*To determine which case to use, you have to know how the pronoun functions in the sentence.
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Case |
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Subjective |
Objective |
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First Person |
I |
me |
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we |
us |
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Second Person |
you |
you |
|
Third Person |
he |
him |
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|
she |
her |
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|
it |
it |
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|
they |
them |
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|
one |
one |
|
Relative Pronouns |
who |
whom |
|
|
that |
that |
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|
which |
which |
When to Use Subjective case Pronouns
Use the subjective case for the subject of a sentence.
E.g. she is falling asleep.
E.g. Nancy, Claire, and I are going to the ballet.
Use the subjective case after a linking verb like to be.
E.g. It is I.
Use the subjective case in comparisons between the subjects of verbs that are not stated, but understood.
E.g. Gary is taller than they (are).
When to Use Objective case Pronouns
Use the objective case for the object of a verb.
E.g. I called her.
Use the objective case for the object of the preposition.
E.g. I laughed at him.
Use the objective case after gerunds and infinitives.
E.g. Asking him to go was a big mistake.
E.g. To give him the scare of his life, we all jumped out of his closet.
Use the objective case in comparisons between objects of verbs that are not stated but understood.
E.g. She calls you more than (she calls) me.
Below is the pronouns are in the wrong case:
E.g. Him and the rest of the team stopped by the malt shop for milkshakes after the game.
Correct one should be: He and the rest of the team… Objective pronoun “him” should be replaced by compound subjects “he”.
E.g. Uncle John and Aunt Rosie join my parents and I for dinner every Thursday.
Correct on should be: …my parents and me… Subjective pronoun “I” should be replaced by compound objects “me”.
* For compound subject or object, eliminate the first noun or pronoun; then determine which case fits the remaining pronoun.
E.g. With a look of anger, the sergeant insisted that the documents be handed to the general and him before the end of the day.
Take away” the general and”, “him” is the correct objective pronoun.
E.g. Us and the other teams combined for 16 runs and 23 hits in the seven-inning game.
Take away “…and the other teams”, “Us” is incorrect. “We” should be replaced as subjective pronoun.