The case of a pronoun indicates whether the pronoun initiates the action (e.g., subjective case), receives the action (e.g., objective case) or conveys ownership (e.g., possessive case).

There are three types of case:

• Subjective/Nominative case which indicates that the pronoun is acting as the subject of a given clause or as a predicate nominative following a linking verb.
  • The subject pronouns are: I, you, he, she, they, we, who and it.
• Objective Case, which indicates that the pronoun is acting as an object.
  • The object pronouns are: me, you, him, her, them, us, whom and it.
• Possessive case, which indicates that the pronoun is showing ownership.
  • The possessive pronouns are: my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, their, theirs, our, ours, whose and its.

We use the subjective case when a pronoun is:

• a subject of a verb
• a predicate nominative that follows a form of the linking verb to be.

We use the objective case when a pronoun is:

• a  direct object of a verb
• an indirect object
• an object of a preposition
• an object of any verbal

We use the possessive case when a pronoun:

• denotes ownership
• attributes a characteristic to someone or something

In sentences with a compound joined by AND, we use the same case—subjective or objective—as you would with no compound:

• Bill and I cracked the window. (Subjective)
  • Bill cracked the window.
  • I cracked the window.
  • You would not write: Me cracked the window.

• They threw snowballs at Delores and me. (Objective)
  • They threw snowballs at Delores.
  • They threw snowballs at me.
  • You would not write: They threw snowballs at I.

A pronoun with an appositive following it uses the same case as it would without the appositive:

• We students need more time. (Subjective)
  • STUDENTS is an appositive to WE.
  • Remove the appositive to determine the proper case: We need more time.

• Will they give us reporters access to the president? (Objective)
  • REPORTERS is an appositive to US.
  • Remove the appositive to determine the proper case: Will they give us access to the president.

The case of a relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that) is determined by how the relative pronoun is used in the dependent clause.

If the relative pronoun is the subject of a dependent clause, it must be in the nominative case

• The witness WHO was to appear today is ill.
  • WHO is the subject of the verb WAS in the dependent clause.

If the relative pronoun is the object of a dependent clause, it must be in the objective case

• The witness WHOM they have indicted is ill.
  • WHOM is the object of the verb HAVE INDICTED in the dependent clause.

TO DETERMINE CASE:

1. Identify subject, verb and object in the sentence
2. Identify independent and dependent clauses
3. Identify prepositions

When the parts of a compound subject are joined by or, but, either … or, neither … nor, not only … but also the verb must agree with the subject nearest to the verb.

Neither the Oregon players nor the coach was overconfident.

“Coach” is closest to the verb so the verb agrees with “coach.”

Neither the Oregon coach nor the players were intimidated by Arizona.

Just the reverse here. “Players” is closest.

Collective nouns and certain plural words may take singular or plural verbs-depending on the meaning in the sentence.

TEST: If the word indicates people or things working together as an identifiable unit, a singular verb is used.

The jury was seated at 9 a.m.

“It” was seated.

The jury were being interviewed by the media.

The subjects are the individual members of the jury; the sentence could be rewritten as: “The jurors were … “)

Politics is a hot topic.

Politics as a single topic.

The mayor’s politics are offensive.

Politics in this case can be seen as several actions over time.

The pronouns ANY, NONE or SOME and the nouns ALL and MOST:

• take singular verbs when they refer to a unit or quantity

Some of the money was missing.

An amount of money.

• take plural verbs when they refer to number or individuals

Some of the gold coins were missing.

A number of coins.

The pronoun NONE

• takes a singular verb when its meaning is “No Single One” or “Not One”

None of the gold coins was missing.

Not one of the coins

• takes a plural verb when its meaning is “No Two” or “No Amount”

None of the goods were missing.

no amount of the goods

None of the forests were destroyed.

no amount of the forests

When the subject is a fraction or a word such as HALF, PART, PLENTY or REST, its intended number is suggested by the object of the preposition that follows it.

Three-fourths of the enemy’s army is wounded.

Three-fourths of the enemy’s soldiers are wounded.

First it might be helpful to remember that the singular form of all verbs — except “to be” and “to have” — is formed by adding “s” or “es.” For example: dives, runs, answers, crashes, presses and tosses.

When used as a subject or adjective these indefinite pronouns are always singular and, therefore, they take singular verbs.

These pronouns may be used as subjects, and they take a singular verb.

• Everyone has been invited.
• She said that something was all she wanted for her birthday.
• The Democratic leadership suggested two solutions but neither was acceptable to the committee chair.

When they are used as adjectives, the noun they modify always takes a singular verb.

• Neither solution works for the committee chair.
• Each tragedy gives the population given less time to recover from the previous shock.

The number–when used as subject of a sentence (an organized unit)—takes a singular verb.

• The number of tenants without heat is increasing.

Subjects that stand for definable units of money, measurement, time, organization, food and medical problems always take singular verbs.

• Six months is not enough time.
• Five thousand dollars is the minimum bid.
• Ham and eggs is my favorite meal.

Singular subject followed by phrases “such as,” “together with” and “as well as” take a singular verb.

• The tax measure, together with its amendments, has passed.

When all parts of a compound subject are singular and refer to same person or thing.

• The head of the expedition and mayor of the village was the same person.

When the subject is followed by the phrase “the only one of.”

• Jake is the only one of the runners who has finished.

BUT: When the subject is followed by the phrase “one of the” or “one of those,” the verb agrees with the object of the preposition

• Jake is one of those runners who have finished.
  • In this case, Jake is one of many [those] runners. The verb “have” agrees with “those runners” not with Jake.)