Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org
Near them, the children played.
My mother stood between us.
The pronouns us and them are objects of the prepositions near and between. They
answer the questions near whom? And between whom?
Compound subject pronouns are two or more pronouns joined by a conjunction or a
preposition that function as the subject of the sentence.
The following sentences show pronouns with compound subjects:
Incorrect:Me and Harriet visited the Grand Canyon last summer.
Correct:Harriet and I visited the Grand Canyon last summer.
Correct: Jenna accompanied Harriet and me on our trip.
Tip
Note that object pronouns are never used in the subject position. One way to remember
this rule is to remove the other subject in a compound subject, leave only the pronoun,
and see whether the sentence makes sense. For example, Me visited the Grand Canyon
last summer sounds immediately incorrect.
Compound object pronouns are two or more pronouns joined by a conjunction or a
preposition that function as the object of the sentence.
Incorrect: I have a good feeling about Janice and I.
Correct: I have a good feeling about Janice and me.
Tip
It is correct to write Janice and me, as opposed to me and Janice. Just remember it is
more polite to refer to yourself last.
Writing at Work
In casual conversation, people sometimes mix up subject and object pronouns. For
instance, you might say, “Me and Donnie went to a movie last night.” However, when
you are writing or speaking at work or in any other formal situation, you need to
remember the distinctions between subject and object pronouns and be able to correct
yourself. These subtle grammar corrections will enhance your professional image and
reputation.