Some of Whom vs. Some of Who: Grammar & Usage

Have you ever typed a sentence, paused at the word “who,” and wondered if it should actually be “whom”? You’re not alone. The phrase “some of whom” trips up even confident writers, and a quick search online only adds to the confusion because so many pages give conflicting shortcuts.

Here’s the short answer: “some of whom” is grammatically correct, and “some of who” is not standard English. But knowing the rule and understanding why it works are two different things — and that’s what makes your writing sound natural instead of memorized.

This guide breaks the rule down in plain English, gives you a foolproof test, and shows you exactly when (if ever) “some of who” might slip into casual speech.

Table of Contents

Why Choosing “Some of Whom” or “Some of Who” Still Matters

Grammar mistakes involving who/whom are some of the most noticeable errors in professional and academic writing. A single wrong pronoun can:

Make a formal document look careless
Distract readers from your actual message
Signal weaker command of English in academic or business settings
Undermine credibility in reports, essays, and cover letters

In everyday texting, nobody notices. But in a research paper, a client email, or a job application, precision counts. Getting this one small phrase right shows attention to detail — and attention to detail builds trust with your reader.

Understanding Who and Whom in Plain English

Before tackling “some of whom,” it helps to understand the basic difference between the two words.

Who is a subject pronoun. It performs the action in a sentence (like he, she, or they).
Whom is an object pronoun. It receives the action, or follows a preposition (like him, her, or them).

Think of it this way: “who” drives the car, and “whom” rides in it.

Pronoun Type	Role in Sentence	Comparable Pronoun	Example
Who	Subject	he / she / they	Who called the meeting?
Whom	Object	him / her / them	To whom did you send it?

Some of whom or some of who in a sentence

In the phrase “some of ___,” the word “of” is a preposition. Prepositions are always followed by object pronouns — never subject pronouns. That’s why “some of whom” is correct, and “some of who” breaks the rule.

Correct: The team hired ten analysts, some of whom had prior banking experience. Incorrect: The team hired ten analysts, some of who had prior banking experience.

The Fast He/Him Test That Always Works

If you don’t want to memorize grammar terminology, there’s a simple trick that works every time: the he/him test.

Take the clause containing “who” or “whom.”
Rearrange it into a simple sentence.
Replace “who” with he and “whom” with him.
Whichever one sounds correct tells you the right pronoun.

Example: “Some of whom reported high satisfaction” → “Some of him reported high satisfaction” doesn’t sound right on its own, but breaking it down as “He reported high satisfaction” confirms the subject role in that clause, while the object role after “of” still requires “whom.”

A simpler version many teachers use:

If he fits → use who
If him fits → use whom

Since “of” is a preposition, it always pairs with the “him” side of the test — which means “whom” wins every time after “of.”

Breaking Down the Phrase “Some of Whom”

“Some of whom” is a non-restrictive relative clause used to add extra information about a group of people already mentioned in the sentence. It typically appears after a comma and refers back to a noun.

Structure: [Group of people], some of whom [additional detail].

Examples:

The employees attended training, some of whom had never used the new software.
She interviewed twenty candidates, some of whom were overqualified for the role.
The committee reviewed 50 applications, some of whom later became finalists.

Some of whom synonym

If “whom” feels stiff for your writing style, you can rephrase the sentence entirely instead of searching for a direct substitute. Common alternatives include:

“…several of whom…”
“…a number of whom…”
“…and some had…” (splitting into two sentences)
“…including some who…” (only when “who” is genuinely the subject of the new clause)

There’s no single-word replacement for “whom” itself, but restructuring the sentence often reads more naturally in casual writing.

When “Some of Who” Can Actually Be Correct

Here’s where most grammar guides oversimplify. “Some of who” is not correct after the preposition “of” — but “who” can still appear correctly in a related structure if it’s functioning as the subject of its own clause, not as the object of “of.”

Example: “I’m not sure some of who called are still interested” is still incorrect, because “who” remains the object of “of” here.

The only time you’ll see “who” in similar phrasing without an error is when “of” is not directly followed by the pronoun — for instance, when the sentence is restructured so “who” starts its own clause:

“Some people called, and I don’t know who they were.” (correct — “who” is the subject of “they were”)

So while “some of who” itself is not standard, “who” can appear correctly nearby when the sentence structure changes.

How Prepositions Control Your Choice of Who or Whom

This is the single rule that resolves almost every some of”who vs. whom” debate:

Prepositions are always followed by object pronouns.

“Of,” “to,” “for,” “with,” “by,” and “about” all demand an object pronoun immediately after them when referring to a person.

