Author Topic: My ignorance is showing (Read 1715 times)

Porter · « **on:** May 16, 2007, 10:10:48 AM »

Yesterday I couldn't remember when to use who vs. whom, so instead I reordered the sentence so that I didn't have to use either, causing the sentence to end in a preposition in the process.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 16, 2007, 10:15:32 AM »

*pat pat*

I don't know if I've said this before, but if you're confused about who and whom, try replacing it with he/him or they/them. This often involves rearranging the sentence or answering the question or something like that.

For example:

Who did you give it to? I gave it to him.

So it should technically be "whom," not "who." But if you can't figure it out and have to use one, always go with "who." Yes, it might technically be wrong at times, but at least everyone does it. If you use "whom" when it should be "who," then you'll really look ignorant.

Oh, and nobody worries about ending sentences with prepositions anymore.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:08:02 PM »

Whenever I have a sentence that ends with a preposition, I add "you know" to the end of it, so that the preposition isn't last.

Like, "Prepositions should never be used to end a sentence with, you know."

"That's something I won't put up with, you know."

See? Makes me sound all educated and proper. You know?

Porter · « **Reply #3 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:10:46 PM »

Technically, I don't think my sentence ended with a preposition, but it would have had I not spliced two sentences together with a comma.

Quote

I don't know if I've said this before, but if you're confused about who and whom, try replacing it with he/him or they/them.

You have said it before, but I had forgotten. My instinct was correct it should have been whom, but I was too afraid of using whom incorrectly.

Jonathon · « **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:19:39 PM »

Quote

Whenever I have a sentence that ends with a preposition, I add "you know" to the end of it, so that the preposition isn't last.

Like, "Prepositions should never be used to end a sentence with, you know."

"That's something I won't put up with, you know."

See? Makes me sound all educated and proper. You know?

*head a splode*

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #5 on:** May 16, 2007, 02:31:55 PM »

Then my work here is done.

rivka · « **Reply #6 on:** May 16, 2007, 05:44:58 PM »

Quote

My instinct was correct it should have been whom, but I was too afraid of using whom incorrectly.

I bickered with Word's grammar check yesterday and eventually overrode it. I'm still not sure why it thought it should be "who" rather than "whom." Although it was a moderately complex sentence, which always confuses the silly thing. I was slightly concerned by the fact that it was so sure I shouldn't use "whom," but I was more convinced that I was right.

Jonathon · « **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2007, 06:05:53 PM »

I don't think you should ever be concerned about Word's grammar checker. It couldn't parse its way out of a paper bag.

Porter · « **Reply #8 on:** May 16, 2007, 06:07:16 PM »

Could you?

Jonathon · « **Reply #9 on:** May 16, 2007, 06:22:15 PM »

Blindfolded and with my hands tied behind my back, no less.

rivka · « **Reply #10 on:** May 16, 2007, 07:09:46 PM »

Quote

I don't think you should ever be concerned about Word's grammar checker. It couldn't parse its way out of a paper bag.

Oh, agreed. But often if I temporarily simplify the sentence, it stops objecting and that reassures me. Didn't work this time.

Jonathon · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2007, 08:27:33 AM »

Or you could just turn it off.

rivka · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2007, 09:52:34 AM »

Nah. It occasionally catches things -- like verb/subject disagreement.