Pronoun Cases

 What is a pronoun case? 

The case of a pronoun is defined by the function of the pronoun in a sentence or clause.                

Types of Pronoun Case

• Nominative Case

In the nominative (also called subjective) case, pronoun functions as the subject of sentence, or as the subject complement (predicate noun). Pronouns in this case tell "who did what". 

Examples are: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who. 

Examples:  

1. She came to the house.
2. Who has seen the wind?
3. I am she.  (In response to an inquiry.)
4. This is she.

• Objective Case

The objective case pronoun functions as a direct or indirect object, or as an object of a preposition. Pronouns in this case tell "to whom something was done".

Examples are: me, you, him, her, it, us, them, whom.

Examples: 

1.  I gave her a nickel.
2.  I sold it to them.
3.  I don't know to whom I speak.
4.  The book is beside him.

• Possessive Case

The possessive case pronoun indicates possession. That is, pronouns in this case tell "who owns what".

Examples are: my, mine, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs, your, yours, whose 

Example:  

    1.   That is my baseball.                                                       

          That baseball is mine.  

    2.   Her pleasure at receiving the award was apparent.                    

          The pleasure was all hers.  

   

    3.  That is its tail.                                                                          

         The tail is its.        

NOTE: The subject in a sentence performs the action of the verb (i.e. it is the doer of the verb's action. Conversely, the object receives the action of the verb. (We shall treat this in greater details later).