Subject and Object Pronouns. Understanding the Basics.
There is a good chance that the words “subjective and objective cases”
mean nothing to many of you. “Case” is grammarian and linguistic terminology for categories
of nouns based on the function of the noun in relation to the verbs and
prepositions in a sentence.
It is even more confusing in the English language because many
cases have disappeared. English
has three cases, which is about as linguistically simple as it gets. Nowadays, English cases are rarely taught because most native speakers are expected to
develop intuitively a “feel” for the correct case usage.
However,
many people still make mistakes, and the lack of educational reinforcement ends
up making the confusion worse. This article will be focusing on two
cases—subject (nominative) and object, in particular with first-person
pronouns. If you’ve ever wondered about I vs. me, he vs. him, she vs. her, we
vs. us, or they vs. them, read on.
The first
thing that must be understood is that I and me are
not the same. They are not synonyms. They are not interchangeable. Why?
They are different cases.
Subject pronouns are those pronouns that
perform the action in a sentence. They are I, you, he, she, we, they, and who. Any
noun performing the main action in the sentence, like these pronouns, is a
subject and is categorized as a subjective case (nominative case). English
grammar requires that the subject come before the verb in a sentence (except in
questions).
I make cookies every Sunday for my co-workers.
In this sentence, “I” is the actor
(subject pronoun) performing the action of making (verb). To check for the correct
case, you should be able to replace I with any other subject
pronoun, modify the verb according to person and number, and have a clear
sentence. In a simple declarative sentence like this, it may seem unnecessary,
but checking case this way is a good habit for when you are checking more
complicated sentences. Remember that subject nouns absolutely always
are the actors in sentences. If action is implied, you should use subject
nouns.
Object Pronouns, like Me
Object pronouns are those pronouns that receive the
action in a sentence. They are me, you, him, her, us, them, and whom. Any
noun receiving an action in the sentence, like these pronouns, is an object and
is categorized as an objective case.* An object pronoun can also be used after
prepositions, i.e. “I will go with him.” In this
article, we will only focus on nouns as recipients as these are the most
frequently confused. With few exceptions, English grammar requires that objects
follow the verb in a sentence.
I give them cookies every week.
In this sentence, “I” is the actor (subject pronoun)
performing the action of making (verb). “Them” is the noun receiving the
giving; it is the object. You wouldn’t ever use a subject noun after “give”
here. To most native speakers and even English learners, the following
incorrect sentence should grate on the ears:
I give they cookies every week.
Eek. Now consider the following example:
She gave Jim and I extra
cookies.
Can you spot the problem? “I”—just like “they”—is a
subject noun living in an object noun’s place. The correct sentence should have
“me” (the object pronoun) following the verb:
She gave Jim and me extra
cookies.
To check for correct case, you should be able to
replace me with any other object pronoun and have a clear
sentence. Remember that object nouns always are the recipients in
sentences. If an action is happening to a noun, you should use object nouns.
She and I? Me and Her? She and Me?
Sometimes, things get tricky when you’re dealing with
two pronouns at once. Should people speak to she and I? Should they speak to me
and her? Or should they speak to she and me?
But there are a couple of ways to make this easy.
First, don’t mix cases. Both of the pronouns will be
in either the subjective or objective case.
She and I went to the movies.
If you have any questions, you can ask either her or
me.
She and me are old friends.
Second, to decide whether to use a subjective or
objective case, try removing one of the pronouns from the sentence.
I went to the movies.
Me went to the movies.
She and I went to the movies.
Her and me went to the movies.
English Grammar and 11 Guidlines for Making it More Understandable.
https://englishforyoutheteachersvoice.blogspot.com/2020/07/understanding-grammar-11-key-rules-for.html
Making the Rules of Grammar Easy to Understand
https://englishforyoutheteachersvoice.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-essential-rules-of-english-grammar.html
Well, I hope that
you enjoyed reading this article and that you find these tips helpful in your
classes
Good luck and good teaching.
David White
Managing Director English For You Language
Institute Trujillo Peru
Headmaster American School Trujillo Peru.
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