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THE PRONOUNS |
Common Stumbling Blocks - Peculiar Constructions - Misused Forms.
Very many mistakes occur in the use of the pronouns. "Let you and I go"
should be "Let you and me go." "Let them and we go" should be "Let them
and us go." The verb let is transitive and therefore takes the objective
case.
"Give me them flowers" should be "Give me those flowers"; "I mean
them three" should be "I mean those three." Them is the objective case
of the personal pronoun and cannot be used adjectively like the
demonstrative adjective pronoun. "I am as strong as him" should be "I
am as strong as he"; "I am younger than her" should be "I am younger
than she;" "He can write better than me" should be "He can write
better than I," for in these examples the objective cases him, her
and me are used wrongfully for the nominatives. After each of the
misapplied pronouns a verb is understood of which each pronoun is the
subject. Thus, "I am as strong as he (is)." "I am younger than she (is)."
"He can write better than I (can)."
Don't say "It is me;" say "It is I" The verb To Be of which is is a
part takes the same case after it that it has before it. This holds good
in all situations as well as with pronouns.
The verb To Be also requires the pronouns joined to it to be in the
same case as a pronoun asking a question; The nominative I requires the
nominative who and the objectives me, him, her, its, you,
them, require the objective whom.
"Whom do you think I am?" should be "Who do you think I am?" and
"Who do they suppose me to be?" should be "Whom do they suppose me to
be?" The objective form of the Relative should be always used, in
connection with a preposition. "Who do you take me for?" should be
"Whom do, etc." "Who did you give the apple to?" should be "Whom did
you give the apple to," but as pointed out elsewhere the preposition
should never end a sentence, therefore, it is better to say, "To whom did
you give the apple?"
After transitive verbs always use the objective cases of the pronouns.
For "He and they we have seen," say "Him and them we have seen."
Next: THAT FOR SO
Previous: UNDENIABLEUNEXCEPTIONABLE
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