some of whom

USAGE SUMMARY

"some of whom" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a group of people in relation to someone else. For example: "We had many guests at the party, some of whom were from out of town."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some of whom?

Independent

And their attack drew a crowd, some of whom cheered them on, some of whom just gawked, and some of whom later looted the compound.

The New York Times

But the victims were Sunnis, some of whom I knew.

Independent

appointees, some of whom he views as "career elitists".

The New Yorker

But he enters a Legislature filled with insiders, some of whom are virtuous and some of whom are not.

The New York Times

Police officers and paramedics frantically looking for lost partners, some of whom were found and some of whom perished.

The New York Times

That amounts to about $13 per resident, some of whom can afford it, some of whom cannot.

The New York Times - Sports

The piece featured seventeen performers, some of whom had professional experience, and some of whom did not.

The New Yorker

It provides them to students, some of whom pay to attend the program and some of whom receive scholarships.

The New York Times - Arts

"Friends, some of whom are not political at all.

The Guardian

Some of whom didn't even know how to fly".

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the noun modified by "some of whom" is clearly defined and directly precedes the phrase. This maintains clarity and avoids ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

A common mistake is using "who" instead of "whom" after a preposition. Remember that "whom" is the objective case, appropriate when it is the object of a verb or preposition, as in "some of whom were affected."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "some of whom" functions as a relative pronoun phrase, introducing a non-restrictive (or non-defining) relative clause. It modifies a noun phrase representing a group of people, providing additional information about a subset of that group. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this structure.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Academia

37%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "some of whom" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase, acting as a relative pronoun to introduce additional information about a subset of people from a previously mentioned group. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate for use in written English. While versatile, it's more commonly observed in news, academic, and formal contexts. Remember to use "whom" correctly as the object of a preposition, and ensure clarity by directly preceding the phrase with the noun it modifies. By understanding its grammatical function and communicative purpose, you can effectively use "some of whom" to add depth and detail to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few of whom

Indicates a smaller subset than "some of whom".

several of whom

Suggests a slightly larger subset than "a few of whom" but still limited.

many of whom

Implies a larger number within the group compared to "some of whom".

those of whom

Refers to a more specific and defined subset of the group.

certain of whom

Highlights that specific individuals from the group are being considered.

those among whom

More formal and emphasizes the inclusion within a group.

individuals including whom

Expands the group by including specific individuals as examples.

a selection of whom

Highlights that the subset was deliberately chosen.

those people, some of whom

Breaks the phrase into two parts for emphasis.

certain people, including some

Reorders the phrase to emphasize the people first.

FAQs

How do I use "some of whom" in a sentence?

"Some of whom" is used to introduce a relative clause about a subset of people from a previously mentioned group. For example, "The committee members arrived, "some of whom" were late due to traffic."

What can I say instead of "some of whom"?

Alternatives include "a few of whom", "many of whom", or "several of whom", depending on the size of the subset you are referring to.

Is it correct to say "some of who" instead of "some of whom"?

No, "some of who" is grammatically incorrect. You should always use ""some of whom"" when referring to people as the object of a preposition. "Who" is used as a subject, not an object.

What is the difference between "some of whom" and "some of which"?

"Some of whom" refers to people, while "some of which" refers to things or non-human entities. For example, "The books, some of which were old, were on the shelf."