“Case” refers to the different types of functions or positions that pronouns can fulfill within a sentence. Pronouns can be subjects or objects, and they can also show possession. It is important to use the right case so that subjects and verbs agree in number and gender within the sentence, pronouns and antecedents agree in number and gender, and the pronouns show the correct relationship (i.e. possessive or non-possessive). Using the wrong pronoun case will make your writing sound awkward and more difficult to read.
Subjective Case: Pronouns that function as the subject of the sentence (or phrase, or clause) appear in the subjective case.
Subjective Case Pronouns
I
We
You
He
She
It
They
Who
Objective Case: Pronouns that function as the object of the sentence (or phrase, or clause) appear in the objective case.
Objective Case Pronouns
Me
Us
You
Him
Her
It
Them
Whom
Possessive Case: Pronouns that show possession or ownership appear in the possessive case.
Possessive Case Pronouns
My, Mine
Our, *Ours
Your, *Yours
His
Her, *Hers
*Its
Their, *Theirs
Whose
(*note that there is no apostrophe!)
Let’s look at some examples of the different pronoun cases in action!
He and Mark went shopping.
She mowed his lawn.
Jill and I like movies about aliens.
Those girls gave us boys cooties!
That is our dog!
I said that dog is ours!
Now that I look at it, maybe that is your dog.
I said that dog is yours!
It isn’t important.
But its hat is so cute!
Look at you! You are all covered in spider webs and you are sitting on my jacket!
