Nominative / Objective Case
Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:33 am
This came up in another lesson, so I'm repeating it here. Yes, we all need it, even though it seems elementary and simple.
Nominative Case: The category of nouns used as the "grammatical subject" of a sentence. Think of the word "nom," which means "name." So nominative means the "name of something"... whether its a pronoun, actual name, or noun. Subjective just means related to being Nominative.
Don't get hung up on terms... but focus on the correct usage.
The pronouns in these sentences are used nominatively.
I went to town.
She went to town.
He went to town.
They went to town.
And so on....
Objective case: nouns that are the "objects" of verbs. Objects "receive" the action.
These pronouns are used objectively.
Carol gave it to me.
Carol gave it to her.
Carol gave it to them.
Carol gave it to us.
And that prompts the question about the "you" and "me" rule. Or when to use the nominative or objective case of other pronouns.
Mary and I went to town.
Carol went with Mary and me to town.
Carol went with her and Mary to town.
The test to know which case to use? Remove the "other person" from the sentence. Which sounds proper?
I went to town... OR... ME went to town.
Carol went with I to town... OR... Carol went with ME to town.
Carol went with HER to town... OR... Carol went with SHE to town.
Get the idea? Any questions?
Nominative Case: The category of nouns used as the "grammatical subject" of a sentence. Think of the word "nom," which means "name." So nominative means the "name of something"... whether its a pronoun, actual name, or noun. Subjective just means related to being Nominative.
Don't get hung up on terms... but focus on the correct usage.
The pronouns in these sentences are used nominatively.
I went to town.
She went to town.
He went to town.
They went to town.
And so on....
Objective case: nouns that are the "objects" of verbs. Objects "receive" the action.
These pronouns are used objectively.
Carol gave it to me.
Carol gave it to her.
Carol gave it to them.
Carol gave it to us.
And that prompts the question about the "you" and "me" rule. Or when to use the nominative or objective case of other pronouns.
Mary and I went to town.
Carol went with Mary and me to town.
Carol went with her and Mary to town.
The test to know which case to use? Remove the "other person" from the sentence. Which sounds proper?
I went to town... OR... ME went to town.
Carol went with I to town... OR... Carol went with ME to town.
Carol went with HER to town... OR... Carol went with SHE to town.
Get the idea? Any questions?