Goronsky Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Merriam-Webster's Unabridged Errors with 'Whoever/Whomever'
Sorry for the long list, but I think Merriam-Webster's Unabridged Dictionary has erred in several of its examples of 'whoever/whomever.' PLMK your thoughts. Thank you.
(1) <sells … eggs to whoever has the money to buy — J. R. Chamberlain> Correct...
(2) <whoever he picks has to have the stature of a collaborator, not a subordinate — Time>
...shouldn't this be 'whomever'?
(3) <whoever she weds, she never descends below the rank to which she was born — Agnes M. Miall> ...shouldn't this be 'whomever'?
(4) <he is a good man himself, whoever his friends are>
(5) <that is not true, whoever you heard it from> ...shouldn't this be "whomever"?
(6) <whoever can that be>
...shouldn't this be "whomever"?
(7) <simple possession of the note would be enough to insure the future of whomever held it — Arthur Knight> ...shouldn't this be 'whoever'?
(8) <I go out to talk to whomever it is — Guatemala News> ...shouldn't this be 'whoever'?
(9) <he attacked whomever disagreed with him> ...shouldn't this be 'whoever'?
(1) <sells … eggs to whoever has the money to buy — J. R. Chamberlain> Correct...
(2) <whoever he picks has to have the stature of a collaborator, not a subordinate — Time>
...shouldn't this be 'whomever'?
(3) <whoever she weds, she never descends below the rank to which she was born — Agnes M. Miall> ...shouldn't this be 'whomever'?
(4) <he is a good man himself, whoever his friends are>
(5) <that is not true, whoever you heard it from> ...shouldn't this be "whomever"?
(6) <whoever can that be>
...shouldn't this be "whomever"?
(7) <simple possession of the note would be enough to insure the future of whomever held it — Arthur Knight> ...shouldn't this be 'whoever'?
(8) <I go out to talk to whomever it is — Guatemala News> ...shouldn't this be 'whoever'?
(9) <he attacked whomever disagreed with him> ...shouldn't this be 'whoever'?
Top answer
(2)/(3)/(5) Both forms are correct. Whomever is just more formal. (6) Only whoever is correct because it’s a predicative complement of be , not an object.
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(2)/(3)/(5) Both forms are correct. Whomever is just more formal.
(6) Only whoever is correct because it’s a predicative complement of be, not an object.
(7)/(8)/(9) Yes.
(6) Only whoever is correct because it’s a predicative complement of be, not an object.
(7)/(8)/(9) Yes.
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