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1 Here’s the Idea
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A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence
or as a predicate pronoun after a linking verb.
Subject Pronouns
Singular
Plural
I
you
he, she, it
we
you
they
Pronouns as Subjects
Friends often play on opposing teams. They compete
hard against each other. (They replaces noun subject Friends.)
Charlene and I play on different teams.
We stay friends no matter what.
Predicate Pronouns
A predicate pronoun follows a linking verb and renames, or refers
to, the subject. Use the subject case for predicate pronouns.
SUBJECT
NAMES
RE
Mrs. Sands is the coach. The coach is she.
NAMES
RE
PREDICATE PRONOUN
The best players are Aaron and I.
NAMES
RE
The toughest opponents are Teresa and he.
Remember, the most common linking verbs are forms of the
verb be; they include is, am, are, was, were, been, has been,
have been, can be, will be, could be, and should be.
Pronouns 57
PRONOUNS
Use the subject case of a pronoun when the pronoun is the
subject of a sentence. Remember, a pronoun can be part of a
compound subject.
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2 Why It Matters in Writing
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Sometimes subject pronouns may
sound strange even though they are
correct. As many writers have discovered, you can’t rely on “sound”
to choose the correct case.
Michael Jordan is a close
friend of Charles Barkley.
he
However, on court the fiercest competitors were him and
I
Charles. Off the court, Hermano and me saw them laughing
CHAPTER 3
and playing golf together.
3 Practice and Apply
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CONCEPT CHECK: Subject Pronouns
Write the correct form of the pronoun to complete each
sentence.
Friends across the (Tennis) Net
1. I read about Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. (Them,
They) were the top two women tennis players in the early
1980s.
2. Martina and (her, she) played each other 80 times.
3. Rulers of the tennis courts were (they, them)!
4. My friend Elana and (me, I) are tennis rivals, too.
5. (We, Us) like to win but stay friends, just like Martina and
Chris.
6. If Martina won, (she, her) would go over and comfort Chris.
7. Sometimes (they, them) would leave each other notes,
like “Sorry,” or “I’m sure you’ll get me next time.”
8. My brother is different. (He, Him) hates his rivals.
9. He’s not like me and my friends. Best friends and tennis
players are (us, we)!
10. Martina and (we, us) agree—be rivals on the court but
stay close off the court.
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For a SELF-CHECK and more practice, see the EXERCISE BANK, p. 535.
58 Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics