Grammar Lesson of the Week: "Who and Whom", "I and Me"

By Abdul Azeez sulaiman

  

”who and whom”, ”I” and ”me”; the standard exactness of the position they are aimed to occupy

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Over time, the concept of "who and whom and I and me", have been part of what often causes mayhem for students who are not native speakers of English when forming and composing words to make an excerpt. Although, it is undoubted that the 'why' of this havoc could not be disconnected from the clashes that occurred between traditional grammarian and modern ones.

In order not to derail from our today's topic, we won't be able to instruct our pen to unveil the mask on the face of those two schools of grammar, because researching them is even like an ocean.

So back to our four pronouns, these pronouns are somewhat logical in nature and their logicality is very tricky to the extent of causing confusion for students. Perhaps, the reason why exam bodies like WAEC, NECO, and even JAMB have been incorporating stuff like this into their questions every year with an eye to ambushing student who dares to pay less attention to them.

For this, our today's lesson will explore these listed pronouns and make sure it brings out all the hidden skeleton materials each of them has in its cupboard.

In an instance when "someone performs an action" the 'someone' would be referred to as the subject. The " performs" would put on the shirt of the verb and last the word "an action" would be the object.

The subject is part of the function of a noun, noun phrase, or noun clause. Moreso, in noun case, the concept subject is known to be the one holding nominative chair while its counterpart, object is in the room of accusative post.

For better understanding, here are some examples:

●        Sulaiman rides a flashy bicycle.

Sulaiman : subject

Rides: verb in simple present tense

Bicycle: the object

 

●        Abdul Azeez buys a car

Abdul Azeez: subject

Buys: verb in simple present.

A car: object.

 

●        Olalekan has bought a new PC

Olalekan: subject

Has bought: verb phrase acting as a verb.

A new PC: noun phrase performing the function of an object.

With these plain examples, I am totally convinced that you would be able to provide more examples of it.

Now! Back to our pronouns which are who and whom and also I and me.

Starting with who and whom, both of them are traditionally known to be part of pronoun family in parts of speech because they are principally used in place of a noun.

While noun has the capability of performing various functions, these two pronouns align themselves with two of the functions of noun which are the notion of subject and object.

 Who is used in position of subject. While whom in object.

Take, for example:

●        Abdul Azeez has proposed to her.

Since Abdul Azeez is in a nominative case, you can just replace it with who which occupies the same position with it. So it will then be:

Who has proposed to her?

Also,

●        Olalekan has kicked a bucket.

Who has kicked a bucket?

 Whom on the other hand aligns itself with object and also sometimes with object of a preposition.

●        Ibrahim slaps his brother

Ibrahim slaps whom?

I saw a beautiful, intelligent, vocal, attractive lady.

I saw whom.?

 As you can see it as a simple and easy concept you too can bring in examples for them.

But, as relatively easy as this concept is, however, there are some instances you would be seen in a pool of confusion when facing tricky excerpts that are built by the brick of these who and whom.

So, don't worry, those instances with I and me would be explored on our next class.

Maa salaam!