. WHO’S (who is).
Sentence TypeStructure + Example
WHO = he
Who signed the deed?
HE signed it. (subject)
WHOM = him
Whom did you meet?
I met HIM. (object) • To whom should I address the letter?
WHOSE = his
Whose file is this?
It is HIS file. (possession)

The golden rule — the he/him test: answer the question mentally. HE works who. HIM works whom. ‘Who/Whom called you?’ HE called you who. ‘Who/Whom did you call?’ you called HIM whom. After a preposition, it’s always whom: to whom, with whom, for whom — the preposition forces the him-form.

The he / him / his test
SUBJECT · THE DOERWHO=heकिसने? ?signed Whosigned the deed?HEsigned it.OBJECT · THE RECEIVERWHOM=himकिसे · किससे? met ?Whomdid you meet?I metHIM.POSSESSION · THE OWNERWHOSE=hisकिसका? ?owns Whosefile is this?It isHISfile.AFTER A PREPOSITION: WHOMtowhomwithwhomforwhom
Step 2

When to Use It

?negotiated Who=he
Use 1

WHO — the doer

Subject of the verb, in questions and relative clauses.
  • Who negotiated this price? (HE negotiated it)
  • The broker who brought this buyer deserves the full cut.
  • Who is handling the Bidhuri file now?
met ?Whom=him
Use 2

WHOM — the receiver

Object of a verb or preposition. Formal writing loves it; speech often swaps in who.
  • Whom did the committee select? (they selected HIM)
  • To whom it may concern: ... (the letter opener — fixed)
  • The consultant whom we hired last year has shifted to Pune.
  • With whom did you visit the site?
?owns Whose=his
Use 3

WHOSE — the owner

Possession, for people and (in relative clauses) even things.
  • Whose signature is missing on page 4?
  • The client whose loan was rejected wants a refund of the token.
  • It’s a project whose approvals are all in place. (things too!)
CHATWhoshould I send the location to? LEGAL…the partyto whomthe notice is addressed…
Use 4

The register note — modern reality

In conversation, ‘Who did you call?’ is normal English today. But formal writing, legal drafting, and exams still expect whom — know both, deploy by register.
  • WhatsApp: Who should I send the location to?
  • Legal notice: The party to whom the notice is addressed shall respond within 15 days.
  • Same idea, two registers — your choice is about the room, not just the rule.
Whose or who’s?
Expand the apostrophe: if‘who is’fits, write who’s. If not, write whose.Who’s calling?expandWho is calling?WHO’SWho’s car is blocking the gate?expandWho is car is blocking the gate?WHOSE
Step 3

Hindi Concept Note

अHindi Concept Noteहिंदी में समझिए
दो सेकंड का test: सवाल का जवाब मन में he या him से दो।
जवाब में HE आए who: किसने sign किया? उसने (HE) sign किया WHO signed?
जवाब में HIM आए whom: तुम किससे मिले? मैं उससे (HIM) मिला WHOM did you meet?
Preposition के बाद हमेशा whom: किसको भेजूँ to WHOM; किसके साथ with WHOM।
WHOSE = किसका (मालिकाना): यह किसकी file है?
WHOSE file is this?
Spelling की बारूदी सुरंग: whose = किसका; who’s = who is (वह कौन है जो...) — ‘Who’s calling?’ = कौन बोल रहा है; ‘Whose phone?’ = किसका phone।
Step 4

Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

Wrong
Right
Why
Whom is calling at this hour?
Who is calling at this hour?
HE is calling subject who.
Who did you give the original papers? (formal letter)
To whom did you give the original papers?
You gave them to HIM whom; and the preposition leads in formal style.
The engineer who we consulted charges by the visit. (formal report)
The engineer whom we consulted charges by the visit.
We consulted HIM whom in formal writing. (Speech tolerates who.)
Who’s car is blocking the gate?
Whose car is blocking the gate?
Possession whose. Who’s = who is.
Whose is coming to the inspection?
Who is coming to the inspection? / Who’s coming to the inspection?
The doer who. Whose only asks about ownership.
The buyer who’s cheque bounced is calling again.
The buyer whose cheque bounced is calling again.
The cheque belongs to him whose.
Step 5

Signal Words

The two-second toolkit:
Answer with HE who; answer with HIM whom; answer with HIS whose
Any preposition before the blank whom (to/with/for/by whom)
whose = ownership; who’s = who is — expand the apostrophe to check
Formal writing/legal keep whom; casual speech who is accepted
Relative clauses run on the same test: the man who called / the man whom I called
Step 6

Practice

Set A

Fill in the blanks

0 / 10
  1. 1
    (Who/Whom) approved this layout change?
  2. 2
    (Who/Whom) should I mark in CC — the CA or the lawyer?
  3. 3
    To (who/whom) does this Scorpio belong?
  4. 4
    (Whose/Who’s) initials are these on the margin?
  5. 5
    The vendor (who/whom) we blacklisted has reapplied. (formal)
  6. 6
    (Whose/Who’s) attending the RERA hearing tomorrow?
  7. 7
    The lady (who/whose) plot adjoins ours has agreed to the joint boundary wall.
  8. 8
    (Who/Whom) did the panel interview first? (formal)
  9. 9
    With (who/whom) did you inspect the basement?
  10. 10
    (Who/Whom) is responsible (for/of) the keys till possession? (two blanks)
Set B

Correct the mistake

0 / 8
  1. 11
    Whom is the new site supervisor?
  2. 12
    Who did you address the legal notice to? (make it formal)
  3. 13
    Who’s laptop is lying in the conference room?
  4. 14
    The client who we met at the expo has confirmed the booking. (formal)
  5. 15
    Whose going to collect the demand drafts?
  6. 16
    The contractor who’s bills are pending has stopped work.
  7. 17
    To who should I hand over the duplicate keys?
  8. 18
    Whom, according to you, deserves the incentive this quarter? (careful — test it)
Set C

Translate into English

0 / 7
  1. 19
    यह file किसने बनाई?
  2. 20
    तुम किससे मिलने गए थे? (formal)
  3. 21
    यह किसका briefcase है?
  4. 22
    वह आदमी कौन है जो gate पर खड़ा है?
  5. 23
    जिस client का loan reject हुआ, वह आया है।
  6. 24
    मैं यह चिट्ठी किसको भेजूँ? (formal)
  7. 25
    कौन आ रहा है meeting में? (short form में)
Step 7

Answer Key

Show answersHide answers
Answers · Set A
1
Who
2
Whom (Who accepted in speech)
3
whom
4
Whose
5
whom
6
Who’s
7
whose
8
Whom
9
whom
10
Who ... for
Answers · Set B
11
Who is the new site supervisor? (HE is who.)
12
To whom did you address the legal notice?
13
Whose laptop is lying in the conference room?
14
The client whom we met at the expo has confirmed the booking.
15
Who’s going to collect the demand drafts? (= who is)
16
The contractor whose bills are pending has stopped work.
17
To whom should I hand over the duplicate keys?
18
Who, according to you, deserves the incentive this quarter? (HE deserves who — the inserted phrase doesn’t change the test.)
Answers · Set C
19
Who made this file? / Who prepared this file?
20
Whom did you go to meet?
21
Whose briefcase is this?
22
Who is the man standing at the gate?
23
The client whose loan was rejected has come.
24
To whom should I send this letter?
25
Who’s coming to the meeting?

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Next up · Chapter 7The Subjunctive

The hidden grammar of demands and suggestions: ‘I suggest that he BE informed’ — yes, BE, not IS.