Day 4 : Unlocking The mystery of Subjective and Objective pronouns

Welcome to Day 4 of our English speaking Course! Today, we’re diving into the world of subject and object pronouns. These little words are incredibly important for making our sentences smooth and natural. Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Understanding Pronouns

First things first, what are pronouns? Simply put, pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. They help us avoid repetition and make our sentences flow better. There are several types of pronouns, but today we’re focusing on subject and object pronouns.

What Are Subjective Pronouns?

Subjective pronouns are used as the subject of a sentence—the person or thing performing the action. Common subject pronouns include I, you, he, she, it, we, and they.Their primary function is to simplify sentences by avoiding repetition of noun subjects. For example:

•I am going to the store.

•She loves to read books.

•They are planning a surprise party.

•We will attend the conference next week

Common usage mistakes

Many writers struggle with the correct use of subjective pronouns.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

•Using objective pronouns in place of subjective pronouns (e.g., “Him and I went to the store” instead of “He and I went to the store”)

•Confusion in compound subjects (e.g., “Me and John are going” instead of “John and I are going”)

•Incorrect pronoun-verb agreement (e.g., “They is happy” instead of “They are happy”)

List of subjective pronouns

Pronoun	Person	Number
I	First	singular
You	second	singular/ plural
He	Third	Singular ( masculine)
she	Third	singular (feminine)
It	Third	singular ( neutral)
we	First	plural
They	Third	plural

What Are Object Pronouns?

Object pronouns are used as the object of a sentence—the person or thing receiving the action. These include me, you, him, her, it, us, and them. For instance:

•The teacher called me.

•I saw them at the park.

•The teacher gave him the book. (Not “he”)

•Please send the invitation to her and me. (Not “I”)

•We saw them at the concert last night. (Not “they”)

Complete List of Objective Pronouns

me

you

him

her

it

us

them

whom (formal)

Difference between Subjective and objective pronouns

It’s important to know the difference between subject and object pronouns. The subject pronoun does the action, while the object pronoun receives it. For example:

•He (subject) likes pizza.

•The pizza likes him (object).

Pronoun Agreement Rules

Now that we’ve explored the proper usage of pronouns in various contexts, let’s delve into the crucial rules of pronoun agreement. These rules ensure clarity and grammatical correctness in your writing.

A. Indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific persons or things. Understanding how to pair them with the correct verbs and pronouns is essential for maintaining agreement in your sentences.

•Singular indefinite pronouns: Always use singular verbs and pronouns

•Plural indefinite pronouns: Require plural verbs and pronouns.

•Some pronouns can be singular or plural: Depend on the context

Example: “Everyone has his or her own opinion.” (singular)

Example: “Few have expressed their concerns.” (plural)

B. Gender-specific pronouns

In modern writing, it’s important to use gender-neutral language when possible to promote inclusivity.

•Use “they” as a singular pronoun for unknown or non-binary genders

•Alternate between “he” and “she” in examples

•Rewrite sentences to avoid gendered pronouns altogether

C. Singular vs. plural pronouns

Ensuring agreement between singular and plural pronouns is crucial for maintaining grammatical consistency.

Singular subjects require singular pronouns

Plural subjects need plural pronouns

Collective nouns can be tricky – consider whether the group is acting as a unit or as individuals

list of collective pronouns

•Team

•Family

•Committee

•Jury

•Class

Example:”The team celebrated its victory.” (acting as a unit)

Example: “The family disagreed among themselves.” (acting as individuals)

Common Mistakes with Pronouns

One common mistake is using subject pronouns where object pronouns should be.

For example:

Incorrect: Me and him went to the store.

Correct: He and I went to the store.

Pronouns in Questions

In questions, subject pronouns follow the auxiliary verb:

Do you like coffee?

Is she coming to the party?

Pronouns in Negative Sentences

For negative sentences, pronouns follow the auxiliary verb and ‘not’:

I do not want to go.

He does not like broccoli.

Assessment Test your knowledge with a quick quiz:

Choose the correct pronoun: “___ is my friend.” (He, Him)

Correct the sentence: “Me like her cooking.”

I hope you learned something new in this lesson . Stay tuned for the next lesson . Happy learning!