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Pronouns

There are several categories of pronouns, but they all replace nouns in a sentence. The following lists include the most commonly used pronouns.
 
 
Personal
Possessive
Relative
Reflexive
I
His
Who
Myself
Me
Hers
Whose
Yourself
He
Its
That
Himself
She
Yours
Which
Herself
It
Ours
Whoever
Ourselves
Him
Theirs
Whichever
Themselves
Her
Whatever
   
You
     
We
     
They
     
Them
 

1. Use the pronoun "who" as a subject. When choosing between "who" and "whom," ask yourself if there is a verb to which the pronoun attaches that requires a subject. If it does, use "who" rather than "whom." "Whom" is an object and can not be a subject. "Who," on the other hand, can be a subject, but not an object.
 

Incorrect: Johnson is the plaintiff whom initiated the class action.

Correct: Johnson is the plaintiff who initiated the class action.


In the preceding example, the verb "initiated" requires a subject; thus, the use of "who" is mandated. "Johnson" can not be the subject of "initiated" because it is the subject of the verb "is." "Plaintiff" also can not be the subject of "initiated" because it is the object of the verb "is."
 

2.  Use the pronoun "whom" as the object of a preposition. Commonly used prepositions include the words "at," "by," "for," "in," "of," "to," and "with."
 

Incorrect: To who should this letter be addressed?

Correct: To whom should this letter be addressed?

Incorrect: With who did you attend the concert last night?

Correct: With whom did you attend the concert last night?

Incorrect: For who did you write this speech?

Correct: For whom did you write this speech?

3.  Do not use the pronouns "they" or "their" when referring to a collective noun or an indefinite pronoun. Collective nouns include the terms "all," "everyone," and "everybody." They are collective because they refer to groups of people. Indefinite pronouns such as "each" and "someone," like collective nouns, do not indicate a specific gender. Do not substitute the pronoun "they" for a collective noun or an indefinite pronoun. Instead, try to avoid the need for the pronoun if possible. One way to avoid the pronoun problem is to substitute the word "the" or "a." Use "he or she" or "his or her" as an alternative only if absolutely necessary; this option almost always can be avoided by rewriting the sentence. (See the section of this guide on gender-neutral language for more advice.)
 

Incorrect: Everyone will be required to submit their memorandum at 9:00 a.m.

Better: Everyone will be required to submit his or her memorandum at 9:00 a.m.

Best: Everyone will be required to submit the memorandum at 9:00 a.m.

Incorrect: Each person should provide me with a copy of their schedule.

Better: Each person should provide me with a copy of his or her schedule.

Best: Each person should provide me with a copy of a personal schedule.

Incorrect: A lawyer is the guardian of civil liberties. They protect the rights of those in the citizenry who are unable to protect their own rights.

Awkward: A lawyer is the guardian of civil liberties. He or she protects the rights of those in the citizenry who are unable to protect their own rights.

Best: Lawyers are the guardian of civil liberties. They protect the rights of those in the citizenry who are unable to protect their own rights.


Cross Reference: Gender Neutral Language
 

4.  When a first-person pronoun replaces a subject, use "I." When it replaces an object, use "me."

Incorrect: It is me.

Correct: It is I.


Explanation: "I" is the subject of the verb "is." Use "I" as a subject and "me" as an object.

Incorrect: The judge threw the gavel at I after the twelfth consecutive objection.

Correct: The judge threw the gavel at me after the twelfth consecutive objection.


Explanation: When you are uncertain about using "I" or "me," you may want to ask yourself which word you would choose if writing in
the third person. For example, it is easy to conclude that "the judge threw the gavel at her" is correct, while "at she" would be incorrect. Since the pronouns "me," "him," and "her" all are used as objects, you know to use "me" in the first person whenever "him" or "her" would be appropriate in the third person.
 

5.  When a third-person pronoun replaces a subject, use "he" or "she." When it replaces an object, use "him" or "her."

Incorrect: The person I saw stealing the watch was her.

Correct: The person I saw stealing the watch was she.


Explanation: "She" is the subject linked to the verb "was." Without the term "she," there is no subject for that verb, since "I" is the subject of "saw" and "person" is the subject of "stealing." One way to prove that "she" is the correct choice is to change the order of words in the sentence without using any different words: "She was the person I saw stealing the watch." Since "she" is correct in that format, it is also correct in the example above.

Incorrect: The lunch was prepared for James, Jennifer, Jocelyn, and he.

Correct: The lunch was prepared for James, Jennifer, Jocelyn, and him.


Explanation: "Him" is the object of the preposition "for." The only predicate in the sentence, "was prepared," already has a subject, "the lunch." There are no verbs floating in this sentence without subjects. Therefore, we know that "him" is correct.
 

6.  Do not use reflexive pronouns to replace personal pronouns. Reflexive pronouns are used to refer to a previously stated subject, as in the sentence, "The criminal punished herself." Unless you are referring back to the same subject, do not use reflexive pronouns, which are listed in the introduction to this section on pronouns.

Incorrect: The Torts outline was prepared by Ginny Hart and myself.

Correct: The Torts outline was prepared by Ginny Hart and me.

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