“Who else or whom else?” looks like a small grammar question, but it causes a surprising amount of confusion.
The problem comes from the difference between who and whom.
Most English speakers understand that who refers to a person, but knowing when to use whom requires understanding the grammatical role of the pronoun in a sentence.
The good news is that the answer is usually much simpler than it first appears.
In modern everyday English, who else is the natural and overwhelmingly common choice when you are asking about another person.
Whom else can be grammatically appropriate in certain structures, but it is much more formal and less common.
This guide explains exactly why, when each form works, how to test the grammar, and what native speakers are most likely to say in everyday conversation and professional writing.
Quick Answer
Who else is normally the correct and natural choice when asking about another person.
Examples:
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else knows about this?
- Who Else or Whom Else
Whom else can be correct when whom functions as the object of a verb or preposition, especially in formal English:
- Who Else or Whom Else
- With whom else should I speak?
However, in ordinary conversation, who else did you invite? is far more natural than whom else did you invite?
Who Else or Whom Else: The Basic Difference
| Feature | Who else | Whom else |
|---|---|---|
| Basic function | Usually subject | Usually object |
| Refers to | Another person or people | Another person or people |
| Everyday English | Very common | Uncommon |
| Formal English | Common | More formal |
| After a verb | Often used in modern English | Traditionally used when object |
| After a preposition | Common when preposition is stranded | Formal choice after a preposition |
| Example | Who else is coming? | Whom else did you invite? |
| Natural conversation | Yes | Often sounds stiff |
| Academic/formal writing | Yes | Sometimes preferred |
| Meaning | Another person | Another person |
| Main distinction | Grammatical role and modern usage | Grammatical role and formal usage |
What Does “Who Else” Mean?
Who else means what other person or what other people.
The word else adds the idea of something or someone in addition to a person or people already mentioned, considered, or understood.
Examples
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else knows the answer?
- Who else wants to join us?
- Who else was there?
- Who Else or Whom Else
In each sentence, who else asks about one or more additional people.
For example:
Sarah is coming. Who else is coming?
The second question means:
“What other person or people are coming?”
Why “Else” Matters
Without else, the question is simply:
Who is coming?
With else, the question becomes:
Who else is coming?
The word else therefore does not change the basic identity of who. It adds the meaning of another, additional, or besides the person or people already considered.
Common Patterns With “Who Else”
You will often see who else in these structures:
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else is…?
- Who else was…?
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else did…?
- Who else would…?
- Who else wants…?
- Who Else or Whom Else
Examples:
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else can answer this question?
- Who else did you meet?
- Who Else or Whom Else
What Does “Whom Else” Mean?
Whom else also refers to another person or people, but whom traditionally functions as an object pronoun.
The important point is that whom else is not automatically wrong.
Its grammatical correctness depends on the role the pronoun plays in the sentence.
Examples
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Whom else should we contact?
- To whom else should I send the document?
- Who Else or Whom Else
These constructions are grammatically possible because whom is functioning as an object.
However, there is an important difference between grammatical possibility and natural modern usage.
Many native speakers would say:
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else should we contact?
- Who Else or Whom Else
These versions are extremely common in contemporary English.
Is “Whom Else” Wrong?
No.
“Whom else” is not inherently incorrect.
It can be grammatically appropriate when the pronoun is an object, particularly in formal constructions.
The issue is that modern English increasingly uses who in places where traditional grammar would prescribe whom.
So the choice is not simply:
who = correct
and
whom = incorrect
Instead, the better distinction is:
Who is the normal modern choice in many situations, while whom survives mainly in formal, careful, or traditional constructions.
Why Do People Confuse “Who Else” and “Whom Else”?
The confusion comes from the traditional distinction between who and whom.
Who as a Subject
Traditionally, who is used when the person is performing an action.
Compare:
Who called you?
Here, who performs the action of calling.
Another example:
Who else wants to come?
