Practice
Grammatical case in English: types and use
She called him after work, then he sent her a message. The people have not changed, but the pronouns change because their jobs in the sentences change.
Identify subject, object, possessive, and reflexive pronoun forms, then choose the form that matches the pronoun's job in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
subject case and object case /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt keɪs/ and /ˈɒbdʒekt keɪs/
The short answer
In English, case mainly appears in pronouns. Use subject forms such as I, she, and they for the doer of an action. Use object forms such as me, her, and them after a verb or preposition. Use possessive forms to show ownership.
They invited us to their apartment.
Why it works: They is the subject, us receives the action of invited, and their shows who owns the apartment.
5 more examples
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She and I will present the proposal.
Both pronouns are part of the subject that performs will present.
Not this:The director will meet
her and meafter lunch. What changes: Her and me are objects of meet, so object forms are needed. -
The coach spoke to them after practice.
Them follows the preposition to, so it is an object form.
Not this:
Theyspoke to the coach after practice. What changes: They is the subject that performs spoke. -
Our neighbors lent us their ladder.
Their comes before a noun and identifies the owners of the ladder.
Not this:The ladder is
theirs. What changes: Theirs is a possessive pronoun because it stands without a following noun. -
Mina taught herself the new software.
Herself refers back to Mina, the subject of taught.
Not this:Mina taught
her colleaguethe new software. What changes: Her colleague refers to a different person, so a reflexive form is not used. -
Between you and me, the plan needs more time.
Both pronouns follow the preposition between and therefore use object forms.
Not this:
You and Ican discuss the plan tomorrow. What changes: You and I form the subject of can discuss.
Read the full guide
Do not begin with the label case. Begin with a practical question: what is this word doing here? If it performs the verb, use a subject pronoun. If the action happens to it or a preposition points to it, use an object pronoun. If it marks ownership, choose a possessive form.
Start with the pronoun's job
Case is not a decoration on a pronoun. It tells the reader how that pronoun works in the sentence. First locate the verb. Then ask who performs that action and who receives it. The answer guides your pronoun choice.
He thanked me for the feedback.
He performs thanked, while me receives the action.
In the sentence The client called ___, which form follows the verb called?
Use an object form, such as me, him, her, us, or them.
Use subject case for the doer
Subject pronouns normally come before the verb and name the person or thing that does the action or has the state. The main forms are I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. In a compound subject, test each pronoun on its own if you are unsure.
Jordan and I are leading the workshop.
I is correct because Jordan and I are the people who are leading.
Remove Jordan: would you say I am leading or Me am leading?
Say I am leading. Put I back in the full subject: Jordan and I are leading.
Use object case after verbs and prepositions
Object pronouns receive an action or complete a prepositional phrase. The common forms are me, you, him, her, it, us, and them. A preposition such as to, for, with, between, or from is a reliable clue that an object form is coming.
Please send the revised schedule to Ana and me.
Me follows the preposition to, so it is not a subject.
Choose the standard form: The invitation is for Lee and ___.
Use me: The invitation is for Lee and me.
Separate possession from the other roles
Possessive forms answer the question whose? Possessive determiners come directly before nouns: my notes, her coat, our plan. Possessive pronouns stand alone: the notes are mine, the coat is hers, and the plan is ours. Do not add an apostrophe to possessive pronouns.
Their presentation was polished, but ours was shorter.
Their needs the noun presentation; ours replaces the noun phrase our presentation.
Which word can stand alone after is: our or ours?
Use ours: The final decision is ours.
Use reflexives only when they point back
Reflexive pronouns end in self or selves: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. They refer back to the subject in the same clause. They can be useful for emphasis, but they do not replace ordinary object pronouns in a list.
We taught ourselves how to use the archive.
Ourselves points back to we, the people doing the teaching and learning.
Choose the standard object: Please contact Priya or ___.
Use me, not myself, because the pronoun is an object and does not refer back to I.
Use the removal check in a pair
Two names or pronouns can hide the role. Remove the other person from a phrase and listen to the remaining sentence. This check works well for forms such as Sam and I, Sam and me, you and I, and you and me. Then restore the full phrase.
The coordinator thanked Niko and me.
Without Niko, the sentence is The coordinator thanked me, not thanked I.
Which form completes ___ will join the call, Sofia and I or Sofia and me?
Use Sofia and I, because the pair is the subject of will join.
Before you go
Remember this
Case is easiest to see in English pronouns. Choose I, he, she, we, or they for a subject; choose me, him, her, us, or them for an object; use possessive forms for ownership; and use reflexives only when they refer back to the subject. Find the pronoun's job before you choose its form.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Grammatical case in English: types and use"
What is grammatical case in English?
Grammatical case shows a word's job in a sentence. In modern English, it is most visible in personal pronouns. Compare I called her with She called me: the pronoun changes form when it changes from the doer of an action to the receiver of one.
She and I will present the proposal.
When should I use I instead of me?
Use I when the pronoun is the subject that performs the verb: I reviewed the notes. Use me when the pronoun receives an action or follows a preposition: The team thanked me; the notes are for me. Test the pronoun alone if it appears in a pair.
The director will meet her and me after lunch.
What is the difference between their and theirs?
Their is a possessive determiner, so a noun follows it: their office, their answer, or their plan. Theirs is a possessive pronoun and stands on its own: The decision is theirs. Both forms show ownership, but only their needs a following noun.
The coach spoke to them after practice.
Can myself replace me in a formal sentence?
Usually, no. Use me when you are an object: Please copy Arjun and me. Use myself when it refers back to I in the same clause: I checked the figures myself. A reflexive form is not automatically more formal or more polite.
They spoke to the coach after practice.
How do I choose a pronoun in a two-person phrase?
Remove the other person and check the remaining sentence. In The editor invited Rosa and me, you can hear invited me. In Rosa and I agreed, you can hear I agreed. Then put the other name back after choosing the form that fits the pronoun's role.
Our neighbors lent us their ladder.