Download PDF – Rules to use Pronouns as Part of Speech and Tips to Remember them

• Use a subject pronoun, not only as the subject of a sentence but after to be verbs (is, are, was, were, will be, maybe, may have been, etc.) when the pronoun renames the subject. Do not use object pronouns following to be verbs.

Examples:

1. She is my wife (She is the subject, therefore use subject pronoun after to be verb)
2. It is me who whispered. (Incorrect as ‘me’ is an objective pronoun and should not come after to be verb ‘is’)

 It is I who whispered. (Correct as ‘I’ should come after to be verb and renames the subject ‘it’. Therefore, use subject pronoun.)

• When who refers to a personal pronoun (I, you, he, she, we, they), it takes the verb that agrees with that pronoun.

 Examples:

1. It is I who am wrong. (Correct: I am)

 It is I who is wrong. (Incorrect)

• Use an object pronoun when the pronoun is the direct object, the indirect object, or the object of the preposition.

Example:

1. Maya met him at the stadium. (Him is the direct object.)
2. Maya will give him his watch back. (Watch is the direct object and him is an indirect object.)

• The objective pronoun is used after ‘Let’.

Example:

Let we leave.(Incorrect)

Let us go. (Correct)

• Difference between ‘my’ & ‘mine’: ‘My’ is used before the noun and ‘mine’ is used after the noun.

Example:

 This is my book.

 This book is mine

• Difference between ‘your’ and ‘yours’: ‘Your’ is used before the ‘noun’ and ‘yours’ used after the ‘ noun’.

Example:

This is your pen.

This pen is yours.

• Singular pronouns (I, he, she, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, someone, somebody, each, either, neither, etc.) require singular verbs. This rule is frequently overlooked when using the pronouns each, either, and neither, followed by of. These three pronouns always take singular verbs.

 Example:

(i) Each of the women knits well.

(ii) Either of us is capable of doing the job.

(iii) Neither of them is available to speak right now.

• Reflexive pronouns are used when both the subject and the object of a verb are the same person or thing.

Example:

(i)Jai bought the car for himself.

(ii) They saw me being myself.