The people represented by who else are the ones who want to come.
So who else is clearly appropriate here.
Whom as an Object
Traditionally, whom is used when the person receives an action or follows a preposition.
For example:
Whom did you invite?
The person represented by whom receives the action of being invited.
Therefore, in traditional grammar:
Whom else did you invite?
would follow the same rule.
But modern English complicates this rule because who is now widely used instead of whom in ordinary speech and writing.
The Subject-and-Object Test
One of the easiest ways to understand the difference is to determine whether the pronoun is acting as a subject or an object.
Use “Who Else” for a Subject
Consider:
Who else is coming?
The answer might be:
John is coming.
John is the subject of the sentence.
Therefore:
Who else is coming?
is the natural form.
More examples:
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else wants to participate?
- Who else can solve this problem?
- Who else lives here?
- Who Else or Whom Else
In each case, who else represents the person or people performing the action or being described as the subject.
Use “Whom Else” for an Object in Traditional Grammar
Now consider:
Whom else did you invite?
The underlying sentence is:
You invited John.
John is the object of invited.
Therefore, traditional grammar changes who to whom:
Whom else did you invite?
The same pattern appears in:
Whom else should we contact?
Underlying statement:
We should contact John.
John is the object.
But Modern English Often Uses “Who”
This is where real-world usage matters.
Most people today would naturally say:
Who else did you invite?
rather than:
Whom else did you invite?
The first version is normal conversational English.
The second sounds formal, careful, or somewhat old-fashioned to many speakers.
That does not make the second sentence grammatically impossible. It simply means that traditional grammatical rules and modern usage do not always line up perfectly.
The “He or Him” Test
A useful traditional test for who vs whom is to replace the pronoun with he or him.
If he fits, use who.
If him fits, use whom.
Example 1
Who else is coming?
Answer:
He is coming.
Because he works, who is traditionally correct.
Example 2
Whom else did you invite?
Answer:
I invited him.
Because him works, whom is traditionally correct.
Example 3
Who else can help us?
Answer:
He can help us.
So:
Who else can help us?
Example 4
Whom else should I call?
Answer:
I should call him.
So the traditional form is:
Whom else should I call?
But there is an important practical point.
In modern English, many speakers would simply say:
Who else should I call?
That is natural and widely accepted.
Who Else in Questions
Who else is especially common in questions.
Asking About Additional People
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else lives in this building?
- Who else wants to play?
- Who else knows the truth?
- Who Else or Whom Else
These are all natural.
Asking About Responsibility
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else should we tell?
- Who else can handle this task?
- Who Else or Whom Else
Again, who else is completely normal.
Asking About Choices
- Who Else or Whom Else
- Who else would be suitable?
- Who else might help us?
Modern English strongly favors who in these kinds of questions.
Whom Else in Formal Questions
Whom else is most likely to appear when the writer wants to preserve a traditional formal distinction.
Examples include:
Whom else should the committee consult?
Whom else did the researcher interview?
Whom else might the organization consider?
These sentences are grammatically defensible and may be suitable in highly formal writing.
However, many editors would still prefer who else, particularly when the sentence is intended to sound natural rather than ceremonially formal.
“Who Else Did You Tell?” vs “Whom Else Did You Tell?”
This is one of the most useful examples because it demonstrates the difference between traditional grammar and modern usage.
Traditional Grammar
Whom else did you tell?
Why?
Because whom is the object of tell.
You told him.
Modern English
Who else did you tell?
This is extremely common and sounds natural to most speakers.
Which Should You Use?
For everyday speech and general writing:
Who else did you tell?
is usually the better choice.
For very formal writing where you deliberately maintain the traditional who/whom distinction:
Whom else did you tell?
can be used.
Tip: Do not use whom simply because you want your writing to sound intelligent. If it makes the sentence sound unnatural, who is often the better modern choice.
“Who Else Should I Contact?” vs “Whom Else Should I Contact?”
