RULES OF THUMB FOR PRONOUN CASE

RULES OF THUMB FOR PRONOUN CASE from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon Les Hanson 2002 Created by April Turner

Who versusWhom • Use who or whoever when you can replace the word with he: • He is the candidate who should win. (He should win.) • Give the money to whoever wins. (He wins.) • Use whom or whomever when you can replace the word with him: • He is a candidate whom we can trust. (We can trust him.) • Give the money to whomever the team chooses. (The team chooses him.)

Pronoun Case • Case tells whether a pronoun shows possession or acts as subject or object in the sentence • Writers use the following four terms • Subjective • Objective • Possessive • Reflexive

Subjective • Use the subjective case when the pronoun is either the subject or the complement of the sentence (The doer of the action) • She gave her goldfish to the boy next door. • It was hewho called me a bad name. • I, you, he, she, we, they, who

Use the Subjective Case • At the beginning of sentences • I/me hate grammar • After any form of the verb “to be” (is, was, will be) • The one who ate the most pizza is he/him. • When referring to the subject of an implied clause following “as” or “than” • My brother is more agile thanI /me (am).

Objective • Use the objective case when the pronoun is an object of the sentence (the receiver of the action) • Arnold sent flowers to her. (Object of Preposition) • Betty phoned him tonight. (Object of Verb) • Alex hates Garth more than (he hates)me. (Object in an implied clause) • Me, you, him, her, us, them, whom

Use the Objective Case • After action verbs • Arnold bought (her, she) a new toaster • After prepositions (joining words) • Several of (us, we) girls are going to Cancun for our holidays in March

A pronoun and other people • Ignore/delete and and the other people: • (You and) I figured out the answer. • The professor asked (you and) me to read the text. • Everyone except (Shequita and) me attended the meeting.

Pronouns with between • Remember that between is a preposition, so you always need the object pronouns. • Object pronouns are me, him, her, us, them, whom, and whomever. • The debate was between her and meOR between him and his professor.

Pronouns with another noun • Ignore/delete the noun: • We (women) must stick together. • The instructor told us (students) to sit down.

Possessive Pronouns with Gerunds • Use a possessive pronoun preceding a gerund: • I am happy about your winning the lottery. • Some possessive pronouns are my, his, her, your, their, and our.

Pronouns after than or as • Insert the elliptical/omitted words: • My classmates are much older than I [am]. • Janice is taller than I [am].

Linking Verbs • Use subject pronouns after linking verbs: • The winner of the contest is she. • The subject pronouns are I, she, he, we, they, who, and whoever. • Some linking verbs are am, is, are, was, and were.

Let’s Practice!!! • Alcohol and tobacco are harmful to (whoever, whomever) consumes them. • WHOEVER • If I should decide to buy a hunting license, (who, whom) should I see? • WHOM • Dr. Evans asked Suzanne and (I, me) to explain the recent studies in literary criticism. • ME • Just between you and (I, me), I think Lance Armstrong is the best cyclist in the world. • ME

Let’s Finish Up With a Few More. • (We, Us) students are worried about the rising cost of textbooks. • WE STUDENTS… • I was happy to hear about you getting married. • …YOUR GETTING MARRIED. • That man thinks he is smarter than me! • …THAN I! • I am certain that the woman wearing the red velvet jacket is her. • …IS SHE.

Rules of Thumb • Don’t automatically use the word “I” at the end of sentences • John spread the virus to Martha and I • John spread the virus to Martha and me • Reduce sentences to their simplest forms • Rod and (I / me) ate three pizzas • (I / me) ate three pizzas (delete the words “Rod and”) • I / me ate three pizzas • Rod and I ate three pizzas (replace the words “Rod and”)

RULES OF THUMB FOR PRONOUN CASE