Select the correct form of the pronoun.
- Karla asked Steve to take out the garbage for she/her, but he/him would not do it.
Answer: Her, he. Her is the object of the preposition for; he is the subject of the verb would.
- Mr. Mendez gave Jane and I/me/myself the job of pruning the hedge.
Answer: Me. Both Jane and me are objects of the verb gave. Myself is unnecessary in this context.
- John considered he/him/himself lucky when he/him found an affordable apartment.
Answer: Himself, he. Himself is a reflexive pronoun because John is both the subject and the object of the verb considered. He is the subject of the verb found.
- If they/them keep their/they’re goals in mind, nothing will stop they/them.
Answer: They, their, them. They is the subject of the verb keep. Their is a possessive personal adjective modifying goals. Note that the contraction they’re would not make sense: “if they keep they are goals in mind. . . . ” Them is the object of the verb stop.
- It was I/me/myself and he/him/himself who ended up as finalists in the competition.
Answer: I, he. Both are predicate nominatives, following the construction it is.
Supply the correct relative pronoun.
- This shipment _____ you sent to us was not complete.
Answer: That or which. Either is acceptable to refer to a thing (this shipment).
- The children _____ went to the play all got to meet the actors.
Answer: Who or that. Who is preferable because it is referring to people. Who is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the verb went. The relative pronoun which should not refer to people.
- The statue _____ they are restoring is 3,000 years old.
Answer: That or which. Either is acceptable to refer to a thing (the statue).
- The test consisted of questions _____ were grouped by topic.
Answer: That or which. Either is acceptable to refer to things (questions).
- The singers _____ you heard were from Russia.
Answer: Whom or that. Whom is preferable because it is referring to people. Whom is in the objective case because it is the object of the verb heard. The relative pronoun which should not refer to people.
Determine whether the following sentences contain errors and correct any you find.
- Jay and myself already had dinner; you should have your’s.
Answer: Jay and I already had dinner; you should have yours. The reflexive myself should not be used as a subject. Your’s attempts to add an unnecessary apostrophe to a possessive pronoun.
- Everybody that are ready can begin now.
Answer: Everybody who is ready can begin now. Everybody is singular and requires a singular verb for agreement. That might be acceptable as a relative pronoun in this case, although who is be a better choice in terms of style.
- I like these chocolate candy, but them mints are better.
Answer: I like this chocolate candy [or these chocolate candies], but these [or those] mints are better. These does not agree in number with the noun it modifies. Them is not used as demonstrative; either these or those agrees with mints in number.
- Can anyone tell me who wrote this embarrassing memo?
Answer: Can anyone tell me who wrote this embarrassing memo? No errors. Who is the subject of the verb wrote, so it is correctly in the nominative case.
- Mr. Richards met my girlfriend and I in the park.
Answer: Mr. Richards met my girlfriend and me in the park. Me is the object of the verb met.
- That lamp has lost it’s shade. If its not too much trouble, could you buy a new one?
Answer: That lamp has lost its shade. If it’s not too much trouble, could you buy a new one? In the first sentence, the contraction does not make sense: “The lamp has lost it is shade.” In the second sentence, the contraction is required for the sentence to make sense: “If it is not too much trouble. . . .” The possessive adjective its does not use an apostrophe.
- Many people enjoyed the show, but some was disappointed.
Answer: Many people enjoyed the show, but some were disappointed. The indefinite pronoun some is considered plural, so it requires a plural verb for agreement.
- I told him those sort of parts do not fit, but he tried to use it anyway.
Answer: I told him those sorts of parts do not fit, but he tried to use them anyway. or I told him that sort of part does not fit, but he tried to use it anyway. Expressions such as this sort of or those kinds of must carry agreement throughout the sentence, either all plural or all singular.
- This is the worst film that I have ever seen.
Answer: This is the worst film that I have ever seen. No errors. This is a singular demonstrative pronoun referring to the singular noun film, and it is the subject of the singular verb is. That is a relative pronoun correctly referring to a thing (film). Notice that in this case, that could be omitted from the relative clause because it is not the subject of the relative clause.
- This is the kind of book what you want to read over and over.
Answer: This is the kind of book that [or which] you want to read over and over. What is not a relative pronoun. Relative pronouns that and which can both refer to a thing (book). That/which could be omitted because it is not the subject of the relative clause.
- The man who you met was not my teacher.
Answer: The man whom you met was not my teacher. Whom is the object of the verb met. (To make the relative clause clearer, try rephrasing it: You met the man; you met him.) Whom could be omitted because it is not the subject of the relative clause.
- Warren Company was the firm who’s bid was accepted.
Answer: Warren Company was the firm whose bid was accepted. Who’s is a contraction of who is. “The firm who is bid was accepted” does not make sense. Whose is relative pronoun indicating possession. (Their bid was accepted.)
- Ryan and her went to the store.
Answer: Ryan and she went to the store. Both Ryan and she are subjects of the verb went, so the nominative case is required.
- The students which are working together will have a meeting this afternoon.
Answer: The students who are working together will have a meeting this afternoon. The relative pronoun which should not be used to refer to people.
- Every citizen should cherish his right to vote.
Answer: Every citizen should cherish his or her right to vote. or All citizens should cherish their right to vote. Nothing is grammatically incorrect about the sentence, but it is an example of the use of a “generic he” after an indefinite pronoun. Such expressions should be rephrased to be nonsexist.
- Caroline or Marcia will need to give their input.
Answer: Caroline or Marcia will need to give her input. Compound subjects joined by or need a singular pronoun for agreement.
- Mrs. Lee is the woman who taught me how to cook.
Answer: Mrs. Lee is the woman who taught me how to cook. No errors. Who is relative pronoun correctly referring to a person (woman). Who is the subject of the verb taught.
- What of the available options did you choose?
Answer: Which of the available options did you choose? Which refers to one out of a group and is required before the preposition of in this construction. It would also be correct to say, “What option did you choose?”
- If their not going to help us, us boys will have to set up the tent ourselves.
Answer: If they’re not going to help us, we boys will have to set up the tent ourselves. Their is a possessive adjective and does not make sense in this construction (“if they are not going to help us”). We is an appositive to the subject boys, so it must be in the nominative case.
- She and I are the best of friends, but Jacques does not like either her or me.
Answer: She and I are the best of friends, but Jacques does not like either her or me. No errors. She and I are subjects of the verb are and are, therefore, correctly in the nominative case. Her and me are objects of the verb like and are, therefore, correctly in the objective case.
Thanks for reading about “pronoun errors exercise”.