Special Problems in Pronoun Usage
Appositives
An appositive is a word or word group that is placed near a noun or a pronoun to identify or describe it.
A pronoun used as an appositive should be in the same case as the word to which it refers.
EXAMPLE
- My best friends, Chris and she, are applying to the same colleges. [The appositive she identifies the subject friends. It is in the nominative case.]
TIP
To decide which form of a pronoun to use as an appositive, substitute the pronoun for the word to which it refers. The pronoun that is correct in this position will also be correct as the appositive.
EXAMPLE
- I helped my friends, Chris and (they, them), with their applications. [Which sounds correct? I helped they with their applications or I helped them with their applications? The correct form of the appositive is them.]
Sometimes the pronoun we or us is followed by an appositive.
EXAMPLE
- We seniors are excited about college. [The subject We is followed by the appositive seniors.]
TIP
To decide whether to use we or us before an appositive, cross out the appositive. Whichever pronoun form is correct without the appositive will be correct with the appositive.
EXAMPLE
- Which college is a good choice for (we, us) musicians? [Which sounds correct? Which college is a good choice for we or Which college is a good choice for us? The correct pronoun is us.]
Who and Whom
The pronoun who is used as a subject of a verb or as a predicate nominative.
The pronoun whom is used as a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition.
The pronoun whom is used as a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition.
NOMINATIVE CASE
- Who wrote this note? [subject of the verb wrote]
- Whoever wrote this note should speak up. [subject of the subordinate clause Whoever wrote this note]
- Who was the author of this note? [predicate nominative identifying the subject author]
OBJECTIVE CASE
- To whom is the note addressed? [object of the preposition To]
- Give it to whomever you see first. [Whomever is a direct object in the subordinate clause whomever you see first.]
TIP
To decide whether to use who or whom in a subordinate clause, follow these steps:
(1) First, decide how the pronoun is used in the clause. Is the pronoun being used as a subject or predicate nominative, or is the pronoun being used as an object?
(2) Then, decide which case form is correct for this use. If the pronoun is being used as a subject or a predicate nominative, use who. If the pronoun is being used as an object, use whom.
(1) First, decide how the pronoun is used in the clause. Is the pronoun being used as a subject or predicate nominative, or is the pronoun being used as an object?
(2) Then, decide which case form is correct for this use. If the pronoun is being used as a subject or a predicate nominative, use who. If the pronoun is being used as an object, use whom.
EXAMPLE
- Joe DiMaggio, (who, whom) Marilyn Monroe married, played baseball. [In the subordinate clause, the pronoun is used as the direct object of the verb married. Marilyn Monroe married whom? Whom is in the objective case, so it is the correct pronoun.]