Pronoun Case Chart and Notes
#
Name:
Objective Case
Period:
Person
Nominative Case
Possessive Case
I
N
1st
I
me
my, mine
G
U
L
2nd
you
you
your, yours
A
R
3rd
S
P
L
U
R
A
L
he, she, it
1st
we
2nd
3rd
him, her, it
his, her, hers, its
us
our, ours
you
you
your, yours
they
them
their, theirs
Uses (or Functions) of Nominative Case Pronouns:
1. Subject



(Usually does the action of the verb. Find verb, then say “Who or what is ‘verbing’?” The answer is the subject.)
We are studying pronoun case.
Is he Captain Grammar?
On the swing in the playground sat she. (This sentence has inverted sentence order, which
makes it sound weird, but she is still the subject of the verb sat.

***2. Predicate nominative
(Renames the subject; often misused. Should be able to switch with the subject, all else being equal.)***
All predicate nominatives follow linking verbs. Examples of linking verbs are forms of the verb ‘to be’ (am, is,
are, was, were, be, being, been) and a few others (appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound,
stay, taste, turn). The forms of ‘be’ generally take predicate nominatives.





Captain Grammar could be he.
(He could be Captain Grammar, so Captain Grammar could be he.)
The winners will be they if we don’t get our act together.
It is surely I who will capture the flag and bring victory to our team.
Hello? This is she.
3. In apposition to subject or predicate nominative. Words or word groups in apposition are called
appositives and are literally positioned next to the words they rename. The difference between an
appositive to a subject and a predicate nominative is simply position in the sentence.


“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice…”
Appositive to the subject people.
The winners of the dance contest shall certainly be we seniors. Appositive to the predicate
nominative seniors.
Pronoun Case Chart Notes, continued
Uses (or Functions) of Objective Case Pronouns (Notice the word object located in the word objective.
Each function for an objective case pronoun is some sort of grammatical object. Handy, right?):
1. Direct object (Receives the action of the verb. Find subject and verb, then say, “Subject + verb + whom or what?” The
answer is the direct object.




The driver passed him on the road.
We saw her at the mall.
Ask the teacher or me if you have a question, but don’t ask her.
2. Indirect object (Receives the direct object; is located between the action verb and the direct object; find subject, verb, and
direct object, then ask “Subject + verb + direct object + to whom/ what or for whom/ what?”



I gave them a packet, and they were thrilled!
The President sent me a letter.
3. Object of the preposition (Generally the last word in the prepositional phrase; find the preposition and ask, “Preposition +
whom/what?” The answer is the object of the prep. It’s always a noun or a pronoun.)



Hey, everybody, look at me!
Give this swell pronoun case packet to all of them!
4. In apposition to d.o., i.o., o.p. By now you know what an appositive is. Look for the pronoun near the noun
(not a possessive, though—that’s different). Just disregard the noun it’s near and pick the right pronoun.




