Who saw you? Who did you see?
Let’s delve into the fascinating realm of English grammar together! Today, we’re exploring the intricate dance between subjects and objects in sentences. Have you ever wondered,
“Who saw you?” or “Who did you see?”
Let’s break it down using the example of Radhika and Prakash.
When Radhika saw Prakash, the dynamics of the sentence shift. Radhika becomes the subject – the one doing the action – while Prakash takes on the role of the object – the one being acted upon.
So,
“Radhika saw Prakash” prompts the question:
“Who saw Prakash?”
The answer is Radhika.
And if we inquire,
“Who did Radhika see?”
The response is Prakash.
It’s like a linguistic puzzle where ‘who’ transforms from the subject to the object as the focus shifts from the doer to the receiver of the action. Let’s apply this to everyday scenarios.
Imagine someone asking,
“Who lives in this house?”
The subject is ‘who,’ and the answer would be the person living in the house.
Similarly, consider the question,
“Who did you meet yesterday?”
Here, ‘who’ becomes the object, representing the person you met.
It’s crucial to distinguish between subjects and objects to grasp the essence of a sentence. The interplay between ‘who’ and ‘what’ in questions reflects their roles as subjects or objects, unveiling the richness of the English language.
Join me on this linguistic journey, and let’s uncover more intricacies together. Feel free to share your insights or ask any questions!
Radhika saw Prakash.
Who saw Prakash?
Radhika. (Radhika saw him.)
Who did Radhika see?
Prakash. (She saw Prakash.)
| Radhika saw Prakash | Radhika saw Prakash |
|---|---|
| Subject | Object |
| Somebody saw Prakash | Radhika saw somebody |
| Who saw Prakash? | Who did Radhika see? |
| Radhika | Prakash |
| Radhika saw him. | She saw Prakash. |
| ‘Who’ is the subject | ‘Who’ is the object |
| Prakash is the object | Radhika is the subject |
In these questions, who/what is the subject:
- Who lives in this house?
(- somebody lives in it – who?)
(Not ‘who does live?’) - What happened?
(= something happened – what?)
(Not ‘what did happen?’) - What’s happening?
(What’s = what is) - Who’s got my key?
(Who’s = who has)
In these questions, who/what is the object:
- Who did you meet yesterday?
(= you met somebody — who?) - What did Radhika say?
(= Radhika said something – what?) - Who are you phoning?
- What was Radhika wearing?
