who */*/*/

UK [huː] / US [hu] pronoun

Summary:

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?
Get it right: who:
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"):
Wrong: Who's view of the facts are we getting through television?
Right: Whose view of the facts are we getting through television?
Wrong: …an international organization who's role is to keep peace and stability.
Right: …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?

1)

a) used for asking which person is involved in something, or what someone's name is

Who does this place belong to?

Who killed John F. Kennedy?

Who was that guy I saw you with last night?

Who did you hire for the sales position?

Do you know who's been invited to Claire's dinner party?

"Who is that?" "It's Karen – don't you recognize her?"

who else (= which other person):

Who else did you tell the secret to?

b) used when someone knows or says which person is involved in something or what their name is

They've already offered the job to someone, but I don't know who.

Curry refused to say who had organized the meeting.

We have to be very careful who we deal with.

Martha won't say who she voted for.

2) used for adding information that shows which person or type of person you are talking about. It is more usual to use "that" to introduce this type of relative clause

We only employ people who already have computer skills.

We got the same answer from everyone who we spoke to.

I think Bramwell was the one who first suggested the idea.

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Usage note:
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.

3) used for adding more information about a person when it is already clear which person you are talking about

I recently talked to Michael Hall, who lectures in music at the university.

I want you to meet my friend Marjorie, who I think I mentioned in my last letter.

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who is someone to do something? — mainly spoken used for saying that someone does not have the right to do something

Who are we to criticize the French when we do the same thing ourselves?

who knows/cares/wants/needs etc — spoken used for saying that you do not know/care etc, and you think that no one else does

"Won't Terry be upset?" "Who cares? He never thinks about anyone but himself."

- a who's who of something

See:

who's who