Grammar and Language Workbook

Unit 8: Using Pronouns Correctly
Lesson 53
Case of Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns 
are pronouns used to refer to persons or things. They have three
cases
, or forms, called 
nominative, objective, and possessive. Each case is determined by
how the pronoun functions in a sentence—as a subject, a complement, or an object of a
preposition.
CASE
SINGULAR
PLURAL
FUNCTION IN SENTENCE
Nominative
I, you, she, he, it
we, you, they
subject or predicate
nominative
Objective
me, you, her, him, it
us, you, them
direct object, indirect
object, or object of
preposition
Possessive
my, mine, your, yours, 
our, ours, your,
replacement for
her, hers, his, its
yours, their, theirs
possessive noun(s)
For a subject or a compound subject, use a personal pronoun in the 
nominative case
.
She and I competed for first prize.
For a personal pronoun in a compound object, use the 
objective case
.
They awarded the band and him a music trophy.
Between you and her, I would pick you.
After a form of the linking verb be, use the nominative case of a personal pronoun.
The first one to call in the fire alarm was she.
The one who smelled smoke was he.
Do not use an apostrophe when spelling 
possessive pronouns
.
Is this car theirs?
I thought it was yours.
The form it’s is a contraction of it is. Do not confuse it’s with the possessive pronoun its.
It’s going to snow tonight; I can feel it.
Winter always saves its worst for late March.
Before a gerund (an -ing form used as a noun), use a possessive pronoun.