Section outline 

Pronoun Basics

Case (Hodges Ch.5; Bedford 24)

Case is the term used to describe the form of the pronoun based upon the pronoun's function in a sentence. In English the three cases are subjective, objective and possessive. Other languages, particularly German, have additional cases.   Examples of pronouns in each case are shown in italics:

Subjective case:  We spoke to Jill.

Objective case:  Jill spoke to us.

Possessive case:  Our friend Jill is overseas.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS

Subjective case

Use subjective case pronouns for the subject(s) or the subject complement of a sentence.  A subject complement is a noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and renames the subject.

Subject: She designed the invitations.

Subject complement: The strongest swimmer was he.

"He" is the subject complement of swimmer.

On the telephone when someone asks, "May I speak with Sara?" Sara's correct response would be "This is she," in the subjective case, rather than "This is her," which is incorrect.  "This" is the subject of the sentence, and "she" is the subject complement.

Objective Case

An objective case pronoun is used as the object of sentence:

Singular:  Kori invited her.

Plural:  Kori invited Beth and her.

The above sentences illustrate direct objects.   Indirect objects also appear in the objective case:

Singular:  The dealer sold me a used car.

Plural:  The dealer sold my husband and me a used car.

The indirect object names the person to whom or for whom the action is done.

An objective pronoun is also used as the object of a preposition:

The responsibility lay heavy upon him.

We generally know the correct usage by ear, but a number of situations still cause confusion.

Compound objects, for instance, can be difficult:

Give the book to Cara and me.
The responsibilities lay heavy upon Mary and him.
We hope to see Cecilia and her at the wedding.

Since childhood parents and teachers have corrected the colloquial (and incorrect) construction, "Her and me went to the zoo" to "She and I went to the zoo." It is possible that we make errors with the objective case because we tend to overcorrect, to think that "her and me" would be wrong in any situation.   When a compound construction seems confusing, cover up the other noun.  For instance, "Me went to the zoo" is incorrect.  However, keep in mind that it is correct to use the objective pronouns "her and me" as a compound object:

The bride gave her and me diamond earrings.

Possessive case

Use the possessive case to signal possession. Do not use an apostrophe with those forms ending in s.

One unususal construction in English is the use of the possessive form before a gerund.  In English a verb can become a noun with the addition of an "ing." A pronoun used to describe a gerund must take the possessive form:

We were sad at his leaving early.

The "his" helps us to understand the leaving. It would be misleading to write or say "We were sad at him leaving" because we are not sad at him; we are sad at the leaving.

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Who and Whom:  Choosing the correct case

Choosing the correct form of the relative pronouns "who" and "whom" causes a good bit of confusion for some writers. These pronouns may appear in the subjective case (who) or the objective case (whom).  The key to determining the proper case is to pinpoint the precise word group in which they function in the sentence.   In general relative pronouns will be subject or objects of a clause (the main clause or any other clause in the sentence), or they will be objects of a preposition.

Relative pronouns as subject/objects of clauses:

 
When the relative pronoun functions as a subject or object  of a clause, the secret is to find the verb most closely associated with that relative pronoun. The verb must be in the same clause as the pronoun. After you have located that verb, you must decide if the pronoun is the subject (who) of the verb, or if it is the object (whom).

Find the verb of the who/whom clause:
In a simple sentence the verb will be apparent:

Example 1: Who is the band's lead guitarist?

There is only one verb in the sentence: "is." Consider this example, which includes two verbs:

Example 2: Does anyone know the drummer who toured with the Crash Test Dummies?

The main verb of the sentence is "know." The clause beginning with "who" has its own verb: toured. That is the verb most closely associated with the relative pronoun "who."

Example 3: Robert knows whom we selected to accompany the chorus.

The relative pronoun in this sentence is most closely associated with the verb "selected."

Once you have determined the verb most closely associated with the "who" or "whom" in the clause, determine the relationship of the pronoun to that verb. That relationship (subject or object) will indicate the case of the relative pronoun:

Example 1: Who is the band's lead guitarist?

"Who" serves as the subject of the verb "is." Because there is only one verb, there is little chance for confusion.

Example 2: Does anyone know the drummer who toured with the Crash Test Dummies?

In this sentence, "who" serves as the subject of the verb "toured." This example may be more confusing because it might seem that the relative pronoun should be the object of the verb "know." In the same way that we might write, "Does anyone know him (the objective case of the pronoun "he")?", one might be tempted to write "whom toured with the Crash Test Dummies." However, in this sentence, the "who" is the subject of a clause that serves as the object of the verb "know." The pronoun by itself does not serve this function. 

Example 3: Robert thinks he knows whom we selected to accompany the chorus.

"Whom" is the object of the verb "selected." "We" is the subject of "selected" and of the clause "whom we selected to accompany the chorus." The entire clause is the object of the verb "knows."