Preposition + Pronoun	Correct	Incorrect
Of	some of whom	some of who
To	given to whom	given to who
With	worked with whom	worked with who
For	intended for whom	intended for who

Some of whom or some of who grammar

The underlying grammar rule never changes across contexts: whenever “who/whom” directly follows “of” and refers to people previously mentioned, whom is the only grammatically accepted choice in standard, formal English.

“Some of Whom” in Academic, Professional, and Everyday Writing

Academic writing: Research papers and journal articles almost always require “some of whom” for describing study participants (e.g., “researchers surveyed 200 employees, some of whom worked remotely”).
Professional writing: Business reports, emails to clients, and official documentation benefit from correct usage, as it reflects polish and professionalism.
Everyday writing: In blogs, social media, or texts, “some of who” or a rewritten sentence is common and rarely questioned — but using “whom” correctly still reads as more refined.

Common Mistakes and Why They Happen

Using “Who” Everywhere

Many writers default to “who” in every context because it sounds more natural in spoken English. This becomes a problem specifically after prepositions, where “whom” is required.

Avoiding “Whom” Entirely

Some writers swing the opposite way and avoid “whom” completely, fearing it sounds outdated. This often leads to grammatically incomplete or awkward sentences in formal writing, especially in academic submissions.

Smart Rewrites if You Hate Using “Whom”

If “whom” feels unnatural to you, restructure the sentence instead of forcing the word in:

Instead of: “The applicants, some of whom were rejected, reapplied.” Try: “Several applicants reapplied after being rejected.”
Instead of: “Colleagues, some of whom disagreed, voted anyway.” Try: “A few colleagues disagreed, but the team voted anyway.”

This keeps your writing accurate without leaning on a word that feels uncomfortable.

Advanced Grammar Considerations for Experts

For advanced writers and editors, note these nuances:

“Some of which” replaces “some of whom” when referring to objects, animals, or abstract things, not people.
In formal register, “whom” also appears correctly in constructions like “to whom it may concern,” “with whom I spoke,” and “for whom the bell tolls.”
Style guides such as APA and Chicago Manual of Style consistently require “whom” after prepositions in formal academic and publishing contexts.
Overcorrection (using “whom” when “who” is actually the subject) is a common error among writers trying too hard to sound formal — always verify the pronoun’s role before defaulting to “whom.”

Practice Section With Answers

Try identifying the correct choice before checking the answer.

The volunteers, some of ___ were students, arrived early. Answer: whom
She met several professors, some of ___ later became mentors. Answer: whom
I wonder ___ called earlier. Answer: who (subject of its own clause)
The award went to two nominees, both of ___ deserved recognition. Answer: whom
Some of ___ attended the workshop were engineers. Answer: who (subject of “attended”)

Final Cheat Sheet for Quick Reference

Use “Some of Whom” When:

The pronoun follows the preposition “of”
You’re referring to a group of people already mentioned
The clause is adding extra, non-essential information
You’re writing in a formal, academic, or professional context

Use “Some of Who” When:

Almost never — this phrasing is not standard in formal English
Only acceptable in loose, casual speech where grammar rules are relaxed

Some of whom or some of who meaning

Both phrases attempt to describe a subset of a previously mentioned group of people, but only “some of whom” follows correct grammatical structure because “whom” properly serves as the object of the preposition “of.”

FAQs

Q:When should I use “whom” instead of “who”?

Use “whom” when the pronoun functions as the object of a verb or preposition, such as after “of,” “to,” or “with.” Use “who” when it acts as the subject of a clause.

Q:What are the common mistakes when using who/whom?

The two biggest mistakes are using “who” after every preposition and avoiding “whom” altogether, even when grammar requires it.

Q:Which is correct: “two of which” or “two of whom”?

“Two of whom” is correct for people, while “two of which” is correct for things, animals, or objects.

Q:What is a 5 sentence for whom?

Example: “The teacher praised the students, some of whom had improved significantly, during the ceremony, and later thanked the parents, several of whom volunteered.”

Q:What is another way to say “whom”?

There’s no exact one-word substitute, but you can often rewrite the sentence using “who” as a new clause’s subject or split it into two shorter sentences.

Conclusion

“Some of whom” is the grammatically correct choice whenever you’re referring to a group of people as the object of the preposition “of.” “Some of who” simply doesn’t hold up under standard grammar rules, even though it may slip into casual conversation. The easiest way to stay confident is the he/him test: if “him” fits, “whom” is your answer. Once you internalize this one rule, you’ll never second-guess this phrase again — whether you’re writing a research paper, a client proposal, or just a well-polished email.