Whom do you think you are?

Yesterday's challenge:
"Although this deal is just between he and I, I'll discuss it with whomever is higher than he to see what they think before preceding."

This puzzle has five pronoun errors and one wrong word. Here's how it should read, with corrections in all caps:

"Athough this deal is just between HIM and ME, I'll discuss it with WHOEVER is higher than HIM to see what HE thinks before PROCEEDING."

"Proceeding" means moving foward. "Preceding" means before. "Before preceding" means "before before."

"Him," "me" and the second "him" are objects of the verbs, not subjects.

"They" is plural. For publication we try to write around singular pronouns when the sex of the antecedent (subject) is not known to avoid the once universal masculine because it is now considered sexist.

"Whoever" is the trickiest error in the challenge sentence. One might argue that "whomever" is correct because it is the object of "I'll discuss it with whomever." But it is the subject of "whoever is higher." In such cases, writes Paula LaRoque, the subjective wins.

Personally, I think "whom" and "whomever" should be discarded on the heap of archaic words like "thee."

The way I remembered it as a kid is that "whom" is at the beginning of an interrogative sentence (question) but deeper into a declarative.

"Whom are you seeking?" "You" is the subject, "whom" is the object.

"Never send to know for whom the bell tells; it tolls for thee." John Donne (note the "thee")

Obviously this test doesn't always work.
If in doubt, use "who" and only English teachers will notice or care if you're wrong.

I have some people taking a shot at these challenges by e-mailing me directly with their answers rather than posting them for all to see. That's fine with me.

Remember: Spot the error in print or broadcast. Name your pet peeves.

And finally: What's your favorite line from a book (or movie)?