Pronoun Types
First Person
Subject
I, we
Object
me, us
Second Person
you
you
Third Person
he, she, it, they,
who, whoever
him, her, it, them,
whom, whomever
Tips on choosing between the subject and object pronoun:
1. Eliminate the compound
Megan and (I/me) love soda, and (she/her) and (I/me) regularly have two cans a day each.
I love soda and she regularly has…
I love soda and I regularly have…
The package was for Karen and (she/her).
The package was for her.
A TV program on dental health started making (she/her) and (I/me) rethink our habits.
…started making her rethink.
…started making me rethink.
2. Always use an object pronoun in prepositional phrases
Between you and me
To whom it may concern
3. Always use a subject pronoun in comparisons with signal words as and than
He is taller than I (am).
She is younger than we (are).
We work as hard as they (do).
4. Who/Whom – look at the following word
Verbs take who
Pronouns take whom
Tips for Pronoun – Antecedent Agreement:
5. Two or more antecedents take a plural pronoun (often combined with and)
Sonia and Dave say they will attend.
6. Alternative antecedent require a pronoun that agrees with the nearer antecedent (often
joined by or, nor)
Neither Sam nor his friends lost their way.
Neither his friends nor Sam lost his way.
7. Collective singular nouns take a singular pronoun when considered as units
The jury is doing its best to follow the judge’s directions.
8. Most indefinite pronouns take a singular pronoun
Everybody practices his or her lines.
Each child and adult was his or her own authority.
Indefinite Pronouns
Always Singular
anybody
anyone
anything
each (of)
either (of)
everybody
everyone
everything
much
neither (of)
nobody
no one
nothing
one (of)
somebody
someone
something
May Be Singular or Plural
all
none
any
some
Collective Singular Nouns
Army
Assembly
Audience
Board
Class
Club
Committee
Crowd
Faculty
Family
Fleet
Flock
Herd
Jury
Majority
Number
Public
Squadron
Staff
Swarm
Team
Troop