For example,
I'm very angry at him.
Can it be "at him, I'm very angry" or "at whom are you angry"?
I'm responsible for my family.
Can it be "for my family, I'm responsible" or "for whom are you responsible"?
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Sounds like Yoda-speak. – Weather Vane Mar 03 '24 at 12:41
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In English we usually say angry with rather than angry at (I don't know why, it's just the way English is). In both pairs, the first one is completely unidiomatic, the second OK but very formal. There's an old rule about not ending a sentence with a preposition, but in modern English "Who are you angry with?" is much more natural. – Kate Bunting Mar 03 '24 at 15:20
1 Answers
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- I'm very angry at him. [spoken English]
- At whom are you angry? [okay but very formal, not much used]
- Who are you angry at? [What one might actually say]
- I'm responsible for my family.
- Who are you responsible for?
for whom, at whom=are formal and not much used in speech unless the speech is very formal.
For example: Lawyer (in a courtroom: And for whom did you perform this service, Mr. Smith? Lawyer (in a coutroom): At whom were those words directed, Mr. Smith?
Book title: For Whom The Bell Tolls [formal]
At him, I'm very angry. Only in context:
Who exactly are you angry at?
At him, I'm very angry. but not as a first sentence from a speaker. Only in a specific context. BUT normally, we say: I'm very angry at him. The phrase is not prepended.
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