Lesson 2: Forms of Personal Pronouns B

Definition

A direct object should be in the objective case.

Explanation

Think of the direct object as the person or thing that receives the action of the verb. To find it, just ask “who?” or “what?” after the action verb. So instead of saying “The teacher praised she,” you'd use the objective pronoun and say, “The teacher praised her.”

Examples

Chose the correct pronoun or pronouns in parentheses in the following sentences.

• My friends invited (she and I, her and me) to the party. [Whom did my friends invite?]
• Did the dog follow (he, him) home? [Whom did the dog follow?]
• When the cupcakes are ready, please decorate (they, them). [What should you decorate?]

Definition

An indirect object should also be in the objective case.

Explanation

An indirect object answers the question “to whom?” or “for whom?” the action was done. It’s a bit of a secret receiver! You'll almost always find it tucked between the action verb and the direct object. This is a big clue to help you spot it!

Examples

Chose the correct pronoun or pronouns in parentheses in the following sentences.

• My grandmother told (we, us) a funny story. [To whom did she tell a story?]
• Please pass (he, him) the salt. [To whom should you pass the salt?]
• Can you save (I, me) a seat at the play? [For whom can you save a seat?]

Definition

An object of a preposition should be in the objective case.

Explanation

Whenever a pronoun follows a preposition—words like for, with, to, behind, near, from, or of—it must be an objective pronoun. Just remember this simple formula: preposition + objective pronoun. So, you'd say “for him,” not “for he.”

Examples

Chose the correct pronoun or pronouns in parentheses in the following sentences.

• The secret is between (you and I, you and me). [Which pronoun follows the preposition between?]
• I received a letter from (she, her). [Which pronoun follows the preposition from?]
• All the students except (he, him) finished the test. [Which pronoun follows the preposition except?]

Definition

The personal pronouns in the possessive case—my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs—are used to show ownership or possession.

Explanation

Possessive pronouns are all about showing who owns what! Some are used before a noun (like your coat), and some stand alone (like “The coat is yours.”). Remember this important tip: possessive pronouns like yours, hers, and its never, ever use an apostrophe!

Examples

• I already ate my lunch, but he hasn't eaten his yet.
• Their house is the one with the bright blue door.
• This pencil is mine, but that one is yours.