Who or whom?

ScottsEnglish

What is the difference between who and whom?

We recently received a sentence similar to this one:

Boys prefer outdoor physical activities compared to girls whom prefer to be at home.

The word whom is incorrect in this sentence. But why?

Who is a subject pronoun. It is followed by a verb. 

Examples: This is the man who bought the sandals. Who is the manager in this store? I don't know who is going to do the work, but it has to be done.

Whom is an object pronoun. It is preceded by a preposition. To whom does the jacket belong? I don't know for whom to vote. Whom should I call to have the answer? (I should call whom)

Complete these sentences with who or whom:

1. With ____________ are you going to the cinema tonight? 
2. ________________ is going to the cinema tonight?
3. I wish I knew _____________ kept turning the heat down.
4. For _____________ the Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway.
5. This man is the one to ______________ I gave the book.

Click here for the right answers:

1. With whom are you going to the cinema tonight? 
2. Who is going to the cinema tonight?
3. I wish I knew who kept turning the heat down.
4. For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway.
5. This man is the one to whom I gave the book.