Both can be understood.
The traditional grammar rule gives:
Whom else should I contact?
because the person is the object of contact.
But modern English commonly uses:
Who else should I contact?
This version is more conversational and usually more natural.
In a Business Email
You could write:
Who else should I contact regarding this issue?
This is clear, professional, and natural.
You do not need to force whom into the sentence simply because the email is professional.
Professional writing values clarity and naturalness, not unnecessary formality.
“Who Else Is Coming?” vs “Whom Else Is Coming?”
This one is much easier.
The correct form is:
Who else is coming?
Not:
Whom else is coming?
Why?
Because the person represented by the pronoun is the subject of is coming.
You could answer:
She is coming.
Not:
Her is coming.
Therefore, the traditional grammatical test clearly points to who.
More Examples
- Who else is attending the meeting?
- Who else was invited?
- Who else wants dessert?
- Who else knows the answer?
- Who else can help?
In all these sentences, who else is the natural choice.
“Who Else Did You Invite?” vs “Whom Else Did You Invite?”
Here, things become more interesting.
Traditional grammar favors:
Whom else did you invite?
because the pronoun is the object of invite.
But modern English overwhelmingly favors:
Who else did you invite?
in everyday conversation.
What Should You Write?
For most audiences:
Who else did you invite?
is the safest choice.
If you are intentionally following traditional formal grammar:
Whom else did you invite?
is acceptable.
Neither construction creates a different basic meaning. The difference is primarily grammatical style and level of formality.
Who Else or Whom Else in American English
Modern American Usage
American English has moved strongly toward who in ordinary communication.
Native speakers commonly say:
- Who did you see?
- Who did you invite?
- Who are you talking to?
- Who else did you contact?
Traditional grammar would prescribe whom in several of these sentences, but everyday American English often does not.
As a result:
Who else?
is completely natural.
And:
Whom else?
can sound unusually formal when used outside a formal construction.
Who Else or Whom Else in British English
British English also uses who very widely in everyday speech.
Traditional whom remains available in formal writing and in certain fixed constructions.
For example:
To whom it may concern
remains a familiar formal expression.
But ordinary speakers may say:
Who else should I speak to?
rather than:
To whom else should I speak?
The second version is much more formal.
Therefore, the difference between American and British English is not a simple rule such as:
American English uses who; British English uses whom.
Both varieties commonly use who in everyday communication.
20 Real-Life Examples of “Who Else” and “Whom Else”
Everyday Conversation
- Who else is coming with us?
- Who else wants some coffee?
- Who else knows about the surprise?
- Who else lives in this neighborhood?
- Who else can give me a ride?
Text Messages
- Who else is going tonight?
- Who else are you inviting?
- Who else wants tickets?
School and Academic Writing
- Who else contributed to the project?
- Who else has studied this subject?
- Whom else did the researcher interview?
The last example is grammatically formal and may appear in carefully edited academic prose.
Business Communication
- Who else should I include in the email?
- Who else needs access to the report?
- Who else should we contact about the contract?
- Who else approved the proposal?
Professional Communication
- Who else can review the document?
- Who else was involved in the decision?
- Whom else should the committee consult?
The final example uses traditional formal grammar.
Social Media
- Who else thinks this movie is underrated?
- Who else remembers this song?
These examples show an important pattern: who else works naturally across almost every type of modern communication.
Common Mistakes With Who Else and Whom Else
Mistake 1: Using “Whom” as the Subject
Incorrect:
Whom else is coming to dinner?
Better:
Who else is coming to dinner?
The pronoun is the subject of is coming, so who is appropriate.
Mistake 2: Assuming “Whom” Is Always More Correct
Some writers think:
“Whom sounds formal, so it must be better.”
That is not how English grammar works.
A formal word is not automatically a better word.
For example:
Whom else should I ask?
is grammatically defensible, but:
Who else should I ask?
is much more natural for most modern readers.