Relative pronouns as objects of a preposition

Just as the verbs in a sentence can help you determine the function on of a relative pronoun in a sentence, prepositions can signal the correct case.   Here are two examples which show the relative pronoun "whom" as the object of a preposition:

To whom will you write your letter of application?

With whom will you share that chocolate cake?

In these examples, the "whom" form of the relative pronoun serves as the object of a preposition ("To" and "with," respectively). The prepositional phrases serve as objects of the main verbs, "write" and "share," respectively. When the relative pronoun serves as the object of the preposition, it is always in the objective case (whom).

Two additional constructions

Consider this example, which includes three verbs:

Franny is the painter who we believe won the competition.

The addition of the clause "we believe" can add some confusion. However, the same rules apply to this sentence. The relative pronoun "who" is the subject of the verb "won." It is not the object of the verb "believe." The sentence is not about believing Franny, but about who won the competition.

Now here is a sentence that mixes a phrase and a clause:

I will ride with whoever/whomever agrees to stop for pizza along the way.

This sentence includes the prepositional phrase "with whoever/whomever agrees to stop for pizza along the way." So it MIGHT seem that the pronoun should appear in the objective case, "whomever." However, that prepositional phrase also includes a clause, the subject of which is "whoever." "Whoever" is the subject of the verb "agrees." When determining the role of the relative pronoun in a sentence, remember to look deeply into the embedded elements for the construction most closely associated with the "who" or "whom."

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Who and whom tutorial

This tutorial walks you through the two steps involved in choosing the correct case of the relative pronoun "who/whom." Begin by clicking on the verb or preposition associated with the pronoun. You will receive feedback, and then you will be asked to select the proper case.

1. Joyce argued with whoever/whomever could manage to follow his complex thought processes.

2. The professor who/whom we most admire will be teaching the new course.

3. Virginia Woolf is the writer who/whom most people remember   when they hear the term "Modernist." 

4. Should we invite the couple who/whom we met at the beach last weekend?

5. Let's do something nice for the woman who/whom helped us find our dog.

6. Tracy is the girl who/whom I believe Graham will marry.

7. With whom/who should I sit at the reception? should sit

Answers to Who and Whom Tutorial

Step 1

1.  Joyce argued with whoever/whomever could manage to follow his complex thought processes.

Correct answer:  could manage

The relative pronoun functions in an embedded clause with "could manage" as its verb. pr the clause is part of a prepositional phrase that begins with "with." 

Now click on the correct choice of case.

2. The professor who/whom we most admire will be teaching the new course.

Correct answer:  admire

"Will be teaching" is the main verb of the sentence, of which "professor" is the subject.  "Whom" belongs to the clause "who/whom we most admire."

Now click on the correct case.

3. Virginia Woolf is the writer who/whom most people remember when they hear the term "Modernist."

Correct answer:  remember

The main verb of the sentence is "is."   "Hear" is the verb of the clause "when they hear the term 'Modernist'."  The clause which begins with the relative pronoun is an adjective clause modifying "writer," which is the complement of the subject of the sentence, Virginia Woolf.

Now click on the correct case.

4. Should we invite the couple who/whom we met at the beach last weekend?

Correct answer:  met

"Invite" is the verb of the main clause.  The relative pronoun is part of the clause "who/whom we met at the beach last weekend."

Now click on the correct case.

5. Let's do something nice for the woman who/whom helped us find our dog.

Correct answer:  helped

The clause involving the relative pronoun is part of the prepositional phrase beginning with "for."  However the relative pronoun does not serve simply as the object of this preposition.  It is an element in the clause "the woman who/whom helped us find our dog."

Now click on the correct case.

6.  Tracy is the girl who/whom I believe Graham will marry.

Correct answer:  marry

The clause related to the relative pronoun is "who/whom ...Graham will marry."  "Is" serves as the verb of the main clause.   "Believe" is the verb of a separate movable clause.  It is also correct to say or write: "I believe Tracy is the girl who/whom Graham will marry."

Now click on the correct case.

7. With whom/who should I sit at the reception?

Correct answer:  with

The relative pronoun in this sentence is most closely associated with the preposition "with." 

Now click on the correct case.

Step 2

1.Joyce argued with whoever/whomever could manage to follow his complex thought processes.

Correct answer:  whoever

"Whoever" serves as the subject of the verb "could manage."  The relative pronoun must be in the subjective case.

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2. The professor whom we most admire will be teaching the new course.

Correct answer:  whom

"Whom" serves as the object of the verb "admire."  It refers to "the professor," the subject of the sentence.  "We" is the subject of the "whom" clause.

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3. Virginia Woolf is the writer who/whom most people remember when they hear the term "Modernist."

Correct answer:  whom

"Whom" is the object of the verb "remember"; "people" is the subject. 

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4. Should we invite the couple who/whom we met at the beach last weekend?

