The functions of pronouns
Now that we’ve talked about subjects and objects in some detail, it’s a good idea for us to reexamine subject and object pronouns.
Take a look at the noun phrase the teacher in each of the sentences below.
1. The teacher went home early today.
(The teacher is the subject.)
2. The students liked the teacher very much.
(The teacher is the direct object.)
3. Theparentsgavethequestionnaireto the teacher.
(The teacher is the indirect object.)
Notice that the teacher has the same form whether it’s functioning as the subject, the direct object, or the indirect object in a sentence. This is true for all nouns in English: they don’t change form when they change function.
In contrast, there are subject pronouns and object pronouns. Subject pronouns are used when a pronoun is functioning as the subject of a sentence. The subject pronoun is underlined in the following sentences:
4. I read the newspaper every day.
5. She is happy.
6. We love potato chips.
Object pronouns are used in all other contexts. The three major uses for object pronouns are: direct object (Direct objects), indirect object (Indirect objects), and object of a preposition (The basic structure of prepositional phrases). The object pronouns are underlined in the following sentences:
7. My sister congratulated me on my birthday. (direct object)
8. The direct or sent her a message. (in direct object)
9. Mrs. Raffsky spoke to us on the phone. (object of a preposition)
Quick tip
A subject pronoun is used when it is functioning as the subject of the sentence. An object pronoun is used when it is functioning as: (a) the direct object of the sentence; (b) the indirect object of the sentence; (c) the object of a preposition.
Answers
Answers
To enhance your understanding
In the past, who and whom worked the same way as subject and object pronouns. In particular, who was used when functioning as a subject and whom was used when functioning as an object:
10. Who is running away? (subject: Who is doing the action.)
11. Whom does Katie like?(direct object: Whom is receiving the action.)
However, like all languages, English changes overtime, and today, for all but the strictest traditional grammarians, who is used in all contexts, except when it directly follows a preposition (see below). So today a sentence like the following is perfectly grammatical:
12.Who does Katie like? (direct object)
While most of us prefer to use who in sentence 12, it’s still okay to use whom in these contexts. It’s just not necessary to do so, and it tends to sound very formal.
Note that whom must be used when it follows a preposition. In the following examples, whom and the preposition before it are underlined.
13. With whom would you like to speak?
14. To whom may I direct your question?
