usage

objective case

Use the objective case for the object of any verb, preposition, or verbal or for the subject of an infinitive. objective pronouns direct object - a piece of plaster hit -him- on the head. indirect object - my uncle sent -me- a lace fan. obj of prep - three very tall men sat in front of -us- in the movie theater. obj of participle - the sharks following -them- were hungry. obj of gerund - meeting -you- will be a great pleasure. obj of infinitive - I am obligated to help -her- move this saturday. sub of infinitive - the firm wanted -her- to work the graveyard shift.

who and whom

Who is used for the subjective case. Whom is used for the objective case. nominative - who, whoever - subject of a verb, predicate nominative objective - who, whoever - direct object, object of prep possessive - whose, whosever - to show ownership

past time

past : I paddled present perfect : I have paddled. past perfect : I had paddled. past progressive : I was paddling. present perfect progressive : I have been paddling. past perfect progressive : I had been paddling. past emphatic : I did paddle. uses of the past - completed action : The new rec center opened. completed condition : There was a flood in Yosemite Park.

They had visited the pyramids in the Valley of the Kings. Identify the tense of the underlined verb in the sentence.

past perfect

uses of the progressive forms that express past time

past progressive - long continuing action in the past : She was going to China that year. short continuing action in the past: I was talking to Mary when you tried to call. continuous condition in the past : I was being honest when I said I was sorry about the incident. present perfect progressive - action continuing to the present : Edith has been visiting more monuments this summer. past perfect progressive - continuing action interrupted by another : He had been dreaming of victory until reality interrupted his dreams.

many people -visit- the Washington Monument each year. Identify the principal part used to form the verb

present

verbs in a subordinate clause

t is frequently necessary to look at the tense of the main verb in a sentence before deciding the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause. Key Concept The tense of a verb in a subordinate clause should follow logically from the tense of the main verb. Example George Washington had been dead for nearly sixty years when Theodore Roosevelt was born. The subordinate clause is -when Theodore Roosevelt was born-. (Remember that a subordinate clause cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence; it is only part of a sentence.) The verb tense of the subordinate clause is in the perfect tense: -was born-. It logically follows the tense of the main verb, -had been dead-, which is in the progressive tense.

regular verb

the past and past participle are formed by adding -ed or -d to the present form.

Conjugation

A conjugation is a complete list of the singular and plural forms of a verb in a particular tense. Singular verb forms correspond to singular personal pronouns and plural forms correspond to plural personal pronouns.

sequence of tenses

A sentence with more than one verb must be consistent in its time sequence. Key Concept When showing a sequence of events, do not shift tenses unnecessarily. It is, however, sometimes necessary to shift tenses, especially when a sentence is complex or compound-complex. The tense of the main verb often determines the tense of the subordinate verb. Moreover, the form of a participle or infinitive often depends on the tense of the main verb in the sentence.

verb tenses

A verb has four principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past, and the past participle. Present: listen, speak Present Participle: listening, speaking Past: listened, spoke Past Participle: listened, spoken

possessive case

Although errors are less common in the possessive case than they are in the other two cases, you should take care to use the possessive case before gerunds. A gerund is a verbal form ending in -ing that is used as a noun. Use the possessive case before gerunds. Examples Your tracing of the map was sloppy. (The gerund tracing is the subject of the sentence.) We objected to his insinuating that we were lazy. (The gerund insinuating is the object of the preposition to.) Ms. Malin insists on our attending her slide presentation. (The gerund attending is the object of the preposition on.) Another mistake to avoid is using an apostrophe with possessive pronouns, which already show ownership. Spellings such as her's, our's, their's, and your's are incorrect. In addition, do not confuse a possessive pronoun with a contraction that sounds almost the same. It's (with an apostrophe) is the contraction for it is or it has. Its (without the apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun that means "belonging to it." You're is a contraction of you are; the possessive form of you is your. Possessive Pronouns The map had served its purpose. The students displayed their maps. Contractions It's not likely that we will become lost. You're the only ones who refused to consult the map.