My teacher saw us eighth graders at the mall, and it was so embarrassing! (appositive to direct object
eighth graders)
Give us girls a chance, and we’ll show all of them. (appositive to indirect object girls)
The movie star waved at all of us kids. (appositive to object of prep. kids)
Uses of Possessive Case
1. Possessives show ownership and are used as ADJECTIVES or PRONOUNS.
 Leave my pronoun case packet alone! (modifies packet) Use yours! (Direct object of verb use)
 If you see Justine, give her back her diagramming kit. (Notice the first her is used as an indirect object,
but the second one modifies kit.
Who and Whom
1. Who = nominative case. Substitute “he” to hear if it sounds right. Many times this will work.
2. Whom = objective case. Substitute “him” to hear if it sounds right. For both of these, you might need to
play with the sentence order a bit to make it work if there are dependent clauses at work.
Pronoun Case
Additional Practice 1
Name:
Period:
Circle the correct pronoun in parentheses, indicate its case, and identify its function or use:
Nominative: Subject, predicate nominative, appositive to S. or P.N.
Objective: Direct object, indirect object, object of the prep., or appositive to D.O., I.O., or O.P
1. (Him, He) and (I, me) go to the movies once a week.
2. By 4:00, Sheila and (he, him) had already decided to get married.
3. Although John and (her, she) went to the same school, they never met.
4. Sam and (me, I) practice trumpet on Sunday.
5. (Them, They) received gifts for their birthday.
6. Joseph and (he, him) repaired the stereo in two hours.
7. Juan and (her, she) were born in Havana.
8. Deborah and (me, I) met at the dance concert.
9. (We, Us) students want to thank you for a good course.
10. Your class was a treat for (we, us) students.
11. Carlos and (me, I) plan to take Spanish this spring because Mr. Rodriguez will be our teacher.
12. Professor Simmons gave Lucy and (I, me) the highest grades in the class.
13. Why don't you give (us, we) short people a chance to play basketball?
14. For (we, us) there is nothing like a cold lemonade on a hot day.
15. The school awarded the coach and (me, I) a medal.
16. We ran after David and (she, her) to give them the money they had left behind.
17. After all, (we, us) people have rights too.
18. The tutor helped my brother and (me, I) with our math homework.
19. Sally and (him, he) played tennis against Tom and (me, I).
20. Jose and (her, she) missed the train.
21. Between you and (me, I), I don't like spinach.
22. Those green apples made Ellen and (him, he) sick.
23. (He, Him) and his wife live alone now that the children are grown.
Pronoun Case
Additional Practice 2
Name:
Period:
Circle the correct pronoun(s) in parentheses, indicate the case, and identify its function or use.
1. In the bitter cold, (he, him) and Dad struggled to save the orange crop.
2. (Her and me, She and I) have joined the Shutter and Lens.
3. Phil showed Danny and (I, me) his butterfly collection.
4. Bert warned Hank and (I, me) about the strong undertow at Breezy Point.
5. Jessie sent Gail and (he, him) postcards from Quebec.
6. (He and I, Him and me) are building a rock garden for Aunt Lucy.
7. Half an hour later Mother called Dad and (I, me) to lunch.
8. Was that (her, she) on the palomino?
9. Mr. Adams helped (he, him) and Ruby with their rocket.
10. Lend Alf and (I, me) your book on dog training.
11. Aunt Martha gave the puppets to Holly and (I, me).
12. Are Harry and (he, him) out in their boat in this storm?
13. Everyone except (he, him) had given up the search for the runaway Irish Setter.
14. Between you and (I, me), today's science quiz was easy.
15. Can't (us, we) boys rake the leaves tomorrow?
16. (Her and me, She and I) are trying out for parts in Miss Cherry Blossom.
17. Those green apples gave Bill and (I, me) stomach aches.
18. The scoutmaster told Fred and (I, me) the troop's decision.
19. Abby and (I, me) are members of the Volleyball Club.
20. A neighbor's television kept Betty and (I, me) awake. Pronoun Case
Additional Practice 3
Name:
Period:
Circle the correct pronoun(s) in parentheses, indicate the case, and identify its function or use.
1. George was always better than (I, me) at football.
2. That night (me and my friends, my friends and I) went dancing.
3. She felt that they were in a world of their own, (she, her) and her friend.
4. My room is big enough for my daughter and (I, me).
5. His sister is jealous because he gets more attention than (she, her).
6. She tries to use big words when (she and I, her and me) are talking.
7. When I got there, (he, him) and his partner had already started.
8. (We, Us) confirmed coffee drinkers never will get used to tea. Choose the correct case for the pronoun in the elliptical clause.
1. Water frightens him more than (she, her).
2. My brother is more serious than (she, her).
3. We eat ice cream more often than (they, them).
4. I am as old as (they, them).
5. He is not so old as (we, us).
6. Although our term papers were the same length, the professor gave him a higher grade than (I, me).
7. If you don't think that her friends are as nice as (she, her), why not tell her so?
8. They think they are sharper than (she, her), but wait until they tangle with her and find out the truth.
9. You paid more than (we, us) for that stereo.
10. Sometimes, our children act more mature than (we, us).
11. It often seems to be harder for me than (he, him).
12. Do you think that his sister will be as smart as (he, him)? Pronoun Case: Who vs. Whom
Fact:
People often misuse who and whom.
*Remember: Who is in nominative case, like he is, whereas whom is in objective case, like him is.
Examples: (Who, Whom) is going to the beach? He is going to the beach
=
Who is going to the beach?
To (who, whom) shall I write the check? This is a little trickier—please follow.

Change the question to a statement and substitute he or him, whichever fits:
I shall write the check to him =
I shall write the check to whom =
To whom shall I write the check?
** Sometimes in English we separate prepositions from their objects, which makes it a bit trickier.
Example: (Who, Whom) are you going to the awards ceremony with?

Rearrange the sentence so that it is in standard Subject-Verb-Complement order, and substitute he or him.
You are going to the party with him =
You are going to the awards ceremony with whom
=
Whom are you going to the awards ceremony with?
*** In English, sentence structure can complicate matters. In complex or compound-complex sentences, you
need to make sure that the clause with the who/whom choice is in standard Subject-Verb-Complement order.
Example: I must meet the person (who, whom) she recommended.

Isolate each clause: I must meet the person (independent clause); (who, home) she recommended –
dependent clause

Rearrange who/whom clause so it’s in S-V-Complement order: she recommended (who, whom)

Substitute as before: she recommended him = she recommended whom

Change the order back: I must meet the person whom she recommended.
Try it on your own:
1. (Who, Whom) will you invite to the party?
2. (Whoever, Whomever) parked this car needs to move it.
3. There is a fifty-dollar reward for (whoever, whomever) finds and returns my dog.
4. (Who, Whom) is Elaine living with?
5. (Who, Whom) is that man at the end of the alley?
6. He is the kind of person (who, whom), my father says, will always be able to multiply his money.
7. There will be a five-minute break for (whoever, whomever) among you needs it.
8. To (who, whom) should I give this letter?
9. The parents of that baby, (whoever, whomever) they are, shouldn’t leave it alone.
10. Can you tell (who, whom) she looks like?
Elliptical Clauses
Reminder:
 An elliptical clause is just a clause (subject & predicate) where some part of the clause is implied rather than
stated. In other words, part of the clause is invisible.

