OVERVIEW

Pronoun case involves selecting the appropriate pronoun from the two groups of pronouns: subjective case and objective case. The groups play different roles in sentences. (Need a review of parts of sentences?)

Subjective case pronouns like I, she, he, and who play the role of subjects in word groups; they are nouns performing actions or being described.

Objective case pronouns like me, she, he, and whom play the role of objects in word groups; objects receive actions performed by subjects.

WATCH EXAMPLES

The video shows the two pronoun cases as suitcases. As in other videos, subjects or subjective case pronouns are purple; objects or objective case pronouns are blue.

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READ EXAMPLES

Pronoun case errors happen when the pronoun is inappropriate for its role in the sentence.

A pronoun takes the place of noun clearly when the correct pronoun is used: I or me? she or her? he or him? who, whom, or that? Consider these sentences:

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In this sentence, me is the pronoun that is the replacing the writer’s name. Since Dolly and the writer are performing the action, they are subjects. Me is an objective case pronoun, so it is incorrect in this sentence. The subjective case personal pronoun is I.

To correctly choose pronoun case, figure out if the pronoun is a subject or an object. Then, consult the chart to select the best pronoun. The best pronoun will also agree with its antecedent, so be careful to note whether a singular or plural pronoun is needed.

CONTINUE THROUGH THE UNIT

Pronoun case is just one of three strategies for using pronouns correctly. Continue through the unit to learn more about pronoun-antecedent agreement and pronoun reference.

Read through all the study pages before practicing with LearningCurve. Like the pre/post-tests (if assigned), this LearningCurve activity covers pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun case, and pronoun reference.

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