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I read many sources on the correct usage of who and whom, like this answer. From that answer, it seems that you can always use who, I didn't know that.

However I would like to know if in this sentence I could use whom.

I would just use XX, but it is not me who is going to be using it.

A bit of context on this. I am building an app, and I am being requested to use something, lets call it YY, but I would much rather use XX. But since I am not going to be using the app, I am inclined to use YY as requested. And I was talking about the issue with another member of my team, when the sentence was produced.

I am not native English speaker, and I never did any sentence syntax analysis in English. I am not sure if this sentence is properly written.

I think in this sentence It wouldn't be correct to use whom, because I think who is the subject of this sentence. But I get confused because I start saying "it is not me".

I am thinking that maybe this sentence is not grammatically correct and that is why I am having issues identifying whether to use who or whom.

Is this the right way to write this sentence?

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  • No, you cannot always use who. whomsoever the letter is concerned - who will not fit here!
    – Maulik V
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:08
  • @MaulikV, I wasn't referring to whomsoever, I was referring to the section that says "Fortunately for the English learner, in modern informal English, you don't need to distinguish them. Who (as well as derived forms like whoever) can be used in all positions."
    – Dzyann
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:10
  • Okay, still - whom this matter is concerned to - who will not fit here again!
    – Maulik V
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:11
  • In that case, you'd want to go with "to whom this matter concerns", I think.
    – Roger
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:19
  • @MaulikV are you are referring to the quote that says "you don't need to distinguish them. Who (as well as derived forms like whoever) can be used in all positions"? I extracted that from this answer: ell.stackexchange.com/a/1162/1416 . It is the accepted answer an has lots of votes, so I assumed it is correct.
    – Dzyann
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:58

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Okay, let me reintroduce a simple rule. Note that in most of the cases this will work. Though some will come up with their detailed views denying this! Yes, that subject-object rule is concrete (in fact, they are called that way - I is a subject pronoun and me is an object pronoun) but this one is simpler for learners like you and me.

To avoid perplexity, place yourself in the sentence. If I fits, it'll take who and if me fits, it'll take whom!

Who/Whom this matter is concerned to? - Apply that rule - The matter is concerned to me. So, it'll take whom.
Who/Whom is at the door? - Apply that rule - I am at the door. So, it'll take who.

So, in your sentence - Apply that rule - I am not going to use and therefore who. Thus...

I would just use XX, but it is not just me who is going to use it. (changed some words to make it better).

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    You can also substitute "he" or "him" rather than "I" or "me", with the additional helpful tip that if you can use hiM, you can use whoM.
    – Roger
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:18
  • @Roger yes yes! But then when it comes to she, he'll be confused! I remains I in any gender case! haha... anyway thanks. Oh yes, I got it... that's nice. +1
    – Maulik V
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:19
  • Well I like the subject-object rule. Just in this sentence I got lost on how to identify them, my first impression is that who is the subject, but as I said I have never done syntax analysis in English, and some cases are more complex than others. Thanks for the explanation!
    – Dzyann
    Mar 19, 2014 at 13:59

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