Is "whom" actually used in conversations? Because I've never heard someone saying it
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Answers · 3
3
No, 'whom' is very unusual in everyday spoken English. In fact, the majority of native speakers probably wouldn't even be sure how to use it correctly! Everyone knows that 'whom' is a formal/old-fashioned word - the kind of thing you'd come across in formal speeches and legal documents - but very few people actually use it.
This isn't to say that 'whom' is never used in spoken English. When you're making a speech or presentation in a formal meeting, for example, it might be appropriate to say a phrase along the lines of ' We can offer assistance to those candidates for whom English is not a first language' or to 'I'd like to thank all our supporters, without whom this project wouldn't have been such a success'. If your sentence is phrased this way round, with the preposition (for/without) before the pronoun, you do need to use 'whom'.
However, outside of these formal contexts, you will very rarely hear 'whom', as it is the wrong register for everyday conversation. Using 'whom' in an ordinary conversation is likely to sound wrong, inappropriate, pretentious, or all three. Best avoided ( even for RP speakers...)
You might want to look at this question from earlier today:
https://www.italki.com/question/438695
2
I use it in conversations all the time. But even I have to admit that I rarely hear it said. Only people who are careful with their grammar use it anymore. And correct grammar has been out of fashion since a long time ago.
2
You are correct, you are unlikely to ever hear it in conversation. If you do, in the UK at least, it will more than likely be from a RP speaker. It's still used in writing, particularly when you're writing in a more formal way.
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