Learn English – Why is the answer “most of them” instead of “most of whom”

pronouns

In this sentence:

During the American Revolutionary War, about 14000 British
loyalists returned to Britain, _____ in 1783.

A. most of whom.
B. most of them.

I know the answer is B, but I can't understand why it's B, what is the diference between them. Could you explain it to me?

Best Answer

You can't use "whom" this way because a verb is missing.

If it was phrased this way:

"During the American Revolutionary War, about 14000 British loyalists returned to Britain, most of whom returned in 1783."

That would be okay. It is grammatically correct but a little wasteful using the word "returned" twice. That is why your second example using "them" is better, because the word is referring back to the returning British loyalists you have already named.

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