Common Errors: PRONOUNS

SUBJECTIVE&

OBJECTIVEVs.

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

WHICH ONE DO I USE WHEN?

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Pronoun Case

There are three cases:

• 1. Subjective case:• pronouns used as subject.

2. Objective case: • pronouns used as objects of verbs or

prepositions.3. Possessive case:

• pronouns which express ownership.

SUBJECTS, OBJECTS,

POSSESSIVE

• Pronouns as SUBJECTS• I, you, she, he, it, we you, they, who

• Pronouns as OBJECTS• Me, you, him, her. it, us, you, them, whom

• Pronouns that show POSSESSION• My, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, it, its, our, ours, their, theirs, whose

RULE:

Correct pronoun case requires

different forms of personal pronouns for

different jobs in sentences.

Some problems of case:

• 1. In compound structures, where there are two pronouns or a noun and a pronoun, drop the other noun for a moment.

• Then you can see which case you want.• INCORRECT: Bob and me travel a good deal.

(Would you say, "me travel"?)• CORRECT: • Bob and I travel a good deal.

(Also, note the use third person plural pronoun and verb (travel):• In other words:• They travel a good deal.

Comparisons• Comparisons usually follow than or

as:• He is taller than I (not me) (He is taller than I am

tall).• This helps you as much as me. • (This helps you as much as it helps me.) • She is as noisy as I (She is as noisy as I

am).• Comparisons are really “shorthand:”

• they omit implied words, usually verbs.

In formal and semiformal writing:

• Use the subjective form after a form of the verb to be.FORMAL: It is I.

• INFORMAL: It is me.

• Use whom in the objective case.FORMAL: To whom am I talking?

•INFORMAL: Who am I talking to?

Use FORMAL language in ACADEMIC writing!

Faulty Pronoun Reference

• Do not fall into the trap of using• objective case pronouns • when • subject pronouns are needed.

• Examples:

•        

PERSONAL PRONOUNS WITH NOUN SUBJECTS

• You must also remember to use

• subjective case pronouns • when a pronoun is used along with a noun subject.

• Example (CORRECT):

Personal Pronouns as Subjective Complements

• Finally, you must use a subjective case pronoun when the pronoun functions as a subjective complement.

• What is a subjective complement?• A subjective complement answers the question who or

what after a form of the verb to be.  • A subjective complement completes the subject.• Or, in other words, a subjective complement• means the same as the subject but follows the verb.• Example:

In a subject (noun) complement

• Use a subjective case pronoun.

• EXAMPLE:

                                (CORRECT)

Do NOT say:

Pronouns with verbals

• A verbal is a verb form doing the job of a noun or adjective.• Two kinds of verbals used with pronouns:• gerunds and participles.• #1 GERUND – Gerunds end in –ing and act like nouns.

•

NOTE: OBJECTS are nouns or subjective case pronouns.

Gerundsand

POSSESSIVE CASE PRONOUNS

• When nouns or pronouns precede gerunds in sentences,

• USE THE POSSESSIVE CASE!

Sometimes

Sentences

can

be

more

complicated:

For more study with self-check exercises

http://www.towson.edu/ows/ModuleCASE.htm

TWENTY MOST COMMON WRITING ERRORS

At the link below, you'll see a list. To the left of each item is a number. Click on the number to see explanations. http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/nsmhandbook/errors.html

DEADLY SINS IN WRITING

PowerPoints & Self-check exercises:http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/sins.htm

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