Use whom or whomever if you can substitute the following pronouns for the “whom” phrase: him, her, them, me, us. These pronouns function as objects of verbs or prepositions. Use a substitution test by taking a statement and turning it into a question (or vice versa) to determine the correct usage.
Examples of Whom vs. Whomever
1. Whom did you ask to pick up the order?
Substitution phrase: I asked him/ her/ them to pick up the order.
2. To whom is the letter addressed?
Substitution phrase: The letter is addressed to him/ her/ them/ me/ us.
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Excerpt from the book Grammar Essentials for Proofreading, Copyediting & Business Writing, Chapter 8: Common Usage Errors.
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Ashan R. Hampton is a long-time English instructor turned entrepreneur. She is also a proud graduate of the Donaghey Scholars Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock under the direction of Dr. C. Earl Ramsey, Emeritus. Through her company, Onyx Online Education & Training, she offers online writing courses and print books for academic and professional development to individuals and corporations. She is also a prolific published author of several books on a variety of topics. To find out more about Ashan's work, visit www.arhampton.com.
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