Look for the words than and as when used in a comparison. These words often introduce elliptical clauses.

When you find than or as introducing an elliptical clause, one way to determine the correct pronoun is to finish
the comparison that has been started.
o Example: Pat is much older than (he, him).
Finish the entire comparison:
Pat is much older than (he, him) is old.
Analyze the function of the pronoun (sub., p.n., d.o., i.o., o.p.) within the elliptical clause the same way you
analyze a regular sentence. Look only at the elliptical clause (it starts right at the than or as), then do your steps
of sentence analysis until you have figured out how that pronoun is being used.


Another way (possibly an easier way) to determine which pronoun to choose is to find the item (usually a person
or people) to whom the pronoun in question is being compared. Substitute a pronoun for that person;
whichever pronoun fits in that person’s place is the correct pronoun choice. Identify its case, and figure out how
the word the pronoun is being compared to is functioning within its own clause. The pronoun in the elliptical
clause will have the same function.

For example:

Herman has given his accordion to you rather than (she, her).
The word that (she, her) is being compared to is “you.” Which pronoun fits in place of “you?”
Herman has given his accordion to her.
Look at that pronoun you have replaced. What is its function in the visible clause? It is an
object of the preposition. When you put it into to elliptical clause, it will be used as the exact
same thing.
Always check to make sure the case of the pronoun you choose matches the pronoun’s function. Subjects and
predicate nominatives need NOMINATIVE case; direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions need
OBJECTIVE case.
Here are a few sentences to practice. Be careful and FOLLOW THE STEPS. Don’t forget that other “tricks” can crop
up within the same clause. Always BEWARE linking verbs…
1. I can understand why the voters elected Mark rather than (she, her).
2. A reminder should be given to ninth graders as well as (we, us) concerning our testing policy.
3. Sue has a much higher grade than Sharon and (he, him).
4. I received a card from Max as well as (she, her) on my birthday.
5. The teacher assigned you to the committee as well as (she, her).
6. Tell Henry as well as (he, him) the news about the election.
7. Even though both of us are the youngest, the term “baby of the family” fits Andy better than (I, me).
8. No one could love pronoun case as much as (I, me).
9. The winner of the diagramming contest will certainly be Lulu rather than (he, him).
10. It would be easier to keep a secret between you and Bob rather than you and (she, her).
Tricks in Pronoun Case
1. Predicate nominatives: Be careful of pronouns after linking verbs! They may sound funny, but they
should be NOMINATIVE case.
The best diagrammer in the class is she.
2. Compound Parts: Cross out the part that is compound with the pronoun in question, along with the
conjunction. Remember—“Between” is always a preposition, so it needs objective case pronouns after it, even
if it doesn’t sound right to you!
The coach helped Sam and me with our swing. (Take out Sam and)
Keep these tricks on pronoun case between you and me. (Memorize if it doesn’t sound right to you!)
3. Appositives: Cover the noun next to the pronoun in question. Use A/____ to indicate that it is an appositive
to something. Almost always, if the pronoun that is the appositive comes before the noun it is renaming, the
pronoun choice will be ‘we’ or ‘us,’ as in “We students are going to the Poconos.” or “Give us girls a chance to
prove ourselves.” It can be found after the noun it is renaming if it is hooked up with a noun as part of a
compound appositive, as in “The teacher called on two students, Jodie and me.”
4. Who/Whom: Substitute “he” for “who” and “him” for “whom” and rearrange the sentence order when you
need to so that the subjects and verbs that go together are together. Write out questions as if they were
statements. Include “he” and ‘Him” instead of “who” and “whom” because it is much easier to find the function
of “he” and “him.”
Example:
Rephrase & substitute:
(Who/Whom) ate all of the ice cream in the freezer?
(He, Him) ate all of the ice cream in the freezer.
If the pronoun “he” works, choose the pronoun “who” in your sentence.
Example:
Rephrase as statement:
Substitute for who/whom:
(Who/Whom) did the class elect as president?
The class did elect (who/whom) as president.
The class did elect (he/him) as president.
If the pronoun “him” works, choose the pronoun “whom.”
5. Elliptical clauses: A clause is just a subject and predicate that go together; elliptical means that part of the
clause is missing. Beware of pronouns in comparisons after the words “than” or “as.” Either finish the
comparison or find out what the pronoun choice is being compared to in the rest of the sentence, then find the
function of that word. The function will be the same for the pronoun in the elliptical clause.
The most common example: Clara is just as tall as (he, him).
Finish the comparison:
Clara is just as tall as he is tall.
Locate person being compared:
Clara is being compared to (he, him). Clara is the subject of the verb is, so
“he” would also be the subject of the invisible verb in the elliptical clause.
A harder example:
What is being compared?
Finish the comparison:
This dress fits you better than (I, me).
You and (I, me). The word you is the direct object of the verb fits, so use the
objective case pronoun me because it is also the direct object of the invisible verb.
This dress fits you better than this dress fits me.
*** Be especially careful when sentences have multiple tricks in them!***
There’s no law requiring that there only be one trick per sentence. Plan your analysis accordingly, tackling one
trick at a time.