Why 'whom' isn't usually used for animals or things in everyday English

Pronouns in real life and on tests have a way of tripping people up. You think you’ve got it, then a sentences-long clause makes you pause. Is it who or whom? And what about animals or things? Let’s unpack a common question that pops up in English discussions, especially for students looking to sharpen language skills that show up on language-related assessments.

Who vs. whom: a quick refresher you can actually use

• Who is the subject pronoun. If the person or animal is doing the action, who is in charge in that clause.

• Whom is the object pronoun. If the action is landing on someone or something, whom often fits there.

• A simple test works in many cases: swap in he/him. If he sounds right, you’re likely dealing with who; if him sounds right, you’re dealing with whom.

That little test isn’t perfect in every situation, but it helps a lot, especially when you’re trying to decide in the moment during writing or editing. And yes, in more formal writing, whom still shows up—though it’s increasingly rare in everyday speech.

A snapshot of the quiz item you shared

Here’s the gist of the item you cited: why is whom considered incorrect when talking about animals or things? The answer you provided is: Because it specifically refers to non-human entities.

Let me explain why that phrasing can feel jarring. In traditional grammar, whom is the object form, and who is the subject form. The idea that whom is “reserved for people” is the long-standing convention you’ll see in many grammar guides and school lessons. In more formal writing, people do use whom for people, especially when the person is the object of a verb or a preposition: “To whom did you speak?” That looks polished and precise.

But what about animals and things? This is where it gets messy in real life. Many learners and even some teachers treat whom as being “about people” and who as being “about everyone else,” including animals when we speak of them as if they have personalities or agency. In everyday English, you’ll hear or read:

• The dog who barked all night was outside.

• The bike that I fixed belongs to my sister.

In these sentences, who or which/that feel perfectly natural. Whom sounds stiff or overly formal, especially when the animal is the “subject” of the action (the dog did something) rather than the recipient of the action. If you try to squeeze whom into “The dog whom I fed …,” you’ll probably sound a bit antique or pedantic in casual conversation, even though it isn’t technically wrong in the strictest sense.

So, why does the quiz push that answer?

Because some language authorities and teaching materials frame whom as aligning with human-centered usage, leaving non-human references to who/which/that. The line of thinking goes like this: whom is tied to people in the sense of object relationship, and people are the ones we count as having “humanness.” Animals can be persons in a literary sense, sure, but in formal settings they’re often treated as things or objects, so which/that becomes the safer, broader choice.

A more modern, practical take on who, whom, and the animal question

Here’s the real-world tweak that helps most writers:

• For animals and things that are not being personified or given agency, use who only when the animal/things is clearly the subject of the verb, and use which/that when they are the object or when the sentence treats the animal or thing as a thing.

• For animals you want to emphasize personality or actions (as if the animal is a character), who is acceptable in informal speech: The dog who saved the child, The cat who learned to open doors.

• In formal writing, many editors still prefer who for people, and which/that for things. Whom tends to show up rarely with animals unless you’re aiming for a deliberately formal tone.

Concrete examples to keep in mind

• The teacher who graded the papers was tired. (Who as subject.)

• The student whom the teacher praised received a reward. (Whom as object.)

• The dog that wagged its tail greeted me at the door. (That/which for a non-human thing; common in spoken English.)

• The dog whom you met yesterday is eleven years old. (Correctly used in a formal tone; sounds stiff in casual talk.)

• The book, which was on the shelf, disappeared. (Which for a thing; non-human subject isn’t involved here but the idea is similar.)

If you want to keep it natural while staying precise, think about agency and what the noun is doing in the sentence:

• If the noun is doing the action, use who.

• If the action lands on the noun (the noun is receiving the action), use whom (more common in formal writing) or switch to who in casual speech.

• If you’re just naming or describing the noun (as a thing), use which or that.

A practical mindset you can carry into writing

• Read the sentence aloud. If it sounds formal or stilted, you’re probably using whom where who would do.

• Try the he/him substitute. If him fits, you may be in the whom territory; if he fits, you’re in the who territory.

• When in doubt with animals or things, lean toward who for living beings with personality, or which/that for objects and non-lactors, unless a formal tone is a must.

Common traps worth avoiding

• Overusing whom with animals. It can come across as stiff unless you’re intentionally aiming for formality.

• Failing to notice the subject-versus-object role. If you’re unsure, rewrite the sentence so the pronoun clearly acts as a subject or object.

• Letting “rules” trump natural sound. English evolves; many speakers now favor who for animals when it helps the sentence feel alive and direct.

A few friendly rules of thumb

• When you’re describing a living being that acts (the dog runs, the bird sings, the child speaks), lean toward who.

• When you’re describing a thing or a non-living subject that’s the recipient of an action, which or that is safer.

• Reserve whom for formal contexts or when the sentence is clearly about the object of a verb or preposition and you’re aiming for precision.

Why this matters beyond a single quiz item

Pronouns aren’t just about grammar nerd trivia. They carry tone. Who you pick shapes how readers hear the sentence: warm and human or formal and distant. For writers in any field, striking the right balance matters. If you’re composing an article, a report, or a letter, the pronoun you choose signals your intent and your relationship to the reader.

A little digression that fits here, and then we’ll circle back

You’ve probably noticed that many everyday writers blend who and whom with ease. Some prefer who in almost all situations, even when traditional rules would push for whom. Others cling to whom for a sense of formality, especially in more complex sentences where the object role is clear. It’s a good reminder that language lives where people actually speak, not only where grammar books lay out the perfect rule. The trick is to stay flexible enough to match the context while keeping your clarity intact.

Putting it all together: a simple checklist

• Identify who is doing the action: use who.

• Identify who is receiving the action or following a preposition: consider whom, especially in formal writing, or switch to who if it sounds more natural.

• For things and non-living entities: use which or that; avoid forcing whom unless a formal tone is essential.

• When in doubt, test for agency and natural rhythm. If it sounds stiff, swap it for a simpler form.

A final thought you can carry forward

Pronoun choices aren’t about slavishly following a single rule; they’re about clarity, tone, and readability. The “correct” answer in a given quiz item might lean one way or another depending on how the test designer envisions formality and precision. In day-to-day writing and in many classroom contexts, who for living beings and which/that for things is a reliable compass. Whom remains a useful tool in the toolbox, but it’s often a touch more formal, and with animals, many writers opt for who when they want their sentences to feel warm, immediate, and human.

If you’re curious to explore more about pronouns, you’ll find that grammar resources, style guides, and clever writers nod to the same core idea: language should help you connect. It should be accurate, yes, but it should also read smoothly and feel natural to the person on the other side of the page. With that mindset, you’ll navigate who and whom—and their animal friends—without getting tangled in the weeds.

Resources you can check for a deeper dive

• Modern grammar guides that discuss pronoun use in context, including who/whom and references to animals and things.

• Style guides from major publishers, which often address formality, tone, and the occasional old-school feel.

• Dictionaries and usage sites that show how real writers apply these pronouns in everyday writing and in more formal prose.

Bottom line: the language is alive, and so are the choices we make. By keeping agency, tone, and readability in mind, you’ll use who, whom, and the other pronouns with confidence—whether you’re describing a loyal dog, a clever clock, or a thought-provoking essay.