What is a Grammatical Case?
In a sentence, each noun or noun phrase plays a specific role, that is, it has a grammatical case.
The grammatical case refers to the function of the pronoun in the sentence. For example, examine the phrase “the man” in the examples below:
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The man is looking at us.
We can see the man.
We are looking at the man.
We do not know the man’s intent.
In each example, you can tell that “the man” has a different function or relationship to the other parts of the sentence. In grammar, these different functions or relationships are referred to as “the case.”
Although “the man” in the above examples remain unchanged, their pronouns reveal the differences in case.
He is looking at us.
We can see him.
We are looking at him.
We do not know his intent.
The Case System in English
Subject (he is looking)
The subject is the person or thing acting on the verb. The verb is conjugated based on the grammatical subject. It is also referred to as the nominative case (the subject as in “he is looking at us").
The passive voice presents an interesting situation. In the passive voice (e.g., “The robbers were surprised by the homeowner”) the grammatical subject of the verb actually receives or is affected by the action or state expresses by the verb (it was the homeowner who surprised the robbers). Yet, the grammatical subject still determines how the verb is conjugated.
Object (we see him)
The object is the recipient of the action or effect expressed by the verb. Prepositions are also followed by the objective case, which is also known as the accusative case (the direct object as in “we see him") and dative case (the indirect object as in “we gave him the book").
The object case is used after prepositions (after me, unlike her, beneath us).
Reflexive (Object) (he sees himself)
Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, yourselves, themselves) has a role similar to that of an object. At the same time, reflexive pronouns indicate that the subject’s action affects the subject itself (as in “he sees himself in the mirror").
Possessive (his intention)
Possessive determiners (my, your, her, their) indicate that a word has a relationship of ownership to the determiner. They can also indicate a relationship or association. Although these are determiners rather than true pronouns, they are included in the paradigm.
Unlike possessive determiners, possessive pronouns (mine, yours, hers, theirs) are true pronouns as they replace a noun or pronoun. As with possessive determiners, possessive pronouns show ownership (my car), a relationship (her husband), or an association (our hair).
Nouns, Pronouns, and Case in English
In many languages, you can tell whether a noun is the subject, direct object, indirect object, or possessive case (and many other cases). For example, in Latin, “house” (”domus”) in these cases is “domus,” “domum,” “domuī,” and “domūs.”
Just as in Latin, nouns used to have different forms in English depending on their case. The language lost this feature over time; however, you can still see a reflection of the old case system in pronouns.
| Person |
Singular |
Plural |
| Subject |
I, you, he, she, it |
we, you (you all), they |
| Object |
me, you, him, her, it |
us, you, them |
| Possessive (determiner) |
my, your, his, her, its |
our, your, their |
| Possessive (pronoun) |
mine, yours, his, hers, — |
ours, yours, theirs |
| Reflexive |
myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself |
ourselves, yourselves, themselves |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few mistakes you should avoid related to grammatical case.
Object Case after a Preposition
Use an object pronoun (e.g., him, her, us, them) after a preposition (after him) or as part of a prepositional phrase (for the teacher and me).
Examples
Incorrect. Between you and I, he is not good at what he does.
Corrected.Between you and me, he is not good at what he does.
Incorrect. Opportunities are different for billionaires and we in the middle class.
Corrected. Opportunities are different for billionaires and us in the middle class.
Incorrect. They look like you and she.
Corrected. They look like you and her.
Noun-Pronoun Number Agreement
Singular pronouns should refer back to singular nouns; plural pronouns should refer back to plural nouns.
Sometimes a singular noun uses a plural “they" when the gender of the noun is unknown or unimportant or when you want to avoid sexist language. The singular “they" has become more and more widely accepted. For more information, see the singular “they” (opens in a new tab).
Examples
Incorrect. The group worked together only when they needed to.
Corrected. The group members worked together only when they needed to.
Corrected. The group worked together only when it needed to.
The examples below use the singular “they” (in a new tab).
Incorrect. Each player had an opportunity to show their skills.
Corrected. All players had an opportunity to show their skills.
Incorrect. Everyone should complete their essays on their own.
Corrected. Students should complete their essays on their own.
Who and Whom
”Who” is used both as the subject and object of the sentence, including as the object of a preposition. “Whom” is gradually falling out of use. If you are going to use “whom,” however, make sure it is used only as the object.
Language learners sometimes believe that “whom” sounds more formal than “who,” so they end up using it everywhere, even when “who” is the correct form. If you are unsure, go with “who” because it can be used both as a subject and as an object.
Examples
Incorrect. Writing Center tutors provided workshops for those whom were having difficulties.
Corrected. Writing Center tutors provided workshops for those whom were having difficulties.
(”Who” replaces “they,” not “them,” in “they were having difficulties.)
Incorrect. The man whom we believe stole the money has been arrested.
Corrected. The man who we believe stole the money has been arrested.
(”Who” replaces “he” in “he stole the money.”)
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