Chapter 8 - Pronouns
English 67
Professor Jean Garrett
Pronoun Case
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Case is the form a pronoun takes as it fills a
position in a sentence.
Like nouns, pronouns can function as either
subjects or objects in a sentence.
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When a pronoun is used as a subject, use the
subjective case. Subject pronouns perform the action
in a sentence.
When a pronoun is used as an object, use the
objective case. Object pronouns receive an action or
complete a thought.
Subjective Case Pronouns
Singular
Plural
Relative
1st person
I
we
who, whoever
2nd person
you
you
3rd person
he, she, it
they

who, whoever
Subjective-case pronouns can fill three possible
positions in a sentence.
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In the subject position, subjective case pronouns are easy to
spot at the beginning of a sentence.
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•
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I like horror movies.
You are my best friend.
He is the student in the my history class.
We found the wallet in the parking lot.
They are the students with the highest honors.
Who is going the movies?
Subjective Case Pronouns
• Some subjective case pronouns will appear as the
•
subject of a second clause in the sentence.
• Emily is the student who won the scholarship.
• I think whoever wants more should say so
now.
Other subjective case pronouns will appear as the
subject of a second clause with an implied verb
when making comparisons using than or as.
• Bob is taller than he (is). (not him)
• They are playing as hard as we (are). (not us)
Subjective Case Pronouns
• Still other subjective case pronouns will refer back
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to the subject of the sentence when they follow
forms of the verb to be (is, are, was, were, am) in
the sentence.
• It was she who answered the phone.
• The players were they.
Finally, some subjective case pronouns refer back
to earlier subjects without referring back through a
verb.
• The runners, Maria, Tina, Sara and I, are tired
after the race.
Objective Case Pronouns
Singular
Plural
Relative
1st person
me
us
whom, whomever
2nd person
you
you
3rd person
him, her, it
them

whom, whomever
Objective-case pronouns can also fill three
possible positions in a sentence.
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In the object position, objective case pronouns come
after the verb. A direct object pronoun answers the
question what or whom in connection with the verb.
• The instructor taught me to dance. [Whom did the
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instructor teach?]
He gave it to Robin. [What did he give to Robin?]
Objective Case Pronouns
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An indirect object pronoun answers the question to whom in
connection with the verb.
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Alice gave him the letter. [To whom did Alice give the letter?]
The professor told us the plan. [To whom did the professor tell
the plan?]
Objective-case pronouns may also be objects of a
preposition.
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José is standing by her.
We left with them.
Objective-case pronouns can also refer back to object words
or object pronouns.
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At the animal shelter, the firemen helped the victims—the
animals and us.
Since the lawyer questioned its practices, the company had the
statistics ready for them—the board members and him.
Techniques for Using the
Correct Pronoun Case
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Four considerations are useful for
deciding which pronoun case to use.
• Compound Subject Elements
• Compound Object Elements
• Choosing Who or Whom
• Let’s = Let us
Compound Subject Elements
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If you have a compound subject element,
consider only the pronoun part.
• Melissa and (she, her) will join us at the party.
• Say the sentence by dropping “Melissa and.”
• Her will join us at the party. [This sounds
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incorrect.]
She will join us at the party. [This sounds correct.]
Therefore, “Melissa and she will join us at the party”
is correct.
Note: Subject pronouns are I, we, who, you, he, she, it, and they.
Compound Object Elements
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If you have a compound object element
consider only the pronoun part.
• They will visit you and (I, me).
• Say the sentence by dropping “you and.”
• They will visit I. [This sounds incorrect.]
• They will visit me. [This sounds correct.]
• Therefore, “They will visit you and me” is correct.
Note: Object pronouns are me, us, whom, you, him, her, it, and
them.
Choosing Who or Whom
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If the next word after who or whom in a
statement is a verb, the word choice will be
who.
• The person who works hardest will win.
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If the next word after who or whom in a
statement is a noun or pronoun, the word
choice will be whom.
• The person whom we like the best will win.
Choosing Who or Whom
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To use this technique, you must also
ignore qualifier clauses such as It
seems and I feel.
• The candidate who, we think, worked
the hardest won. [Ignore the qualifier
clause we think.]
Let’s = Let us
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Let’s is made up of the words let and us
and means “You let us.”
When you select a pronoun to follow it,
consider the two original words and
select the object pronoun—me.
• Let’s you and me go to town.
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In other words:
You let us, you and me, go to town.
Apply the Formulas
subject pronouns = I, we, who, you, he, she, it, they
object pronouns = me, us, whom, you, him, her, it, them
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Apply the following four formulas:
• Subject pronoun + verb
• Verb + object pronoun
• Preposition + object pronoun
• Noun + object pronoun + noun
(Subj. pronoun)
(Subj. pronoun)
Four Formulas
subject pronouns = I, we, who, you, he, she, it, they
object pronouns = me, us, whom, you, him, her, it, them
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Subject pronoun + verb
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Verb + object pronoun
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Preposition + object pronoun
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Noun + object pronoun + noun
• You won the race
• Leticia found him in the park.
• Mike was doubtful about them.
(subj. pronoun)
(subj. pronoun)
• The actor whom we wanted was not available.
¡Adios!