PRONOUN USAGE Pronouns exist in two groups. Pronouns for subjects of clauses. Pronouns for objects of clauses. These two groups of pronouns may not be interchanged. Pronouns do not exist in a punch bowl for you to draw from indiscriminately…

PRONOUN USAGE The Two Groups: Subject Pronouns: Object Pronouns: I, we, they, she, he, who, it Object Pronouns: Me, us, them, her, him, whom, it

PRONOUN USAGE Results of the Punchbowl Philosophy: Return your forms to either Barbara or I. Can me and Lisa go to the bathroom? Please provide your aunt or myself with directions to your party.

PRONOUN USAGE So what’s the problem? Use subject pronouns to the left of the verb. Use object pronouns to the right of the verb. Use subject pronouns to follow linking verbs and indefinites—see page 15 and 31. Use object pronouns to follow object of prepositional phrases. The problem lies with a compound subject. Compound subject=two-part subject.

PRONOUN USAGE Return (verb) your forms to either Barbara or I. Object of preposition. Return forms to I?????? Return your form to either Barbara or me. Return…to me.

PRONOUNS Can me and Lisa go (verb) to the bathroom? Pronoun (me) functions as subject of sentence. Can me go to bathroom??? Remember the problem when using a compound subject. Can I go to the bathroom? Can Lisa and I go to the bathroom?

PRONOUNS USAGE Please provide (verb) your aunt or myself (object) with directions to your party. Problem??? Myself is not an object pronoun. Problem is the compound of aunt or myself. Please provide myself with directions… Please provide …me with directions… Please provide your aunt or me with directions to your party.

PRONOUNS USAGE Use possessive pronoun with gerunds Gerund—an ing word that functions as a noun. They approved of the students’ (or their) organizing a cleanup campaign.

PRONOUNS USAGE Who and Whom—use who to replace subject of clause and whom to replace object. Hints: If who/m is directly next to a pronoun or noun phrase, 90% of the time WHOM is the correct choice. EX. 1: He is the candidate whom we intend to hire.

WHO / WHOM cont. If short interrupters like I think or I feel is to the right of who/m, then who is the correct choice because who will be the subject of the verb. Ex 1: She is the candidate who I think will take the job—who is subject of verb take.

WHO / WHOM cont. Ex 2: These are the freshmen whom I feel will excel as soccer players. This sentence announces that you feel freshmen b/c the antecedent of whom is freshmen, and whom functions as the object of the verb feel.

WHO / WHOM cont. If who/m lies directly to the left of the verb, who is the correct choice because it will function as the subject of the clause. Ex 1: These are the kids who drove the truck off the bridge.

WHO / WHOM cont. A question is a statement in Reverse, so reverse the question into a statement. Who did you vote for?  You did vote for someone. Replace who with someone and reverse sentence and you will find that you is the subject and that who/someone is the object. Thus grammar requires Whom did you vote for?