Correct answer:  whom

"Whom" is the object of the verb "met."  "We" is its subject. 

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5. Let's do something nice for the woman who/whom helped us find our dog.

Correct answer:  who

"Who serves as the subject of the verb "helped."  

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6. Tracy is the girl who/whom I believe Graham will marry.

Correct answer: whom

The clause "whom I believe Graham will marry" modifies "girl."  "Whom" is the object of the verb "marry."

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7.  With whom/who should I sit at the reception?

Correct answer: whom

As the object of the preposition "with," the pronoun must appear in the objective case.  Note that this prepositional phrase serves as an element of a simple sentence, one with no additional clauses attached to it.  Contrast the sentence above with the following sentence: 

Maury wants to talk with whoever actually saw the tree fall.

"Whoever" follows the preposition "with."   However, it serves as the subject of the verb "saw" in a clause which in its entirety serves as the object of the preposition "with."

End of tutorial

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Case with appositives

An appositive is a noun phrase that follows and further describes a noun or a pronoun. Match the case of the appositive with that of the noun being described:

Subjective: My two neighbors, Elliot and he, helped me repair the sidewalk.

The appositive "Elliot and he" helps to describe "neighbors," which is the subject of the sentence.

Objective: The dean announced two scholarship winners, Ella and me.

The appositive "Ella and me"  renames "winners," the object of the sentence.

Case with elliptical constructions

In some sentences, certain words are omitted, often because their meaning is understood. In order to choose the right pronoun case in such sentences, you must imagine the missing words. For instance, the following sentence -

Fionella plays the piano much better than I.

really means: Fionella plays the piano much better than I do.

"I" is the subject of the implied verb "do."

Pronoun-antecedent agreement (Hodges 6b; Bedford 22)

The discussion of pronoun case above shows pronouns used in place of nouns in a sentence. The issue of pronoun-antecedent agreement concerns matching the correct pronoun with the noun to which it refers, whether that noun is in the same sentence or in a related sentence. The principal concern is agreement in number.

In speaking and in writing we often use pronouns to make our writing flow more naturally Instead of writing "Lynne found that Lynne could not finish Lynne's assignments" we use pronouns: "Lynne found that she could not finish her assignments." As with pronoun case, many of these choices are apparent to us, while a few situations call for more precise understanding of the rules.

Indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are less specific than personal pronouns. They refer more generally to a group of people, to certain individuals, and sometimes to inanimate objects. Examples include the following:

The indefinite pronouns listed above should be treated as singular, even if they seem to refer to more than one person:

Anyone caught propping open the door will have her computer privileges revoked.

Everything in life has its purpose.

Indefinite pronouns such as "both" and "all" are plural: 

Both are going to receive awards.

All are expected to attend the lecture.

Collective nouns

Collective nouns refer to groups of people or things acting together, but they should be treated as singular when choosing a corresponding pronoun:

The corporation reported its earnings today.

The committee has yet to announce its decision.

When a sentence using a collective noun clearly refers to actions of individuals, the plural pronoun is correct:

The audience clapped their hands and stamped their feet.  (Bedford p.326)

In this example it would be difficult to imagine one set of hands or feet belonging to an audience.

Correlatives

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Pronoun Tutorial

Choose the correct pronoun(s) for each sentence below.  Click on your choice to see if you are right.

Tara and I/me worked at Adventure Landing last summer.

Your answer: I

This is correct. "I" serves as part of the compound subject of this sentence. "I" is the first person singular subjective form.

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Tara and I/me worked at Adventure Landing last summer.

Your answer: me

The correct form of the pronoun is "I." "I" serves as part of the compound subject of this sentence. "I" is the first person singular subjective form.

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We/us students usually try to find fun jobs that pay well.

Your answer: We

This is correct. "We" serves as the subject of the sentence. "Students" is an appositive which clarifies who the "we" are. "We" is the first person plural subjective form of the pronoun,and the correct substitute for  "students" in this sentence.

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We/us students usually try to find fun jobs that pay well.

Your answer: Us

The correct form is "we." "We" serves as the subject of the sentence. "Students" is an appositive which clarifies who the "we" are. "We" is the first person plural subjective form of the pronoun  and the best substitute for for "students" in this sentence.

"Us" is the objective form of the first person plural pronoun. It is used in the following ways:

Direct object: She decided to tell us.

Indirect object: She decided to tell us her story.

Object of preposition: The cake is for us.

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Between you and I/me, the money wasn't that great.

Your answer: I

The correct form is "me." Together with "you," it is the object of the preposition "between." Pronouns serving as objects of prepositions or objects of verbs always appear in the objective case.

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Between you and I/me, the money wasn't that great.

Your answer: me

Correct!

In this sentence "you and me" serves as the object of the preposition "between."  The objective case is always used for objects of prepositions or objects of verbs.

