“Who else” and “whom else” can both appear in questions, but they do not have the same grammatical function. In standard English, who is used when the person is the subject of a verb, while whom is traditionally used when the person is the object of a verb or preposition. As a result, “who else” is by far the more common expression, especially in questions such as “Who else is coming?” However, “whom else” can be grammatically correct in certain structures, particularly when the phrase functions as an object.
The important point is that the word “else” does not determine whether you should use who or whom. The grammatical role of the person does. For example, “Who else called you?” uses who because the person is doing the action. But “Whom else did you invite?” traditionally uses whom because the person receives the action of “invite.” In modern everyday English, many speakers use who in both situations, making “Who else did you invite?” extremely common.
Quick Answer
“Who else” is the normal choice when asking about another person or people, especially when they are the subject of a verb.
“Whom else” is traditionally used when the person is the object of a verb or preposition.
- Who else is coming? → subject → who
- Whom else did you invite? → object → traditionally whom
- Who else did you invite? → very common modern English
Why People Confuse “Who Else” and “Whom Else”
The confusion comes from the difference between who and whom.
Traditionally:
- who = subject
- whom = object
The word else simply means “in addition to the person or people already mentioned or considered.”
For example:
Who else is coming?
means:
What other person or people are coming?
The word else does not change the grammatical role of who.
What Does “Who Else” Mean?
“Who else” means “what other person” or “what other people.”
It is extremely common in English.
Examples
Who else is coming?
Who else knows about this?
Who else wants coffee?
Who else can help us?
In each example, who else is asking about another person or group of people.
What Does “Whom Else” Mean?
“Whom else” traditionally means “what other person” when that person functions as the object of a verb or preposition.
For example:
Whom else did you invite?
Here, the person is the object of invite.
A more formal sentence could be:
Whom else should I contact?
However, in modern conversational English, many speakers naturally say:
Who else should I contact?
This is extremely common and generally sounds more natural in everyday conversation.
Who Else vs Whom Else
| Expression | Traditional Grammar | Modern Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who else | Subject | Very common | Who else is coming? |
| Whom else | Object | Formal/traditional | Whom else did you invite? |
| Who else as object | Traditionally less formal | Very common | Who else did you invite? |
| Who else after a preposition | Traditionally “whom” | Commonly “who” in speech | Who else were you talking to? |
| Whom else after a preposition | Formal/traditional | Less common | To whom else did you speak? |
When to Use “Who Else”
Use who else when the person is the subject of the verb.
Example 1
Who else wants to come?
The person represented by who else performs the action of wanting.
Example 2
Who else called you?
The person represented by who else performs the action of calling.
Example 3
Who else knows the answer?
The person represented by who else performs the action of knowing.
Example 4
Who else can help us?
The person represented by who else is the subject of can help.
When to Use “Whom Else”
Use whom else in traditional or formal grammar when the person is the object of a verb or preposition.
Example 1
Whom else did you invite?
You invited whom.
Example 2
Whom else did she contact?
She contacted whom.
Example 3
Whom else should we ask?
We should ask whom.
Example 4
To whom else should I send the letter?
You should send the letter to whom.
Although these sentences are grammatically traditional, many modern speakers would use who instead.
The Easy “He or Him” Test
One of the easiest ways to decide between who and whom is to replace the word with he/him.
- he → who
- him → whom
Example
Who else called?
Test it:
He called.
Therefore:
Who else called?
Another Example
Whom else did you invite?
Test it:
You invited him.
Therefore, traditionally:
Whom else did you invite?
This test is useful, especially in formal writing.
15 Examples of “Who Else”
- Who else is coming to the party?
- Who else knows about the plan?
- Who else wants some coffee?
- Who else can help me?
- Who else called while I was away?
- Who else lives in this building?
- Who else would like to join us?
- Who else has finished the assignment?
- Who else wants to go with us?
- Who else saw what happened?
- Who else could solve this problem?
- Who else is working today?
- Who else agrees with you?
- Who else has experience in this field?
- Who else is interested in the project?
15 Examples of “Whom Else”
In modern everyday English, many of these would commonly use who else, but whom represents the traditional formal construction.
- Whom else did you invite?
- Whom else did you contact?
- Whom else should I ask?
- Whom else did she interview?
- Whom else have you told?
- Whom else did they consult?
- Whom else should we inform?
- Whom else did he meet?
- Whom else are you expecting?
- Whom else did the manager call?
- Whom else would you recommend?
- Whom else did they hire?
- Whom else can we trust?
- Whom else did you see there?
- Whom else should we invite?
“Who Else Did You Invite?” vs “Whom Else Did You Invite?”
This is one of the most useful examples.
Traditional/formal
Whom else did you invite?
