who

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "who" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a relative pronoun to introduce a clause that provides more information about a person or people. Example: "She is the author who wrote the bestselling novel."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Who are you?

The New York Times

Who is that?

The Guardian

As an environmentalist, and someone who believes that everyone in this world has a right to a healthy and nutritious diet of their choosing, I could not have chosen a more counter-productive path.

The New York Times

But who?

The New York Times

Who is he?

The New York Times - Sports

Well, who knows?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Who can blame him?

The New York Times

Who wouldn't?

The New York Times

Unlike the most reliable form of protection, a condom, it is the woman, not the man, who makes the ultimate choice about whether to use the gel.

The Economist

Who can say?

The New York Times

Sadly, it is typical of the smears coming from those who would rather not debate policy and substance".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "who" as a relative pronoun, ensure the clause it introduces is essential to the meaning of the sentence. If the clause is non-essential, use commas to set it off.

Common error

Avoid using "who" when "whom" is grammatically correct. Use "whom" when it is the object of a verb or preposition. For example, use "To whom did you give the book?" instead of "To who did you give the book?"

Linguistic Context

Who primarily functions as an interrogative pronoun to ask questions about persons or as a relative pronoun to introduce clauses providing more information about people. As Ludwig AI explains, it correctly introduces questions or identifies individuals within a sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the pronoun "who" is commonly used in the English language as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves as an interrogative pronoun, primarily used to ask questions about persons, and as a relative pronoun, used to introduce clauses that provide additional information about people. As evidenced by the examples gathered from diverse sources, the register of "who" is generally neutral, applicable to both formal and informal communication. As shown by Ludwig, most of the examples are from news and media sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the person that

Highlights the role or characteristic of the individual.

the people that

Refers to a group of people with a shared characteristic or role.

which person

Focuses on identifying a specific individual from a group.

the one that

Refers to a single person among others, emphasizing their unique role.

what individual

Emphasizes the specific identity of a person.

which individuals

Focuses on identifying multiple specific individuals from a group.

which of the people

Directs attention to a selection from a larger group.

whom

More formal alternative, typically used as the object of a verb or preposition.

what person or persons

Stresses the inquiry about one or more individuals.

what people

Asks for the identification of particular persons involved.

FAQs

How do I use "who" in a sentence?

"Who" can be used as an interrogative pronoun to ask a question (e.g., "Who is that?") or as a relative pronoun to connect a clause to a noun (e.g., "The person "who helped me" was kind.").

When should I use "who" versus "whom"?

Use "who" when it functions as the subject of a verb (e.g., "Who is coming to the party?"). Use "whom" when it functions as the object of a verb or preposition (e.g., "To "whom did you give it"?").

What's a simple way to remember when to use "who"?

If you can replace "who" or "whom" with "he" or "she", use "who". If you can replace it with "him" or "her", use "whom". For example, "Who is there?" can be answered with "He is there".

Is it ever correct to start a sentence with "who"?

Yes, it is correct to start a sentence with "who" when asking a question, such as "Who are you?" or "Who is responsible for this?".