Before using “who” or “whom” in your writing, it would help to learn more about their differences. This article will present you with all the information you need to understand how the question “who” or “whom should I reach out to” works.
Is It “Who Should I Reach Out To” or “Whom Should I Reach Out To”?
You can use either “who should I reach out to” or “whom should I reach out to.” They are both correct because they follow standard English rules. “Whom” is the more traditional variation, but “who” is becoming increasingly more popular as English evolves.
The two phrases are interchangeable. When used, they mean the same thing, and it mostly comes down to personal preference as to whether “who” or “whom” works for you.
“Whom” is the object pronoun, which works best in questions like this that also have a subject present (like “I”).
“Who” is the subject pronoun in most cases. Since this is the case, it’s not possible to use “who” and “I” in the same question. However, “who” is also the object pronoun, and it’s synonymous with “whom” in many cases today.
“Who” never used to be the object pronoun, but it’s possible to use it in place of “whom” both formally and informally whenever you need to. If you feel like it sounds better in your writing, you should definitely use it.
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “who should I” is the more popular way to start a question. “Whom should I” is still used (showing that it’s correct), but it’s not as popular as the “who” variation.
Who Should I Reach Out To
“Who should I reach out to” is the most common variation. It’s the one you’re more likely to come across because most native speakers prefer using “who” in these types of questions to make sure they don’t sound pretentious or overly formal.
The problem with “whom” is that most people reject it as a negative word. “Whom” has become one of those words that people only use to show that they’re better than other people by having a better natural grasp of English (meaning that most informal speakers avoid it completely).
- Who should I reach out to if I want to get this sorted? I want to make sure everything is perfect.
- Okay, but who should I reach out to? I feel like you haven’t shared this information with me yet.
- Who should I reach out to? I want it to be the best person for the job, but I haven’t decided who that is.
- And who should I reach out to again? I know you gave me their name, but I’ve totally forgotten it!
Whom Should I Reach Out To
“Whom should I reach out to” works best in the most formal of circumstances. Only when grammar rules are an absolute necessity should “whom” ever be used in this context. Most native speakers avoid using it because it’s overly formal and judgy.
- Whom should I reach out to if I need help with this? I don’t have the name of the person in charge.
- Whom should I reach out to then? Is it someone who is going to be able to help me sort this mess out?
- Whom should I reach out to? I want to find out what went wrong here, and I feel like you’re not the best person to ask.
- Whom should I reach out to if someone goes wrong? I haven’t got a good contact number here.
Is It “To Who Should I Reach Out” or “To Whom Should I Reach Out”?
When we reorder the question, it’s important to only write “to whom should I reach out.” “To who should I reach out” is not used in this context because the object of the sentence (whom) must come after the preposition (to) to show that it’s modified correctly.
- Correct: To whom should I reach out if I need help with this?
- Incorrect: To who should I reach out, if you don’t mind me asking?
Is It “Who Should I Turn To” or “Whom Should I Turn To”?
“Who should I turn to” and “whom should I turn to” both work. “Who” and “whom” follow the same rules here, where “whom” is the more traditional choice, but “who” is the more appropriate and “modern” one. You can use either, but “who” works best.
- Just a quick question, but who should I turn to when I need help with this? I’m a bit stumped.
- And whom should I turn to for more information? I feel like you’re leaving that crucial part out.
Final Thoughts
“Whom should I reach out to” is the more formal phrase, but “who should I reach out to” is the more popular one. “Who” is much more common in English today because of how it has evolved to meet the more informal needs of the communicating world.
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