Definition who in British English

Who can be used in the following ways:

as a question pronoun (introducing a direct or indirect question): Who’s going to drive?I wonder who they chose to be captain.Who did you give the money to?

as a relative pronoun (referring back to a person and starting a relative clause): I want to speak to the person who deals with my account.She was with her husband, who I had already met. (starting a relative clause that is the subject, object, or complement of another clause): I don’t know who she is.

Notice that who can be used as the subject or object of a verb or preposition. In formal English whom is sometimes used instead of who as the object of a verb or preposition, but it sounds very formal to say: To whom did you speak? It is more normal to put the preposition at the end and say: Who did you speak to?

The relative pronoun who or whom is often left out when it is the object in this type of relative clause: You are free to marry the man (who/whom) you love.

Don’t confuse who’s (the short form of ‘who is’ or ‘who has’) with whose (the possessive form of ‘who’, meaning ‘of whom’ or ‘of which’):

✗ Who’s view of the facts are we getting through television?

✓ Whose view of the facts are we getting through television?

✗ …an international organization who’s role is to keep peace and stability.

✓ …an international organization whose role is to keep peace and stability.

The short form who’s (‘who is’ or ‘who has’) is used mainly in spoken English and informal writing:

‘Who’s going to do that?’ ‘You, of course.’

Who’s been using my computer?