Note. Some writers justify the use of who in sentences like the last one on the ground that it is an idiom. When, as in this book, the object is training in grammar, it is deemed better to adhere to the strictly grammatical form.

Exercise 58

In the following sentences, choose the proper forms from those italicized:

  1. Who whom do you wish to see?
  2. You will please write out the name of whoever whomever you want.
  3. I saw who whom was there.
  4. Who whom was it you saw?
  5. Who whom did you see?
  6. John did not know whom who to ask.
  7. Why did he not ask whomever whoever was there?
  8. Who whom can tell the difference?
  9. Give it to whoever whomever you please.
  10. None of those who were was wanted was were there.
  11. The one of those who were was wanted was not there.
  12. He is one of those fellows who are is always joking.
  13. Whom who was called "The Rail Splitter?"
  14. Do you not know whom who it was?
  15. That is one of the birds that is are very rare.
  16. One of the books which was were brought was one hundred years old.
  17. I am not among those who whom were was there.
  18. Only one of the men who were was on board survived.
  19. Everyone else who was were there was were lost.
  20. I am the one of the three men who is am are guilty.
  21. He was chosen one of the four speakers who was were to speak on Commencement Day.
  22. It was one of the books which were was being sought by the librarian.
  23. Give it to one of the men who whom is found there.
  24. To who whom did you give it?
  25. It was for whomever whoever was present.
  26. Ask whomever whoever is nearest the door.

80. Conjunctive or Relative Adverbs. It is better to use a when clause only in the subordinate part of the sentence, to state the time of an event. Compare the following:

Bad: He was turning the corner, when suddenly he saw a car approaching.
Good: When he was turning the corner, he suddenly saw a car approaching.
Bad: When the news of the fire came, it was still in the early morning.
Good: The news of the fire came when it was still in the early morning.

81. Do not use a when or a where clause in defining a subject or in place of a predicate noun.

Bad: Commencement is when one formally completes his school course.
Good: Commencement is the formal completion of one's school course.
Bad: Astronomy is where one studies about the stars.
Good: Astronomy is the study of the stars.