Whom or who? And begun or began?

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RTRrookie

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5jj

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[FONT=&quot]"You are one of the few ladies [/FONT][STRIKE]whom[/STRIKE][FONT=&quot] [or who?[/FONT][FONT=&quot]:tick:[/FONT][FONT=&quot]] I have ever contemplated as possibly being worth the commitment."

"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]I can’t help but feel this is over and yet I am struck by the fact that it can hardly be called over – because it never really [/FONT][STRIKE]begun[/STRIKE][FONT=&quot] [or began?[/FONT][FONT=&quot]:tick:[/FONT][FONT=&quot]]."[/FONT]
Try to work out why. If you are not clear, ask again.
 

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5jj

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[FONT=&quot]2. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]I can’t help but feel this is over and yet I am struck by the fact that it can hardly be called over – because it never really begun [or began?[/FONT]
Let's start with #2, because it's easier. It is possible to create a scenario in which the present perfect is acceptable, but the more natural situation (in my opinion) is that the speaker is thinking of a past time when there was a chance for the relationship to begin, but it did not begin.

I must admit that some would consider the non-beginning to extend up to the present time. If that's the way you look at it, the present perfect is possible - but then your version should have read, "because it has never really begun".

I have to stop now. I'll return for #1 soon.
 

RTRrookie

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I must admit that some would consider the non-beginning to extend up to the present time. If that's the way you look at it, the present perfect is possible - but then your version should have read, "because it has never really begun".

That's it. Thanks. I just needed to throw in "has". Cheers.

I have to stop now. I'll return for #1 soon.

Thanks!
 

5jj

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[FONT=&quot]
"You are one of the few ladies whom [or who?] I have ever contemplated as possibly being worth the commitment."
[/FONT]Who or whom - Because she is the subject?
That's the way I see it. She is a lady who is worth the commitment,

There are people who argue that she is the object of the verb contemplated, and say thay whom is the correct form.

It's not really important today when, in BrE, whom is rarely used except, by some, in formal writing.
 

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Coolfootluke

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[FONT=&quot]"You are one of the few ladies whom [or who?] I have ever contemplated as possibly being worth the commitment."[/FONT]
I am not a teacher.

Technically, it's "whom". The way to figure out what case the pronoun is supposed to be in is to change it to "he/she/they" and put it where it would then belong. In this case, "I have contemplated them". "Them" is objective, so it's "whom".

This is a clear-cut case. Others are devilish. Most native speakers use "who" no matter what the grammar is, except right after a preposition. Some grammarians even insist that there is no instinct for case in the English ear.
 
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