We spent hours chatting with her.
Subject and Object Forms
1. Six English words have one form when they are used as subjects, and a different form when they are used as objects.
SUBJECT OBJECT
I .me
he .him
she .her
we .us
they them
who whom
Compare:
A) I like dogs. Dogs don't like me.
.B) We went to see her. She came to see us.
..C) This is Mr Perkins, who works with me.
This is Mr Perkins, with whom I am working at the moment.
2. In informal English, we use object forms (me, him, etc) after be and in one-word answers.
"Who's that?" 'It's me.'
"Who said that?" 'Him.'
In a formal style, we prefer to use a subject form with a verb.
"Who said that?" 'He did.'
3. Whom is not used in informal English. We prefer to use who as an object, especially in questions.
Who did you go with?
Who have you invited?
We use whom in a more formal style; and we must use whom after a preposition.
Whom did they arrest? (formal)
With whom did you go? (very formal)
4. After as, than, but and except, we use object forms in an informal style.
My sister's nearly as tall as me.
I'm prettier than her.
Everybody but me knew what was happening.
Everybody except him can come.
Subject forms are used in a more formal style (usually with auxilliary verbs) after as and than.
My sister is nealy as tall as I am.
I'm prettier than she is.
P.S. If you would like to know more about the correct usage of the pronouns 'I' and 'me', please watch the video that I uploaded to our EC video gallery.
Similarly, if you need additional notes about the difference between 'who' and 'whom', there is another video.
Note: The tips in this series are picked from various sources!
~* GS *~
February 28, 2013
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