Week of Sept. 9,2012 - Grammar: How to Use Who / Whom, Which/That, and Only

By Joan Whetzel

     When it comes grammar, the use of some words can really be confusing. Take, for instance, "who" and "whom". "Who" knows for "whom" these words were intended? Consider the words "which" and "that." A sentence "that" contains one these words may be grammatically incorrect, "which" may be a problem. Think about the placement of the word "only." Oh, "only" if I knew the answer; if I "only" knew the answer; if I knew the "only" answer, then I would know where the only belongs.

Who or Whom?

     The clues to when to use one of these two pronouns lie in determining whether it refers to the subject or the object of the sentence or question. Who (or whoever) refers to the subject of the sentence whereas whom (whomever) refers to the object of the sentence. For example: "Who is the recipient of this package?" is subjective. The "who" - the person who will receive the package - is the subject of the sentence. "For whom have you brought this package?" is objective. In this case, "you" are the subject of the sentence and "whom" is the object, or the person being acted on (having the package brought to).

     Here's a simple way to remember this:

·         When asking "who" the answer is always "he", she",  or "they." (Notice that who, he, she and they all end in vowels.)

·         When asking "whom" or "for whom" the answer is always "him", "her", or "them." (Notice that whom, him, her, and them all end in consonants.)

Which or That?

     This choice of words is probably the most confusing, grammatically speaking. The choice rests with whether the clause that "that" or "which" is attached to is essential or non-essential. "That" is usually attached to essential clauses, those phrases that add necessary information in order for the sentence to make sense. "Which" is generally used with in non-essential clauses, those phrases that add information that, while interesting in itself, isn't vital to the meaning of the sentence. If  the clause wasn't there, the sentence would still make sense. A note of caution: non-essential clauses can also begin with "that", though essential clauses never begin with "which." Also, non-essential clauses should be surrounded by ellipses (parenthesis) or commas to set the phrase apart, alerting the reader that additional, non-essential information is being added.

     Here are some examples of that and which usage:

·         Essential Clause: Milk "that" is made from soy is better for anyone allergic to dairy.

·         Non-Essential Clause: Drinking soy milk, "which she prefers", has lowered Kathy's cholesterol. (if the phrase "which she prefers" were removed, the sentence would read: "Drinking soy milk has lowered Kathy's cholesterol." The meaning of the sentence has not changed.

The Placement of "Only" in a Sentence

     If  using "that" or "which" wasn't confusing enough, placing the word "only" in a sentence could really muddle your mind. Putting "only" in front of the wrong word falls under one of every English teacher's pet peeve: misplaced modifiers. To make things worse, most people place "only" anywhere they want in spoken English. In other words, most of us get a bit lazy when speaking to each other, and frequently disobey the rules. Is it any wonder that we run into difficulty when trying to use the word only when writing?

     Here's the main rule: Place "only" directly in front of the noun that it modifies. The sente3nce changes meaning depending on where the world "only" is placed. Check out the following examples. The "only" has been placed in four different locations in the same sentence.

This gives the sentence four uniquely dissimilar meanings.

·         Claudia "only" submitted her manuscript to three publishers. [Claudia sent her manuscript to the three publishers, but she failed to enclose a cover letter, contact information, her resume, writing clips, or any other enclosures required by the publisher.]

·         Claudia submitted "only" her manuscript to three publishers. [Claudia submitted her manuscript to the publishers, but did not send anyone else's manuscripts.]

·         Claudia submitted her "only" manuscript to three publishers. [Claudia sent out the "only" 3 copies of the manuscript that she had to three publishers - without keeping the original or any copies for herself.]

·         Claudia submitted her manuscript to "only" three publishers. [Claudia sent her manuscript to three publishers. She didn't send it to any other publishers nor to any literary agents, friends or family.]

     Using who or whom, that or which, and only correctly is not really all that difficult. Lean these few simple rules and you'll always get these words right when you write.