pronouns in elliptical clauses

An elliptical clause is one in which some words are omitted but still understood. Errors in pronoun usage can easily be made when an elliptical clause that begins with than or as is used in making a comparison. Key Concept In elliptical clauses beginning with than or as, use the form of the pronoun that you would use if the clause were fully stated. The case of the pronoun depends on whether the omitted words belong after or before the pronoun. The omitted words in the examples below are supplied in brackets. Words Left Out After Pronoun Ray is as dedicated as he. Ray is as dedicated as he [is]. Words Left Out Before Pronoun You gave Lewis more than me. You gave Lewis more than [you gave] me. Mentally add the missing words. If they come after the pronoun, choose a nominative pronoun. If they come before the pronoun, choose an objective pronoun. Choosing a Pronoun in Elliptical Clauses Consider the choices of pronouns: nominative or objective. Mentally complete the elliptical clause. Base your choice on what you find. Nominative Pronoun He liked whales more than I. He liked whales more than I [did]. Objective Pronoun He liked whales more than me. He liked whales more than [he liked] me.

objective pronouns in compounds

Cracking ice floes alarmed Burt and him. (Cracking ice floes alarmed him.) Sally drew Laurie and me a map. (Sally drew me a map.) She asked Charlayne and me to point out some features on the map. (She asked me to point out some features on a map.) Incorrect This argument is just between you and I. Correct This argument is just between you and me. Correct This argument is just between you and her. This argument is just between you and him. This argument is just between you and us. This argument is just between you and them.

which sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense?

He had dreamed about the Great Wall of China long before he visited it.

Your science teacher can help you learn more about whales than _____. Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence's elliptical clause?

I

In which sentence does the underlined pronoun correctly complete the elliptical clause?

I suspect that he would enjoy living with whales more than [he enjoys living with] us.

future

I will walk. (future) I will have walked. (future perfect) I will be walking. (future progressive) I will have been walking. (future perfect progressive) uses of the future and the future perfect - future future action : I will jog in the morning. future condition : I will be late for the meeting. future perfect future action completed before another : I will have run a mile by the time you arrive. future condition completed before another : The orchestra will have been on tour for a month before the new concert season begins.

past emphatic

The past emphatic behaves in many ways like the present emphatic, but with past actions and with the past tense helping verb -did-. uses of past emphatic - emphasizing a statement : The cactus did grow without any water. denying a contrary assertion : But I did hike to the ancient ruins! asking a question : When did the US recognize Vietnam? making a sentence negative : He did not appreciate her hard work.

past perfect

The past perfect expresses a past action that took place before another action. uses of the past perfect - Action completed before another past action: Perhaps the nomadic hunters had drawn on the ground before they drew on the cave walls Condition completed before another past condition: Rhoda had been a photographer until she became ill.

Be

The present participle of be is being. The past participle is been. The present and the past depend on the subject and tense of the verb. Present I am / we are you are / you are he, she, it is / they are Past I was / we were you were / you were he, she, it was / they were Future I will be / we will be you will be / you will be he, she, it will be / they will be

present time

The three forms of the present tense show present actions or conditions as well as various continuing actions or conditions. present - i wield present progressive - i am wielding present emphatic - i do wield The present may also be used to express historical events. This use of the present, called the historical present, is occasionally used in narration to make past actions or conditions come to life. Past action expressed in historical present In the late 1800s, thousands of immigrants pass through Ellis Island before starting their lives anew in the U.S. Past condition expressed in historical present The exodus of middle-class people from the cities in the 1960s is one of the factors in the decline of urban areas. The critical present is most often used to discuss deceased authors and their literary achievements. Dame Agatha Christie writes with a skill that makes her stories classics. (action expressed in the critical present) In addition to his novels, Thomas Hardy is the author of several volumes of poetry. (condition expressed in the critical present) