Which is correct?--Whomever you choose will have to--OR--Whoever you choose will have to--

[bobbieinok]

Whomever would be direct object of 'choose'

Whoever would be subject of 'will have to'

[yellerpup]

1. Have you tried

a variation on "The person you choose..."?

[raging moderate]

2. whomever.

the object of your clause, not the subject

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. One of the tough ones.

Scroll down to the bottom.

Whoever vs. Whomever Revisited

In the “English Rules” section of our website, GrammarBook.com, you will find our simple explanation for determining whether to use who or whom.

Briefly, this is the trick:
who = he (subject pronouns)
whom = him (object pronouns)

Example: Who/Whom is at the door?
He is at the door.

Example: For who/whom should I vote?
Should I vote for him?

To determine whether to use whoever or whomever, the he/him trick still applies:
he (subject case) = whoever
him (object case) = whomever

Rule 1: In the objective case, the use of whoever or whomever is determined by the pronoun’s position in the object.

Examples:
Give it to whoever/whomever asks for it first.
Whoever is correct because it is the subject of the independent clause whoever asks for it first. This entire independent clause is the object of the preposition to.

We will hire whoever/whomever you recommend.
Whomever is correct because it is the object of you recommend. The independent clause whomever you recommend is the direct object of will hire.

We will hire whoever/whomever is most qualified.
Whoever is correct because it is the subject of the independent clause whoever is most qualified. This entire independent clause is the direct object of will hire.

Rule 2: In the subjective case, the use of whoever or whomever is determined by the pronoun’s position in the subject.

Examples:
Whoever/Whomever is elected will serve a four-year term.
Whoever is correct because it is the subject of the independent clause Whoever is elected, which is the subject of the sentence.

Whoever/Whomever you elect will serve a four-year term.
Whomever is correct because it is the object of you elect. Whomever you elect is the subject of the sentence.

[bobbieinok]

4. Thanks for very helpful link

So 'whomever you choose' is a clause, which is then the subject of will have to.

And 'whomever' is object of choose

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. Uh, yeah. I get thrown by this usage too. Checking to be sure:

Examples:
Whoever/Whomever is elected will serve a four-year term.
Whoever is correct because it is the subject of the independent clause Whoever is elected, which is the subject of the sentence.

Whoever/Whomever you elect will serve a four-year term.
Whomever is correct because it is the object of you elect. [The clause] "Whomever you elect" is the subject of the sentence.

[Hotler]

6. NOOOOOOOoooooooo!

Not an English quiz.

[Hotler]

7. If you like to write you may also like this,

A Writer's Reference, by Diana Hacker. I was introduced to it in college English and have kept one around since. You can find them in used book stores or college book stores. It is a quick and handy grammar reference.
https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Reference-Diana-Hacker/dp/0312450257

[2naSalit]

8. I have that one

and another which I haven't seen in years but it's in my "desk stuff box" under the table. I don't write much anymore.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Whomever. You rearrange the word order so it's something like

"You have to chose" -- "who" or "whom." In that arrangement it's clear that the word should be the object, so it's "whomever you choose." You want an object, not a subject.

[Iggo]

10. Yep, rewrite the sentence so it's less awkward.

"The one you choose..."

or

"The person you choose..."

[bobbieinok]

11. Reason I asked the question--I see this structure a lot in contemporary novels

And its presence causes my reading to 'stumble'.

[MissMillie]

12. I always that that

"whom" was used after a preposition (to whom, from whom, for whom)

and "who" was used when it was the subject (who will be my friend? who will drive me to work?)