both who

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "both who" is not correct and usable in written English.
It is unclear and does not convey a complete thought or meaning in standard English usage. Example: "I want to know both who is responsible and who will be held accountable."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

Instead, I respond like this: "Who has both?" "Who?" repeats Kunis.

The Guardian - Film

"I called my ex-husband and I called Nile's mother, both who were like, 'Um.

The New York Times

She was followed by Douglas and Kocian – bars specialists both – who delivered on their only routines of the afternoon.

The Guardian - Sport

He shines a light on a relatively unappreciated community, both who have it and those who work against it".

The New York Times - Sports

These orientations shape both who and what consumers value.

Journal of Consumer Psychology

Curbside was founded by former Apple engineers, both who have backgrounds in location-based technology.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Also, both the WHO-10 and WHO-5 have been validated in diabetic patients [ 25, 26].

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

He gave his blessings to both candidates, who are both his friends, preventing dehumanization.

Huffington Post

Both WHO-recommended hand-rub formulations failed to meet the EN 12791 efficacy requirements for surgical hand disinfection within 5 min.

Journal of Hospital Infection

And Tony Hayward and Joe Barton, who both took a beating.

The New Yorker

They're both people who are slow to friendship and they're both people who are quick to anger".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to two individuals or entities that share a characteristic, prefer using "both of whom" or "both individuals who" for clearer and grammatically correct sentences. For example, instead of "The founders, both who have experience…", write "The founders, both of whom have experience…".

Common error

Avoid using "both who" directly as it often leads to grammatically incorrect sentences. This construction typically arises when trying to combine "both" with a relative clause. Use "both of whom" or rephrase the sentence to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. For example, instead of "They selected two candidates, both who were highly qualified," revise it to "They selected two candidates, both of whom were highly qualified."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "both who" functions as part of a relative clause, but its usage is often grammatically incorrect. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is not correct in written English. It attempts to connect "both" with a relative pronoun to provide more information about the subjects.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "both who" appears in various contexts, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect for standard written English. Its intended function is to provide additional information about a pair of subjects, but it often falls short due to structural issues. The preferred alternatives are "both of whom" or rephrasing the sentence for clarity. Therefore, it is best to avoid "both who" in formal writing and aim for grammatically sound constructions to convey the intended meaning effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

both of whom

Replaces "who" with the correct relative pronoun construction after "both of", ensuring grammatical accuracy.

both people who

Clarifies the intended meaning by explicitly stating "people" before the relative pronoun, improving readability.

both individuals who

Uses a more formal term, "individuals", instead of "people", suitable in formal contexts.

the two who

Simplifies the phrase by using "the two" to refer to a specific pair of individuals, enhancing conciseness.

both parties who

Employs the term "parties" to refer to groups or individuals involved in an agreement or situation, maintaining formality.

those who both

Restructures the phrase to emphasize the action or characteristic shared by "those" mentioned, offering a different emphasis.

those individuals who both

Combines "those individuals" for specificity and formality, suitable in professional contexts.

the ones who both

Uses "the ones" as a more general term to refer to the subjects, maintaining simplicity in informal speech.

both persons who

Utilizes "persons" for a slightly more formal tone than "people" but less formal than "individuals."

the pair who both

Specifies "the pair" to emphasize that only two subjects are being referred to, ensuring clarity.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use "both of whom" instead of "both who"?

"Both of whom" is used to introduce a relative clause that provides additional information about two people previously mentioned. It's grammatically correct in formal writing. "Both who" is generally incorrect and should be avoided.

What's a common mistake to avoid when using "both who"?

A common mistake is using "both who" when "both of whom" is grammatically correct. For example, instead of "The artists, both who are famous", use "The artists, "both of whom" are famous".

What are some alternative ways to phrase a sentence using "both who" to make it grammatically sound?

Instead of using "both who", try phrases like ""both of whom"", "both individuals who", or simply rephrase the sentence for clarity. For example, "The directors, both who had experience" can be rewritten as "The directors, "both of whom" had experience", or "Both directors had experience".

Is there a difference in formality between "both who" and "both of whom"?

"Both of whom" is more formal and grammatically correct. "Both who" is generally considered incorrect. Therefore, ""both of whom"" is preferred in formal writing and speech.