How do I use “to be” and “who/whom” to modify “you”?

Question by genamwilson: How do I use “to be” and “who/whom” to modify “you”?
I would like to say the following in a way that is grammatically correct: “You, who I think is terrible, are still nice.”

While I suspect I could get around it with a rewrite like “You, whom I find to be terrible, are still nice,” or just “You, whom I find terrible, are still nice,” the questions posed by the original form still interest me.

Also, in general, how are those verbs in comma-separated modifiers conjugated when they’re referring to “you”? Which is correct, if either:
* “You, who excel at spelling, are also a good dancer.”
* “You, who excels at spelling, are also a good dancer.”

Why does this feel so awkward?!

Best answer:

Answer by P. M
You can justify either construction, but not the use of “whom”. “You” is the subject of the sentence, and “who” refers to the subject, so must remain in its nominative form.

As far as the second question goes, it should be “excel” (and it is simple to determine this, you would never say “you excels”).

Generally, however, people avoid these kinds of comma constructions in written English.

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