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Working overtime, Tara made a lot more than I/me.

Your answer: I

Correct!

Although this pronoun comes at the end of the sentence, it actually serves as the subject of an implied verb. This sentence actually means that Tara made a lot more than I did. This is an elliptical construction. In order to choose the right verb, you need to imagine what has been implied (yet omitted).

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Working overtime, Tara made a lot more than I/me.

Your answer: me

The correct answer is "I." This pronoun comes at the end of the sentence, so it may seem logical to assume that it serves as an object of something. The subject of the sentence is "Tara." However, this pronoun is part of an elliptical construction.  This means that something is implied yet not actually stated in the sentence. The implied word in this case is "did." The sentence, if completed fully, means this:

Working overtime, Tara made a lot more than I did.

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For our last assignment, she and I/her and I hosted a party of six-year-old girls.

Your answer: she and I

Correct! You have chosen the subject form of this compound construction. You probably know the rule: when choosing a pronoun for use as part of a compound construction, try using the pronoun by itself.

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For our last assignment, she and I/her and I hosted a party of six-year-old girls.

Your answer: her and I

Your choice is half right. The subjective form "I" is used correctly. The "her," however, is an objective or possessive form, never used as the subject of a sentence. When choosing a pronoun as part of a compound construction, try using each pronoun by itself. We would not say or write "Her hosted."

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The mother asked the manager to assign Tara and me/Tara and I to the party.

Your answer: Tara and me

Correct!

As the object of the verb "assign," "me" is the correct choice.

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The mother asked the manager to assign Tara and me/Tara and I to the party.

Your answer: Tara and I

Your choice is a common mistake. It is possible that people choose this form because they have been scolded by parents and teachers not to say "Tara and me went to the party." So as a result, people have a tendency to overcorrect, to avoid the "Tara and me" construction even when it is correct. In this sentence, "Tara and me" serves as the object of the verb "assign." So the objective form of the first person pronoun is correct.

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The children were pretty rough on Tara and me/myself.

Your answer: myself

The pronoun "myself" has two very specialized uses. It can be a reflexive pronoun in sentences like "I burned myself." Or it can be an intensive pronoun, used for emphasis: "I want to paint the walls myself."

Spoken English has adopted this pronoun as a sort of formal substitute for subjective and objective pronouns: "On behalf of the committee and myself." There is no logical basis for this usage.

The correct answer is "me." Together with "Tara," it serves as the object of the preposition "on."

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The children were pretty rough on Tara and me/myself.

Your choice: me.

Correct!

You have chosen the objective form. "Me," together with "Tara," serves as the object of the preposition "on." You have avoided the temptation to use the incorrect, but increasingly common form "myself." Congratulations.

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The girls expected Tara and I/me to treat them like royalty.

Your answer: I

The correct choice is "me."  The best way to determine the correct pronoun in this sentence is to imagine a singular pronoun.  You would not say "The girls expected I to treat them like royalty."

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The girls expected Tara and I/me to treat them like royalty.

Your answer: me

Correct!  In a sentence like this one, you can determine the correct form of the pronoun by placing it in the singular.  It would not be correct to say "The girls expected I to treat them like royalty."

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Thinking that most little girls were sweet, we were surprised at their/them behaving as they did.

Your answer: their

Correct!

A pronoun that modifies a gerund such as "behaving" always appears in the possessive form. It is not the object of the preposition "at." Instead it is a possessive pronoun that tells us whose behavior is being discussed.

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Thinking that most little girls were sweet, we were surprised at their/them behaving as they did.

Your answer: them

A pronoun that modifies a gerund such as "behaving" always appears in the possessive form. It is not the object of the preposition "at." Instead it is a possessive pronoun that tells us whose behavior is being discussed.

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Each girl wanted their/her prize first.

Your answer: their

The correct answer is the singular form "her." The subject of the sentence is the singular noun "girl," so the corresponding pronoun must also be singular. Confusion may arise when we consider that there are several girls who want their prizes; the sentence conjures images of a horde of little girls pushing their way to the prize counter. (Note the use of the pronoun "their" with the plural subject "girls" in the previous sentence.) But that is not what the tutorial sentence is actually saying.

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Each girl wanted their/her prize first.

Your answer: her

Correct!

You have chosen the singular pronoun to correspond to the singular subject "girl."

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When the birthday girl soaked us with water balloons, we suspected that the culprit was her/she.

Your answer: her

This pronoun belongs to the clause "that the culprit was she." In this clause, "culprit" is the subject and "she" is the subject complement.  THe subject complement is always in the subjective case.

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When the birthday girl soaked us with water balloons, we suspected that the culprit was her/she.

Your answer: she

Correct! You apparently know that this pronoun serves as the subject complement of the verb "was." A "to be" verb always calls for a subjective pronoun, because it names either a subject or a subject complement.

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