Since most pronoun errors are a result of using the
wrong case, let’s begin with a review of the three
pronoun cases.
Subjective (Pronoun as
a
subject of a sentence or clause)
I, you, he,
she, it, we, they, who
Example: She bought the
book.
Objective (Pronoun as an object
of a verb or preposition)
Me, you, him, her,
it, us, them, whom
Example: The book went
home with her.
Possessive (Pronoun shows
ownership)
My (mine), your (yours), his, her
(hers), its, our (ours), their (theirs),
whose
Example: The book is hers.
The following are examples of constructions that
cause pronoun confusion and tips for preventing
them.
Compound subjects or objects with pronouns or a
pronoun and a noun
Tip: Omit one pronoun or noun to
determine the correct case.
|
Incorrect |
Correct |
| Him and I enjoy trying
new
Italian restaurants. (You wouldn’t say, “Him
enjoys...”) |
He and I enjoy trying
new
Italian restaurants.
|
Me and Jon were the
first to
leave the party. (You wouldn’t say, “Me was...”)
|
Jon and I were the
first to
leave the party. (Courtesy suggests that I, we, me,
or us comes last.) |
| Our manager recognized Kathy
and I for our work on the conversion. (You
wouldn’t
say, “Our manager recognized I...”) |
Our manager recognized Kathy
and me for our work on the
conversion.
|
| Just between you and
I, the
book is a gift. ("Between" is a preposition, so the
pronouns that follow should be in the objective case.)
|
Just between you and me, the book is a
gift.
|
Pronouns followed by a noun
Tip: Determine if the pronoun is a subject
or an object and use the appropriate case.
|
Incorrect |
Correct |
| Us teachers spend
hours correcting homework assignments. (You
wouldn’t say, “Us spend...”) |
We teachers spend
hours correcting homework
assignments.
|
| The celebrity visited with
we senior citizens all morning. (You wouldn’t
say, “The celebrity visited with we...”) |
The celebrity visited with
us seniors all morning.
|
Predicate nominative, a pronoun or noun that follows
a linking verb and restates the subject
Tip: Use the same case as the subject.
Put the pronoun at the beginning of the sentence to
see what makes sense.
|
Incorrect |
Correct |
The president-elect is
her. (You wouldn't say, "Her is the president-
elect.")
|
The president-elect is
she. (She is the president-elect.)
|
Comparisons with than or as
Tip 1: We often omit words when making
comparisons, so use the pronouns as if you were
saying all the words.
|
Incorrect |
Correct
|
| Andy swims better than
her (does). |
Andy swims better than
she
(does). |
Tip 2: Consider the intended meaning of
your sentence. The
following are correct
but have different meanings.
Example: Jeannie likes traveling as much
as me. (...as much as she likes me.)
Example: Jeannie likes traveling as much as
I. (...as much as I like traveling.)