Here, whom is the object of invite.
You invited him.
Modern/common
Who else did you invite?
This is extremely common in contemporary English, particularly in conversation.
So while traditional grammar distinguishes the two forms, who has become widely accepted and natural in object questions.
For everyday communication, “Who else did you invite?” will usually sound more natural.
“Who Else Is Coming?” vs “Whom Else Is Coming?”
This distinction is much clearer.
Who else is coming? ✅
Here, who else is the subject of is coming.
Whom else is coming? ❌
This is not the standard construction because the person coming is the subject, not the object.
Therefore:
Who else is coming?
is the correct choice.
“Who Else” After a Preposition
Traditional grammar uses whom after a preposition.
For example:
To whom else did you speak?
However, modern English frequently places the preposition at the end and uses who:
Who else did you speak to?
The second version is much more natural in everyday conversation.
Formal
To whom else did you speak?
Conversational
Who else did you speak to?
Both communicate essentially the same idea.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using “Whom” Simply Because the Sentence Sounds Formal
You should not automatically use whom just because a sentence is formal.
For example:
❌ Whom else is coming?
The correct form is:
✅ Who else is coming?
The person is the subject.
Mistake 2: Thinking “Who Else” Is Always Wrong as an Object
Modern English commonly uses who instead of whom in object questions.
Who else did you invite?
This is very common and natural.
Mistake 3: Thinking “Else” Determines the Choice
It doesn’t.
The choice depends on whether the pronoun is functioning as a subject or object.
Mistake 4: Using “Whom” in Everyday Speech When It Sounds Unnatural
“Whom else” is grammatically traditional in object constructions, but it can sound formal or stiff in casual conversation.
Memory Trick
Use the he/him test:
He → who
Him → whom
For example:
Who else called?
He called.
So use who.
Now:
Whom else did you call?
You called him.
Traditionally, use whom.
But remember that modern English frequently uses who in object questions too.
American vs British English
Both American and British English use who else and whom else.
The important difference is not primarily American versus British English. It is more about formality and grammatical style.
In both varieties:
Who else is coming?
is completely natural.
In formal writing, whom may still be preferred when it clearly functions as an object:
Whom else did you contact?
But everyday speakers in both American and British English commonly use:
Who else did you contact?
Similar Expressions
Instead of who else, you can sometimes say:
- what other person
- which other person
- who more
- anyone else
- anybody else
- what other people
Examples:
Who else is coming?
Is anyone else coming?
What other people are coming?
“Who else” is usually the most natural choice when asking directly about additional people.
FAQs
Is “who else” correct?
Yes. “Who else” is completely correct and extremely common, especially when the person is the subject of the verb.
Is “whom else” correct?
Yes, traditionally, when whom functions as the object of a verb or preposition.
Whom else did you invite?
Is “who else did you invite” correct?
Yes. “Who else did you invite?” is extremely common and natural in modern English, even though traditional grammar would use whom in the object position.
Which is correct: “who else is coming” or “whom else is coming”?
“Who else is coming?” is correct because who else is the subject of the verb phrase is coming.
Is “whom else” formal?
It can sound formal, especially in everyday conversation. It remains useful in formal writing where the object form is being deliberately maintained.
Can “who” replace “whom”?
In many modern contexts, yes. English increasingly uses who in situations where traditional grammar would prescribe whom, especially in speech and informal writing.
Is “who else” more common than “whom else”?
Yes. “Who else” is much more common in contemporary English.
What is the easiest way to remember who vs whom?
Use the he/him test:
he → who
him → whom
For example, “He called” → Who called?
“You called him” → Whom did you call?
Final Verdict
“Who else” is the normal and most widely used expression. Use it when asking which other person or people are involved, particularly when they are the subject of the verb.
“Whom else” is traditionally correct when the person is the object of a verb or preposition. However, modern English very commonly uses who in those object positions as well.
So:
Who else is coming? ✅
Whom else did you invite? ✅ Traditional/formal
Who else did you invite? ✅ Very common modern English
Remember This
Who = subject
Whom = object (traditional/formal)
And:
Else doesn’t change the rule.
Look at the grammatical role of who/whom, not the word else.
Conclusion
The distinction between “who else” and “whom else” follows the traditional difference between who and whom. When the person is doing the action, use who: “Who else called?” When the person receives the action, traditional grammar uses whom: “Whom else did you invite?” The word else simply means “another person” or “other people” and does not determine the pronoun.
In modern English, however, who has become very common even when it functions as an object. That is why “Who else did you invite?” sounds completely natural to most speakers. For everyday communication, who else will usually be the most natural choice; for formal writing where the traditional distinction is maintained, whom else may be appropriate in object constructions.
