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Pedants' corner

Who or whom? "They are a team from whom we will be collecting 3 points"

10 replies

Pan · 12/11/2013 13:07

is this acceptable please?

OP posts:
BackOnlyBriefly · 12/11/2013 13:14

Good thing you're not relying on me as I'd have said "They are a team from which we will be collecting 3 points" :)

Pan · 12/11/2013 13:15

Could be both?

OP posts:
SconeRhymesWithGone · 12/11/2013 17:13

In your construction, it would definitely be "whom" over "who," but I might go with "which" as well, although I think you could use either (who/whom refers to people; which/that to things, but a team is a collection of people as well as a thing).

I think your construction is a bit awkward, though, and it sounds more awkward to my ear with "which" for some reason. I would say : "They are a team we will be collecting 3 points from." And yes, it is ok to end a sentence with a preposition.

Just a warning: I am American; I think what I have said also conforms to British usage, but I am not certain.

PiratePanda · 12/11/2013 17:30

Who replaces they and whom replaces them. Split it into two sentences to see which is correct: "They are a team. We will be collecting from them" - ergo "whom".

Because of the complicating factor of team, however, from which is also ok.

MirandaGoshawk · 12/11/2013 19:45

We will be collecting 3 points from this team. Grin

Pan · 12/11/2013 19:54

I think Scones and Pirate you are right, only for the reason that you agree with me and explain why....thank you. Yes it sounds quite convoluted and which/who would be just as well.

Miranda - next time def.Smile

OP posts:
extracrunchy · 12/11/2013 19:58

Whom or which (but then you need "it's a team" instead of "they" I think..?)

SconeRhymesWithGone · 12/11/2013 20:10

I think extra has a good point. By using "they" you are emphasizing the people in the team and thus whom would be better than which.

ancientbuchanan · 12/11/2013 20:13

I would use It's and which, myself. A team is a concept not a person it persons. Or you could say, they form a team from which...

ancientbuchanan · 12/11/2013 20:14

Or, dammit, not it. Phone, predictive text. Bah!

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