Better Principle
Choose the form that fits the sentence and the context.
Mistake 3: Thinking “Who Else” Is Always Wrong Before a Verb
Some learners are taught that who can never be an object.
That rule is too simplistic for modern English.
For example:
Who else did you see?
is normal contemporary English.
Traditional grammar may prefer:
Whom else did you see?
But the first version is widely accepted and natural.
Mistake 4: Writing “Whom Else” to Sound Sophisticated
Incorrect style choice:
Whom else should I ask for assistance?
This is not necessarily grammatically wrong, but it may sound unnecessarily stiff.
More natural:
Who else should I ask for help?
The second sentence is direct and professional without being overly formal.
Mistake 5: Forgetting the Role of the Pronoun
Do not choose who or whom simply by looking at the word else.
The word else does not determine the case.
Compare:
Who else is coming?
and:
Whom else did you invite?
The difference comes from the grammatical role of the pronoun.
How to Decide in Five Seconds
Use this simple process.
Step 1: Remove “else”
Take:
Who else is coming?
Remove else:
Who is coming?
Now identify the role of who.
It is the subject.
So who else is correct.
Step 2: Try “He” or “Him”
Ask:
Is it he or him?
If he works, traditional grammar calls for who.
If him works, traditional grammar calls for whom.
Step 3: Consider Modern Usage
If the sentence is conversational or ordinary professional writing, who is often the more natural choice even when traditional grammar would use whom.
Step 4: Check Formality
Use whom when you deliberately want a formal or traditional construction, especially after a preposition:
With whom else should we meet?
But in ordinary English:
Who else should we meet with?
sounds much more natural.
Who Else After a Preposition
This is where whom has a stronger traditional role.
Consider:
With whom else did you speak?
This is formal and grammatically traditional.
A more natural modern version is:
Who else did you speak with?
Both communicate essentially the same idea.
Formal Version
To whom else should the letter be addressed?
Natural Modern Version
Who else should the letter be addressed to?
The first version is more formal.
The second version is more conversational.
Neither should automatically be labeled “wrong.”
Is “Whom Else” More Formal?
Yes.
Whom else generally sounds more formal, traditional, or careful than who else.
Compare:
Who else should I ask?
with:
Whom else should I ask?
The second sentence may sound more polished in a traditional sense, but it can also sound stiff.
Formal does not always mean better.
Good Professional Writing
Professional writing should prioritize:
- Clarity
- Accuracy
- Natural expression
- Appropriate formality
- Concision
That is why who else is often perfectly suitable in business writing.
Is “Who Else” Grammatically Correct?
Yes.
Who else is grammatically correct.
It is especially clear when who functions as the subject:
Who else wants to participate?
It is also widely accepted in modern English when who functions as an object:
Who else did you call?
Traditional grammar would often prefer whom in the second sentence, but contemporary usage strongly supports who.
Is “Whom Else” Grammatically Correct?
Yes, in appropriate structures.
For example:
Whom else did you invite?
and:
With whom else should I speak?
are grammatically possible.
The first follows the traditional object form of whom. The second places whom after the preposition with.
However, the fact that a sentence is grammatically valid does not mean it is the most natural choice for every audience.
Can “Who Else” and “Whom Else” Be Interchanged?
Sometimes, but not always.
When They Can Be Used as Alternatives
In a sentence such as:
Who else did you invite?
you could use:
Whom else did you invite?
The meaning remains the same.
The difference is mainly grammatical tradition and formality.
When They Cannot Be Freely Swapped
Consider:
Who else is coming?
Replacing who with whom gives:
Whom else is coming?
That does not work under traditional grammar because whom is being used as the subject.
So the two expressions are not interchangeable in every grammatical position.
A Simple Memory Trick
Remember this:
Who = he
Whom = him
Now add else.
If You Can Say:
He is coming.
