Raen Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
nominative and objective pronouns.......confusing!
I'm totally frustrated. Here is a practice and please tell me what pronoun would you choose to each sentence:
1. It could have been (them, they)
2. Yes, it was (us, we)
3. The runway girl was (her, she)
4. This is (him, he)
5. The winner was (me, I)
And of course I chose "objective pronouns (them, us......)" for all of them except maybe #5, "I" seemed to be a smarter choice (don't ask me why, I can't explain). So the correct answers were "they, we, she, he, and I". Now I have to ask, is it just total bull-s88t? Pardon my language, but I am just completely frustrated! Could someone be kind enough to explain? that is to say you agree with their answers. Thanks a million.
Raen
1. It could have been (them, they)
2. Yes, it was (us, we)
3. The runway girl was (her, she)
4. This is (him, he)
5. The winner was (me, I)
And of course I chose "objective pronouns (them, us......)" for all of them except maybe #5, "I" seemed to be a smarter choice (don't ask me why, I can't explain). So the correct answers were "they, we, she, he, and I". Now I have to ask, is it just total bull-s88t? Pardon my language, but I am just completely frustrated! Could someone be kind enough to explain? that is to say you agree with their answers. Thanks a million.
Raen
Top answer
In my point of view, if you're really confused in deciding which one to use, just try exchanging the subjects and objects' positions like these : 1. " and " They could have been it . " 2.
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In my point of view, if you're really confused in deciding which one to use, just try exchanging the subjects and objects' positions like these :
1. It could have been (them, they) - this can be, " Them could have been it." and "They could have been it."
2. Yes, it w
1. It could have been (them, they) - this can be, " Them could have been it." and "They could have been it."
2. Yes, it w
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Thank you so much nungning, that's a fantastic trick. But in colloquial English people don't really say:
"It could have been they", right? Man, that would just sound awful! Even in books or literatures, I honesty haven't read: It could have been they. or
It was she.
Yes, it was we.
This is he........and so on.
Just wierd.
Raen
"It could have been they", right? Man, that would just sound awful! Even in books or literatures, I honesty haven't read: It could have been they. or
It was she.
Yes, it was we.
This is he........and so on.
Just wierd.
Raen
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Obviously, people don't say like that 
, it's just the way of thinking which can help you decide which one to choose ^_^
Thanks
, it's just the way of thinking which can help you decide which one to choose ^_^Thanks
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Find out if your book and your teacher expect the highly formal versions (now old-fashioned, but still encouraged in some grammar books), or the less formal, more modern versions. Once you know that you can answer "correctly" more often!
Old version:
Use the nominative pronouns for the subject of a sentence.
Use the nominative pronouns for the subject complement after a linking verb,
Old version:
Use the nominative pronouns for the subject of a sentence.
Use the nominative pronouns for the subject complement after a linking verb,
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Wow, thank you Jim. I did not know there's old and new versions on this rule. I will sure find out. Thanks a lot. I personaly so prefer the new version, but I doubt my opinion matters much as far as the test goes. But I will sure find out. Thanks again.
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This problem of the subject complement is an ongoing debate. It caused because nouns in English don't differenciate between subjective and objective. Only English pronouns do that. In everyday speech and writing the pronouns used in this instance are almost always objective case and if someone were to use the subjective case pronoun it would be seen by most as a deliberate break from convention,
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You make errors even as you discuss errors!
1. You link singular "someone" with plural "they";
2. Childrens' is wrong;
3. "than me" should be "than I"!
Scary.
George
1. You link singular "someone" with plural "they";
2. Childrens' is wrong;
3. "than me" should be "than I"!
Scary.
George
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I think CJ's advice is the best.
My maternal step-grandmother was an English teacher who (through my mother) insisted that I use nominative and objective case pronouns correctly. I'm now in my 70's and get a lot of strange looks because I can't seem to break the habit. - A.
My maternal step-grandmother was an English teacher who (through my mother) insisted that I use nominative and objective case pronouns correctly. I'm now in my 70's and get a lot of strange looks because I can't seem to break the habit. - A.
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Anonymous "than me" should be "than I"!You beg the question, George.
George
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By the way -- what is a "runway girl"? Is it a typo for "runaway girl"? Or is it a girl who directs planes on a runway?
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