From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Martha Galphin
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 7:03 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: subject of a clause vs object of a preposition

Help me with this again, please. I’ve raised this kind of issue before, but I can’t remember your answers. Sorry. I would appreciate your thoughts again. Thank you.

From a statement regarding King Henry VIII from the Wikipedia article “English Reformation”:
“. . .he allowed himself to be influenced by his advisors from whom he was never apart, by night or day; he was thus susceptible to whoever had his ear.”

Am I to understand “whoever” is correct because the verb “had” needs a subject, put better, the clause needs a subject, and that that requirement is more important than the preposition “to” requiring an object?

This is the way I guide myself, but I don’t think I should explain it this way to my ESL students.

Martha G.

PS  Hope the conference was enjoyable and successful.