Use:
Who else is coming?
If You Can Say:
I invited him.
Traditional grammar gives:
Whom else did you invite?
But remember the modern-usage rule:
Who is now widely used instead of whom in ordinary English.
So when in doubt in everyday conversation, who else is usually the natural choice.
Who Else or Whom Else: Which One Should You Use?
Use “Who Else” When:
- You are speaking casually.
- You are writing a normal email.
- You are asking who is involved.
- You are asking who is coming.
- You are asking who knows something.
- You are asking who can help.
- You want natural modern English.
- You are writing for a general audience.
Examples:
Who else is attending?
Who else can help us?
Who else did you contact?
Use “Whom Else” When:
- You are deliberately following traditional grammar.
- The pronoun clearly functions as an object.
- You are writing in a highly formal style.
- The construction follows a preposition.
- The formal tone is intentional.
Examples:
Whom else did the committee interview?
With whom else should we consult?
To whom else should the request be sent?
Even in these situations, modern editors may prefer who if the formal version sounds unnatural.
What Do Style Guides and Modern Editors Generally Favor?
Modern English style increasingly recognizes the gap between traditional grammar and actual usage.
Traditional grammar distinguishes sharply between who and whom.
Contemporary editing often takes a more practical approach.
The question is not only:
“Is whom grammatically possible?”
It is also:
“Will this sound natural to the intended reader?”
For general web content, customer communication, workplace messages, and everyday writing, who is usually the more accessible choice.
Formal contexts may still preserve whom, particularly after prepositions or in established expressions.
The best style is therefore context-sensitive rather than mechanical.
FAQs
Is “Who else?” grammatically correct?
Yes. Who else? is completely correct and extremely common. It means “What other person or people?” It can stand alone as a question.
Is “Whom else?” correct?
It can be correct in a context where whom functions as an object, but the phrase is much less common than who else. It often sounds formal or incomplete without additional context.
Should I say “Who else is coming?”
Yes. Who else is coming? is the natural and grammatically correct choice because who else is the subject of the sentence.
Should I say “Who else did you invite” or “whom else did you invite”?
Both can be defended. Traditional grammar favors whom else did you invite? because whom is the object. Modern English strongly favors who else did you invite?, especially in conversation.
Is “who else” more common than “whom else”?
Yes. Who else is far more common in modern everyday English and is the safer choice for most general communication.
Is “whom else” more formal?
Yes. Whom else generally has a more formal, traditional, or literary feel.
Can I use “who” instead of “whom”?
In many modern contexts, yes. Native speakers commonly use who where traditional grammar would use whom, particularly in questions and conversational English.
Is “who else should I contact?” correct?
Yes. Who else should I contact? is natural and professional. A traditional version would be Whom else should I contact?, but the latter is more formal.
Which is better for everyday English: “who else” or “whom else”?
Who else is better for everyday English. It is natural, clear, widely understood, and consistent with modern usage.
Conclusion
Who else is the best choice in most situations.
Use it when you are asking about another person or group of people, especially in everyday conversation, emails, business communication, social media, and general writing.
Examples:
Who else is coming?
Who else knows?
Who else can help?
Who else did you invite?
Whom else is not automatically wrong. It is appropriate in traditional grammar when whom functions as an object, especially in formal constructions:
Whom else did you invite?
With whom else should I speak?
The key is to understand the difference between traditional grammatical case and modern English usage.
If you need one practical rule to remember, use this:
Choose “who else” for natural modern English. Use “whom else” when a formal or traditional object form is genuinely appropriate.
So, when someone asks:
Who else or whom else?
the simplest answer is:
Usually, “who else.”
It is the natural modern choice, while “whom else” remains possible in more formal or traditionally structured sentences.
I am Julian Brooks, an English language enthusiast and content writer at EnglishAcademy. I create clear grammar lessons, vocabulary guides, and writing tips to help learners improve their English with confidence every day.