PRONOUN USAGE

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. Pronouns can be in one of three cases: Subject, Object, or Possessive. 

Rule 1

Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence. You can remember subject pronouns easily by filling in the blank subject space for a simple sentence.

Example:
______ did the job.
I, you, he, she, it, we, and they all fit into the blank and are, therefore, subject pronouns.

Rule 2

Subject pronouns are also used if they rename the subject. They follow to be verbs such asis, are, was, were, am, and will be.

Examples:
It is he.
This is she speaking.

Rule 3

Object pronouns are used everywhere else (direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition). Object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.

Example:
Jean talked to him.

Rule 4a

A strong clause can stand on its own.

Example:
She is hungry.

Rule 4b

A weak clause begins with words such as although, since, if, when, and because. Weak clauses cannot stand on their own.

Example:
Although she is hungry...

Rule 4c

If a sentence contains more than one clause, isolate the clauses so that you can decide which pronoun is correct.

Example:

Weak                                                                             Strong

[Although she is hungry,]                                          

[she will give him some of her food.]

Rule 5

To decide whether to use the subject or object pronoun after the words than or as, mentally complete the sentence.

Example:
Tranh is as smart as she/her.

Rule 6

Possessive pronouns show ownership and never need apostrophes.
Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs

Example:
It's a cold morning.

Rule 7

Reflexive pronouns - myself, himself, herself, itself, themselves, ourselves, yourself, yourselves- should be used only when they refer back to another word in the sentence.

Correct:
I worked myself to the bone.

Incorrect:
My brother and myself did it.
The word myself does not refer back to another word.

Correct:
My brother and I did it.

Incorrect:
Please give it to John or myself.

Correct:
Please give it to John or me.