When to use who or whom?

[Lejla]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #100 "Interrogative pronouns", question 4

For ......... did Shelia make these cookies.

(a) who
(b) whom
(c) which
(d) what

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #100 "Interrogative pronouns", answer 4

For whom did Shelia make these cookies.

Correct answer: (b) whom

Your answer was: incorrect
For what did Shelia make these cookies.
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why "whom" is the correct answer?.
explain please.
also when to use who or whom?

Thanks.

Lejla

[Conchita]

For whom did Shelia make these cookies.

In formal English, the object pronoun 'whom' is used after the preposition ('for' in the test sentence). In informal, natural English, you would say: Who did Shelia make these cookies for?

In questions, 'whom' means 'which person/s'. In statements, it means 'the person/s that': The man whom I like is sitting over there; the people with whom he came have now left. Informal English: The man (that) I like is sitting over there; the people (that) he came with have now left.

[Alan]

Hi Lejla,

have a look at some material I've done on these words,if you like at:

Relative Pronoun
http://www.english-test.net/lessons/21/index.html

Relative Pronoun (2)
http://www.english-test.net/lessons/22/index.html

Relative Pronoun (3)
http://www.english-test.net/lessons/23/index.html

Let me know if they help.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Watie]

Hi..
I think that "For what" did Shelia make these cookies sound logical meaning. Am I right?

Thanks in advance.

[OxfordBlues]

Although many languages can ask why with forms like for what (spanish por que, portuguese por qua, german, fur was), English doesn't allow this. It is possible to say "For what reason" but in this case they are looking for whom.
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There's no such thing as an exception to the rule...

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