Pronoun Review #3: Object Forms

The following appears in a by-lined article in a state newspaper:

[A basketball referee] filed a harassment report…claiming [two men] followed he and another official to their cars after the game, yelling obscenities.

In this sentence, the masculine pronoun is the object of a transitive verb, followed. The direct object answers the question “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb. When a pronoun functions as a direct object, the object form is required:

The men followed the referee. (direct object of followed)

The men followed him. (direct object of followed)

Two men followed him and another official to their cars. (direct object of followed)

Not all of the English personal pronouns retain distinct subject and object forms.

The pronoun you, for example, has only one form, which may be used as either subject or object:

You forgot to lock the car. (subject of the verb forgot)

I didn’t recognize you in that tuxedo. (object of the verb recognize)

Let’s keep this between you and me. (object of the preposition between)

The pronoun it also has only one form for subject and object:

I can’t find my purse. It is in the kitchen. (subject of the verb is)

Where’s the spider? I can’t see it. (object of the verb can see)

Quick, step on it. (object of the preposition on)

The five remaining personal pronouns—I, he, she, we, and they—do have object forms: me, him, her, us, and them.

Two common errors with I and me is their reversal in compound subjects and objects:

Incorrect: Mike and me are planning a cruise.

Correct : Mike and I are planning a cruise. (compound subject of the verb are planning.)

Incorrect: The Smiths have invited Harold and I to dinner.

Correct : The Smiths have invited Harold and me to dinner. (compound object of the verb invited.)

Incorrect: Keep this news between you and I.

Correct : Keep this news between you and me. (compound object of the preposition between.)

The following examples are gleaned from formal news articles:

Incorrect: Norwood had claimed that two men in ski masks had followed she and Murray into the store.

Correct : Norwood had claimed that two men in ski masks had followed her and Murray into the store. (compound object of followed.)

Incorrect: They were complete strangers who stopped to help she and her baby.

Correct : They were complete strangers who stopped to help her and her baby. (compound object of to help)

Incorrect: [The girl], who spent a great deal of time at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, recalls the incredible nurses and doctors that helped she and her family through the entire process.

Correct : [The girl], who spent a great deal of time at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, recalls the incredible nurses and doctors that helped her and her family through the entire process. (compound object of helped)

Some day, perhaps all pronoun object forms will disappear in English. Until that time, native English speakers who write for a living can reasonably be expected to master the uses of I and me, he and him, and she and her.

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Top 10 Punctuation Mistakes

Writers can avoid most errors of punctuation by mastering the following conventions.

1. Introductory words, phrases, and clauses are followed by a comma.

Incorrect: Moreover students are expected to read at least one English classic every six weeks.

Correct : Moreover, students are expected to read at least one English classic every six weeks.

Moreover is an introductory word and should be followed by a comma.

Incorrect: To become fluent readers students must read outside school hours.

Correct : To become fluent readers, students must read outside school hours.

“To become fluent readers” is an introductory infinitive phrase and should be followed by a comma.

Incorrect: If you want to write well you must be prepared to practice the craft.

Correct : If you want to write well, you must be prepared to practice the craft.

“If you want to write well” is an introductory clause and should be followed by a comma.

2. Nonessential information is set off with commas.

Incorrect: Joseph Conrad who was born in Poland began to learn English in his twenties.

Correct : Joseph Conrad, who was born in Poland, began to learn English in his twenties.

“Who was born in Poland” is a clause that provides nonessential information and should be set off by commas.

3. Essential information does not require commas.

Incorrect: The boys, who vandalized the public gardens, are in police custody.

Correct : The boys who vandalized the public gardens are in police custody.

“Who vandalized the public gardens” is essential information because it identifies which boys are meant. It should not be set off by commas.

4. A comma is placed before a coordinate conjunction that joins two main clauses.

Incorrect: The cougar moved quickly but the tourist reached the safety of the cabin.

Correct : The cougar moved quickly, but the tourist reached the safety of the cabin.

The clauses joined by the conjunction but could stand alone as complete sentences: “The cougar moved quickly” and “The tourist reached the safety of the cabin.” A comma is not needed with a compound verb joined by a coordinate conjunction: “The tourist saw the cougar and ran to the cabin.”

5. A comma is not strong enough to join two main clauses. (Comma splice)

Incorrect: Circumstances required the children to live in a homeless shelter, nevertheless they kept up with their studies.

Correct : Circumstances required the children to live in a homeless shelter; nevertheless they kept up with their studies.

Also Correct: Circumstances required the children to live in a homeless shelter. Nevertheless, they kept up with their studies.

A comma splice results when two main clauses are joined by a comma. The main clauses here are “Circumstances required the children to live in a homeless shelter” and “nevertheless, they kept up with their studies.” The word nevertheless is a conjunctive adverb. Its function is to provide a transition between two thoughts, but it is not a joining word like and or but. A comma splice can be avoided by placing a semicolon after the first clause or by ending the first clause with a period or other end stop and starting a new sentence with a capital.

6. A comma is not needed before a noun clause in ordinary narration.

Incorrect: The spelunkers found, that the caves were closed to protect the bats.

Correct : The spelunkers found that the caves were closed to protect the bats.

The noun clause is “the caves were closed to protect the bats.” The clause functions as the direct object of the verb in the main clause, found.

7. A comma is needed before a direct quotation.

Incorrect: The wizard said “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”

Correct : The wizard said, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”

8. Colons should be used after a complete sentence to introduce a word, phrase, clause, list, or quotation.

Incorrect: Her favorite flowers are: daffodils, roses, and pansies.

Correct : She has three favorite flowers: daffodils, roses, and pansies.

“Her favorite flowers are” is a sentence fragment. A complete sentence should precede a colon that introduces a thought that expands on the meaning of the sentence that precedes it.

9. Main clauses that are not part of a compound or complex sentence require an end stop. When a period or other end stop is omitted, the result is a “run-on sentence.”

Incorrect: The rushing waves capsized the boat indifferent gulls wheeled overhead.

Correct : The rushing waves capsized the boat. Indifferent gulls wheeled overhead.

The simplest way to correct a run-on sentence is to put a period at the end of the first clause and capitalize the next one.

10. Multiple exclamation points don’t belong in mature writing.

Incorrect: Before my astonished eyes, the house sank into the tarn!!!!

Correct : Before my astonished eyes, the house sank into the tarn!

On the rare occasions that an exclamation mark is wanted in formal writing, one is sufficient.

Bonus: Quotation marks should not be used for mere emphasis.

Incorrect: Our staff is required to take three “safety” courses every year.

Correct : Our staff is required to take three safety courses every year.

In most contexts, placing quotation marks around a word suggests that the word is being used with a meaning other than the obvious one. Writers who enclose words in quotation marks merely for emphasis risk annoying their readers. No one likes to waste time trying to discern a hidden meaning where there is none.

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