Whoever and whomever are two words that are frequently used interchangeably and about which many people have preconceived notions. Some people think that whoever is the official and proper version.
However, there is a fundamental principle that controls how these terms should be used. Therefore, understanding the distinction between whoever and whomever is crucial.
Both whoever and whomever are relative pronouns, just like who, whom, which, whose, and that. They are employed to create noun phrases by joining a noun to a phrase or clause. However, the terms whoever and whomever are not equivalent. They are distinctive words with distinctive uses. Many individuals think that whomever is just whoever in a more official setting.
Difference between Whoever and Whomever:
Whoever is used as a subject pronoun, while whomever is an object pronoun.
• Subject pronoun: The main idea of the sentence.
It is the item or person that carries out a verb’s activity.
I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who, and whoever are all subject pronouns.
• Object pronoun: The non-subject of the sentence.
Typically, they are impacted by the sentence’s subject and acquire the verb’s action.
Me, you, him, her, us, it, they, whom, and whomever are examples of object pronouns.
You’re not alone if you frequently rearrange phrases to omit certain terms.
However, there is another option. Once you know what makes them special, deciding whether to use whoever or whomever can be simple This post will clarify all of your questions about whoever vs. whomever and provide you with a few quick tips to help you recall the differences between them.
When/How to Use Whoever
As you are already aware, the subject pronoun ‘whoever’ has the same meaning as the pronouns I, he, she, they, and who.
As a result, it designates the subject or actor in a sentence—that is, the individual carrying out the primary action. It therefore functions just like any other subject pronoun.
Therefore, you can substitute whoever for I, she, he, or they in any situation.
Examples:
1. Whoever wants to meet the king, step aside.
2. Whoever is in charge of the department shall only report to the manager.
3. Whoever reaches the destination first will get to eat their favourite dish.
In each of the aforementioned instances, “whoever” refers to the subject of the primary verb.
In other words, instead of using “whom” where you would use the interrogative “who,” use “whoever.”
When/How to Use Whomever
Whoever is an object pronoun, therefore it can be used everywhere that I, him, her, they, or whom could be used. They designate the subject of a sentence, the individual who is the beneficiary or the object of the action, as object pronouns.
Examples:
1. You can report to whomever you want.
2. Give the bouquet to whomever you wish.
3. She can marry whomever she likes.
You’ll see that in the examples above, whomever serves as both the direct object of the verb and the object of the preposition.
Additionally, some people frequently use this pronoun because they believe that using whomever sounds sophisticated and intelligent.
However, if this pronoun is used incorrectly, it will actually imply the complete reverse of this. Because of this, you should be careful when using the right pronoun; only use whomever when you are referring to an object.
That’s all folks! Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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