English Language Arts
Grade 5
15 min
Use relative pronouns: who and whom
Use relative pronouns: who and whom
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define 'relative pronoun' and identify its function in a sentence.
Distinguish between 'who' and 'whom' based on their grammatical roles.
Identify when 'who' acts as the subject of a relative clause.
Identify when 'whom' acts as the object of a relative clause or the object of a preposition.
Apply the 'he/him' test to correctly choose between 'who' and 'whom' in sentences.
Construct grammatically correct sentences using 'who' to introduce relative clauses.
Construct grammatically correct sentences using 'whom' to introduce relative clauses.
Have you ever wondered if you should say 'Who did you see?' or 'Whom did you see?' 🤔 Let's...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Relative PronounA word that connects a clause (a group of words with a subject and a verb) to a noun or pronoun, providing more information about it.The girl 'who' won the race is my friend.
Relative ClauseA type of dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun (like 'who' or 'whom') and describes a noun or pronoun in the main part of the sentence.The boy 'who is wearing a blue hat' is my brother.
Subject PronounA pronoun that performs the action of the verb in a sentence or clause. Think of it as the 'doer' of the action.He ran fast. (He is the subject.)
Object PronounA pronoun that receives the action of the verb or is the object of a preposition. Think of it as the 'receiver' of the action.She saw...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Rule for 'Who' (Subject Role)
Use 'who' when the relative pronoun is the subject of the verb in the relative clause (it performs the action).
If you can replace the relative pronoun with 'he' or 'she' in the relative clause, then 'who' is the correct choice. 'Who' is like 'he' or 'she' – it's a subject pronoun.
Rule for 'Whom' (Object Role)
Use 'whom' when the relative pronoun is the object of the verb or the object of a preposition in the relative clause (it receives the action).
If you can replace the relative pronoun with 'him' or 'her' in the relative clause, then 'whom' is the correct choice. 'Whom' is like 'him' or &...
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Challenging
In the sentence 'The student who aced the test studied for hours,' why is 'who' the correct choice?
A.Because 'who' is an object pronoun that receives the action from 'aced'.
B.Because 'who' is a subject pronoun that performs the action of the verb 'aced'.
C.Because 'who' refers to a person, and 'which' refers to a thing.
D.Because 'who' is the object of the preposition 'for'.
Challenging
In the sentence 'The candidate whom the voters elected promised change,' why is 'whom' the correct choice?
A.Because 'whom' is the object of the verb 'elected'; it receives the action from the subject 'the voters'.
B.Because 'whom' is the subject of the verb 'elected'; it performs the action.
C.Because 'whom' is the object of the verb 'promised'.
D.Because 'whom' sounds more formal and professional than 'who'.
Challenging
Which sentence correctly uses 'whom' as the object of a preposition, as described in the tutorial?
A.The librarian whom helped me find the book was very kind.
B.Whom is your favorite author?
C.My uncle, whom I admire, is a doctor.
D.The person with whom I am working is my neighbor.
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