Download Using Pronouns Correctly - Hinsdale South High School

Chapter 6
USING PRONOUNS CORRECTLY
Overview
 Case
 Nominative
 Objective
 Possessive
 Special problems




Appositives
Elliptical constructions
Reflexive and Intensive
Who and whom
Diagnostic Preview
Page 122
 Number your paper 1 – 10 and complete
Diagnostic Preview – A. Proofreading
Sentences for Correct Pronoun Forms.
Answers
1. She should be Her
2. Correct
3. Him should be He
4. Her should be She
5. Us should be We
6. Who should be Whom
7. Myslef should be I
8. Correct
9. You should be Your
10. Whom should be who
Case
Nom nom nominative case.
 Case is the form of a noun or
pronoun that shows how it is
used in a sentence.

The grammatical role a noun or
pronoun plays in a sentence
 Nominative (subjective) Case

Personal pronouns used as
subjects and as predicate
nominatives (pg 125)
 Objective Case

Personal pronouns used as direct
objects, indirect objects, and
objects of prepositions (pg 128)
 Possessive Case

Personal pronouns used to show
ownership or possession (pg 131)
Nominative (Pronoun as Objective (Pronoun as
Subject)
Object)
Possessive (Pronoun
Showing Ownership
I
Me
My, mine
You
You
Your, yours
He
Him
His
She
Her
Her, hers
It
It
Its
We
Us
Our, ours
They
Them
Their, theirs
Who
Whom
Whose
Whoever
Whomever
whoever
The Rules
1. Use the nominative
case to show the
subject of a verb

(She, Her) explained the
strategy


She is the subject of the
verb explained
I know of no other person
in the company who is as
smarmy as (he, him)

He is the subject of the
understood verb is
Exception Rule 1
 A pronoun used as the
subject of an infinitive is
in the objective case:
 Billy Bob expects
Frankie Bob and (I, me)
to make squirrel stew.
 Me, since it is the subject
of the infinitive to make
Squirrel!
HINT
 Mentally supply the missing verb.
 Herbert knows the material better than (he/him)
 Supplying the missing verb does tells you the correct
pronoun is he.
Rules
2. A pronoun used as a predicate nominative is in the
nominative case
 A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun after some form of
to be (is, was, might have been, and so on).
 The verb to be – in all its forms, is the same as an equal
sign
It
Was
We
Nominative
=
Nominative
 It was (they, them) who first suggested getting the 90
pound puppy
 It was they who first suggested getting the 90 pound puppy
Let’s practice
 Complete Exercise 1: Using Pronouns in the
Nominative Case
Answers
1. They – P.N.
2. They – subject
3. They – subject
4. They – subject
5. He – subject
6. He – predicate nominative
7. They – P.N.
8. She – subject / they – subject
9. They – subject
10. She – subject / he - subject
Rules
3. Use the objective case to
show that the noun or
pronoun receives the
action
 (Who, Whom) can you send
to help us?
 Whom is the direct object of the
verb can send.
 The taxidermist promised to
notify Herman and (I, me) of
this plans for the moose.
 Me (together with Herman) is
the object of the infinitive to
notify
Um, please just send the guy on
the left.
Rules
4. A pronoun used in an appositive with a noun
is in the same case as the noun.
 Appositive is a noun or pronoun placed after
another noun or pronoun to identify, explain, or
rename
 The bond traders, Alice and (she, her) were
given bonuses large enough to buy their own
banana republic
 The pronoun must be in the nominative case (she)
because it is in apposition with the noun bond
traders.
Rules
5. Use the possessive case to show ownership
 The manager refused to acknowledge that the memo was
(her’s / hers)
 Hers is the correct spelling of the possive case, which is needed to
express ownership
 The boss disapproves of (me, my) leaving the office early
 The meaning of the sentence requires the possessive case: my.
 Be careful not to confuse possessive pronouns and
contractions.
Possesive pronouns
Contractions
Its (belonging to it)
It’s (it is)
Your (belonging to you)
You’re (you are)
Their (belonging to them)
They’re (they are)
Whose (belonging to whom)
Who’s (who is)
Rules
6. Use the subjective case
after linking verbs
Think about it: because a
pronoun coming after a
linking verb renames the
subject, the pronoun
must be in the subjective
(nominative) case
 The flasher of the month
was (I, me)
 Use I since the pronoun
renames the subject,
flasher of the month.
Rules
7. Use –self forms correctly with reflexive or intensive
situation
Reflexive pronouns reflect back to the subject or
object
 The superhero embarrassed himself
 Unfortunately, he had to rely on himself to save the day.
 Don’t use reflexive pronouns in place of subjects and
objects
 The diner and (myself, I) had a chat.
 The diner and I had a chat
 Intensive pronouns provide emphasis
 The superhero felt that his reputation itself was at stake.
Special Problems
 Appositives (non-essential information – pg
132)
 A pronoun used as an appositive is in the same
case as the word which it refers
 A pronoun following than or as in an elliptical
construction is in the same case as it would be if
the construction were completed (pg 134)
 Reflexive and Intensive pronoun (pg 135)
Let’s practice
 Complete Exercise 2: Using Pronouns in the
Objective Case on page 129
Answers
1. Them – indirect object
2. Her – i.o.
3. Him – i.o.
4. Me – direct object
5. Him – d.o. / me – d.o.
6. Him – i.o.
7. Him – i.o.
8. Her – i.o.
9. Him – d.o.
10. Them – d.o.
Special problems


Who and Whom (pg 137)
3 rules
1.
Use who or whoever when the pronoun is the
subject of a verb
1.
2.
Use who or whoever when the pronoun is the
predicate nominative
1.
3.
Who said, “Mr. Kelly is like Banquo”
The winner was who?
Use whom or whomever when the pronoun is the
direct object of a verb or the object of a preposition
1.
2.
Whom did he marry this time
With whom were you dancing at his wedding?
The least you need to know
 Case is the form of a noun or pronoun that
shows how it is used in a sentence
 English has three cases: nominative,
objective, and possessive
 Use the nominative case to show the subject
of a verb; use the objective case to show the
object of a verb; us the possessive case to
show ownership.
To study
 Look at the Chapter reviews on page 143 - 145