If you are unsure whether to write some of whom or some of who, you are dealing with a common English grammar question. Both expressions may look possible at first glance, but standard English strongly favors one form when the phrase refers to people.
The key is understanding the role of whom and who in a sentence. Once you know whether the pronoun functions as an object or a subject, choosing the correct expression becomes much easier. This guide explains some of whom vs some of who in simple language, with examples, common mistakes, a comparison table, and practical tips.
Quick Answer: Some of Whom vs Some of Who
The standard and grammatically correct expression is:
some of whom
For example:
I invited ten friends, some of whom live nearby.
The phrase some of whom means some of those people.
In standard English, some of who is generally considered incorrect when who follows the preposition of.
So remember:
Correct: Some of whom
Usually incorrect: Some of who
The reason is that of is a preposition, and after a preposition, traditional formal grammar uses the object form whom, not the subject form who.
What Does Some of Whom Mean?
Some of whom is a relative pronoun phrase used to refer to some members of a previously mentioned group of people.
For example:
I met several teachers, some of whom had worked at the school for years.
Here, some of whom refers back to several teachers.
The sentence means:
Some of those teachers had worked at the school for years.
Another example:
We interviewed five candidates, some of whom had previous experience.
The phrase some of whom tells us that only part of the group had previous experience.
Why Is Some of Whom Correct?
The word whom is traditionally used as the object form of who.
Compare:
Who called you?
Here, who is the subject.
Whom did you call?
Here, whom is the object.
In the phrase:
some of whom
the pronoun comes after the preposition of.
Therefore, formal grammar uses whom.
You can think of the structure as:
some + of + whom
For example:
She knows several doctors, some of whom work at the hospital.
The doctors are the people being referred to after of, so whom is the traditional grammatical choice.
Some of Whom vs Some of Who Comparison Table
| Expression | Standard English | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Some of whom | Yes | Correct after of | I met several students, some of whom were absent yesterday. |
| Some of who | Generally no | Who is the subject form | Avoid in standard formal writing. |
| Some who | Yes | No preposition before who | Some who attended stayed late. |
| Some of them | Yes | Alternative using an object pronoun | Some of them stayed late. |
The important point is that some who can be correct, but some of who is generally not the standard construction.
Examples of Some of Whom
Here are several natural examples:
I have several friends, some of whom live abroad.
She interviewed ten applicants, some of whom had excellent qualifications.
We visited several cities, some of which were surprisingly quiet.
He invited many guests, some of whom arrived early.
The company hired twenty employees, some of whom had worked in the industry before.
I spoke to several parents, some of whom were concerned about the new policy.
In each example, some of whom refers to part of a group that has already been mentioned.
Some of Whom With People
Use whom when the group consists of people.
For example:
I know several writers, some of whom have published bestselling books.
The phrase some of whom refers to the writers.
Another example:
There were many students in the room, some of whom were taking notes.
Here, whom refers to the students.
For things, use which instead:
I bought several books, some of which were expensive.
Not:
I bought several books, some of whom were expensive.
A simple distinction is:
People → whom
Things → which
Some of Whom vs Some of Which
This is another useful comparison.
Some of whom is used for people.
Some of which is used for things or animals in contexts where the animal is treated grammatically as a thing.
Examples:
She has three brothers, some of whom live overseas.
She owns several cars, some of which are electric.
The choice depends on what the relative pronoun refers to.
Some Who vs Some of Whom
This distinction is especially important because some who is actually correct.
Compare:
Some people who attended the meeting left early.
Here, who is the subject of attended.
Now consider:
Some of the people who attended the meeting left early.
And:
Some of whom left early.
The structure has changed.
Some who means approximately some people who.
Some of whom means approximately some of those people.
For example:
Some who attended the meeting left early.
This is correct.
The meeting had many attendees, some of whom left early.
This is also correct.
Common Mistakes With Some of Whom
Mistake 1: Writing Some of Who
A common error is:
I invited several people, some of who were my friends.
In standard English, this should be:
I invited several people, some of whom were my friends.
The preposition of is followed by whom in traditional formal grammar.
Mistake 2: Thinking Who Is Always Correct for People
It is true that who refers to people, but that does not mean it should always be used.
The grammatical role matters.
For example:
Who called you?
Here, who is the subject.
Whom did you call?
Here, whom is the object.
Mistake 3: Using Whom Without a Reason
Some writers become so concerned about grammar that they use whom everywhere.
For example:
Whom is coming to dinner?
This is incorrect.
The correct sentence is:
Who is coming to dinner?
Why? Because who is the subject of is coming.
Mistake 4: Confusing Some of Whom With Some Who
Both constructions can be correct, but they have different grammatical structures.
Some who attended the event stayed late.
The event had many guests, some of whom stayed late.
The first uses who as the subject of attended.
The second uses whom after of.
American vs British English
American and British English generally follow the same standard rule for some of whom.
Some of whom is accepted in both varieties.
However, there is an important difference in how frequently whom is used in everyday speech.
In modern American English, whom can sound formal or somewhat old-fashioned in ordinary conversation. Many speakers prefer who in informal speech, even in situations where traditional grammar would prescribe whom.
British English also shows a decline in everyday use of whom, although it remains common in formal writing and certain established constructions.
Despite this trend, some of whom remains the standard choice in formal written English.
How to Decide Between Who and Whom
A simple substitution test can help.
Try replacing the pronoun with he or him.
If he works, use who.
If him works, use whom.
For example:
Who called?
You can say:
He called.
So who is correct.
Now:
Whom did you call?
You can say:
I called him.
So whom is correct.
For:
Some of whom
the equivalent is:
Some of them
This confirms that whom is the traditional grammatical form.
When Can You Avoid Whom?
If whom feels overly formal, you can often rewrite the sentence.
Instead of:
I met several people, some of whom were teachers.
You could write:
I met several people, and some of them were teachers.
This sounds completely natural.
Another option is:
Some of the people I met were teachers.
These alternatives are especially useful in casual writing.
FAQs
1. Is some of whom correct?
Yes. Some of whom is the standard grammatical expression when referring to some people from a previously mentioned group.
2. Is some of who correct?
In standard formal English, some of who is generally considered incorrect. Use some of whom instead.
3. Why do we use whom after of?
Of is a preposition, and traditional English grammar uses the object form whom after a preposition.
4. Can I say some who?
Yes. Some who is grammatically correct when who functions as the subject of the following clause.
For example:
Some who attended the meeting stayed afterward.
5. Is some of whom formal?
It can sound somewhat formal, especially in conversation, but it is completely standard and natural in formal and academic writing.
6. Is some of whom used in American English?
Yes. It is standard in American English, particularly in formal writing.
7. Is some of whom used in British English?
Yes. British English also uses some of whom as the standard construction.
8. What can I use instead of some of whom?
You can often use some of them or rewrite the sentence.
For example:
Some of whom were teachers.
can become:
Some of them were teachers.
Final Summary
The correct standard expression is some of whom, not some of who, when you are referring to some people from a previously mentioned group. The word whom is traditionally used because it follows the preposition of and functions as an object.
The expression is common in formal writing, academic English, professional communication, and careful edited prose. While whom is becoming less common in everyday conversation, some of whom remains a well-established and grammatically correct construction.
