Friday's English Language Lesson #3**

[ajva]

Yes, after a week away, we are back with more educational excitement than you can shake a hastily extemporised mortar board at.

Drawing at random a request from the hat, today we examine the difference between "who" and "whom".


Well, generally, "who" is used when it's the subject of the sentence and "whom" when it's the object.

Which, for you non-grammarians out there, basically means this: if you're not sure, rephrase the sentence to have either "he" or "him" in it. If you find yourself saying "he", then use "who", and if "him", use "whom".

e.g.

Who/whom took my last bloody rolo?

He took my last bloody rolo.
Therefore:
Who took my last bloody rolo?

Or:

To who/whom shall I give a good kicking?

I shall give him a good kicking.
Therefore:
To whom shall I give a good kicking?


As a special treat for those of you who bothered to click through, I have included a fatuous Friday afternoon poll. The title should read "Who is the sexiest bastard in today's World o' Pop?"

Feel free to answer as imaginatively as you please...

[Poll #309862]

Comments

[aegidian]

But where will you hastily shake your hat next?

[(Anonymous)]

I sat next to Anne at lunch last weekend, and she committed one of the worst traditional sins of pedantry when she said 'less' instead of 'fewer'. So I dispute her claims to grammatical exactitude.

So there!

slu

(although it might just have been the beer talking. I suppose)

[ajva.livejournal.com]

You bastard.

How long have you been reading my journal?

And yes, I must confess, 'tis true. I plead drunkenness.

:oD