Grade by Grade
B. Foundations of Language · Foundations: Grammar, Sentences and Punctuation

Pronoun Case: I or Me, Who or Whom, We or Us

B3.2About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can choose subject pronouns and object pronouns correctly, even in compound subjects and objects.
  • I can choose who or whom (and whoever or whomever) using the he/him test.
  • I can use pronouns correctly after than and as, and with we/us + noun.
  • I can avoid using reflexive pronouns in place of I or me.

Words to know

case
The form a pronoun takes because of its job in a sentence: subject, object or possessive.
subject pronoun
Does the action: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who.
object pronoun
Receives the action or follows a preposition: me, you, him, her, it, us, them, whom.
possessive pronoun
Shows ownership, with no apostrophe: my/mine, your/yours, his, her/hers, its, our/ours, their/theirs, whose.
reflexive pronoun
Ends in -self or -selves and refers back to the subject: I hurt myself.

Me and Jordan or Jordan and I?

Me and Jordan went to the arena. Many people say this. In formal writing, though, it should be Jordan and I went to the arena. And The coach gave Jordan and I a ride should be The coach gave Jordan and me a ride.

Why does it switch? Because pronouns change form depending on their job in a sentence. This is called case. Remember from Grade 7: you learned that indirect objects use object pronouns (gave me a toque). Now you'll master the trickiest spots.

Subject caseObject casePossessive case
Imemy, mine
hehimhis
sheherher, hers
weusour, ours
theythemtheir, theirs
whowhomwhose
You and it stay the same in subject and object case.

Trick 1: Drop the other person

In a compound, cover up the other person and listen.

  • Jordan and (I / me) went. → I went. ✅ → Jordan and I went.
  • The coach gave Jordan and (I / me) a ride. → gave me a ride ✅ → Jordan and me.
  • between you and (I / me) → between is a preposition, so use the object: between you and me.

Trick 2: Finish the comparison

After than or as, finish the sentence in your head.

  • My brother is taller than (I / me). → taller than I am → I.

Sometimes both are correct but mean different things:

  • I like Maya more than he. = more than he likes Maya.
  • I like Maya more than him. = more than I like him.

Trick 3: We or us + noun

Drop the noun: (We / Us) students want a longer lunch. → We want → We students. The mayor thanked (we / us) volunteers. → thanked us → us volunteers.

Trick 4: Who or whom: the he/him test

Answer the question (or turn the clause into a sentence) with he or him.

  • (Who / Whom) called? → He called. → Who.
  • (Who / Whom) did you invite? → You invited him. → Whom. (him and whom both end in m.)
  • the artist (who / whom) painted the mural → she painted → who.
  • the artist (who / whom) we met → we met her → whom.

In casual speech, many people use who for both. In formal writing, use whom for objects.

Trick 5: Don't use -self to sound formal

  • ❌ Please send questions to Ms. Ali or myself. ✅ ...to Ms. Ali or me.
  • Use a reflexive pronoun only when the subject does something to itself (I taught myself) or for emphasis (I baked it myself).
1. The sentenceThe coach gaveJordan and (I / me)a ride.2. Drop the other personThe coach gave(I / me) a ride.3. Listengave me a ride ✓gave I a ride ✗So: Jordan and me
Cover the other person and listen. Gave me a ride sounds right, so the compound is Jordan and me.
(Who / Whom) called?He called.he → whoWho called?(Who / Whom) did you invite?You invited him.him → whomWhom did you invite?Hint: him and whom both end in m.
Answer the question with he or him. If the answer uses he, write who; if it uses him, write whom.
Worked example

Let's solve a who/whom clause

Choose: The scientist (who / whom) the students interviewed studies polar bears.

  1. Find the clause: (who / whom) the students interviewed.
  2. Turn it into a sentence: The students interviewed ___.
  3. Fill in with he or him: The students interviewed him. → the m form.

The scientist whom the students interviewed studies polar bears.

Worked example

Let's fix a compound

Fix: Mom drove Ravi and I to the airport, and him and me waved goodbye.

  1. drove Ravi and I → drop Ravi: drove I? No: drove me.
  2. him and me waved → drop the other: him waved? No: he waved. me waved? No: I waved.
  3. Polite order: put yourself last.

Mom drove Ravi and me to the airport, and he and I waved goodbye.

Apostrophes don't belong in possessive pronouns

its, hers, ours, theirs, whose never take an apostrophe. It's means it is or it has; who's means who is or who has.

  • The bear licked its paw. / It's going to snow.
  • Whose toque is this? / Who's coming tonight?
Just for fun

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

To.

To who?

Actually, it's to whom.

Hands-on activity

Pronoun swap cards

You need: 10 index cards or scraps of paper and a pencil.

  1. On each card, write a sentence with a family member's name used twice, like Sam and Jess fed Sam and Jess's dog (silly on purpose) or Aunt Sue gave Sam and Jess a ride.
  2. Swap a partner's cards. Replace the repeated names with the right pronouns: Sam and Jess fed their dog. / Aunt Sue gave them a ride.
  3. Add yourself: Aunt Sue gave Sam and ___ a ride → Sam and me.
  4. Last round: write 3 who/whom questions to ask your family (Whom would you invite to a dream dinner?) and say who answered.

What to look for: object pronouns after verbs and prepositions, subject pronouns before verbs, and the he/him test used out loud.

Your turn

1

Choose: Lena and (I / me) made the poster.

2

Choose: The teacher asked Lena and (I / me) to present.

3

Choose: This secret is between you and (I / me).

4

Choose: (We / Us) Grade 8s are organizing the bake sale.

5

Choose: (Who / Whom) left the door open?

6

Choose: To (who / whom) should I give this form?

7

Fix: If you have questions, ask Mr. Lee or myself.

More practice: warm-up

1

Object form of they?

2

Subject form of us?

3

Choose: (Its / It's) a beautiful day.

4

Choose: The cat chased (its / it's) tail.

5

Choose: (Whose / Who's) backpack is this?

More practice: on your own

1

Choose and explain: My sister runs faster than (I / me).

2

Choose: The coach praised (we / us) goalies.

3

Choose and explain: She is the friend (who / whom) I trust most.

4

Choose and explain: She is the friend (who / whom) always helps me.

5

Fix all errors: Her and me went to the library with my cousin and he.

Challenge

1

Choose and explain: Give the extra tickets to (whoever / whomever) wants them.

2

Explain the two meanings: Dad helps my brother more than (I / me).

3

Choose and explain: The award goes to the student (who / whom) the judges believe wrote the best essay.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which sentence is correct in formal writing?

2.

The principal gave Sofia and ___ an award.

3.

In formal writing: ___ did you see at the concert?

4.

Which sentence uses its or it's correctly?

5.

___ Canadians love hockey. Which pronoun is correct?

6.

Which sentence uses a reflexive pronoun correctly?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson is about: pronoun case (subject, object, possessive) in the places that trip up even adult writers: compounds, comparisons, we/us + noun, who/whom and -self pronouns.

How to help at home:

  • Teach the "drop the other person" and "he/him" tests; they work almost every time.
  • When your child says me and Jordan went, you can model Jordan and I went without a lecture.

Common difficulties:

  • Overcorrecting to I everywhere (between you and I, gave Jordan and I). After verbs and prepositions, use me.
  • Using myself to sound polite or formal.
  • Thinking whom is old-fashioned and never needed. It is still expected in formal writing for objects, which matters for high school essays.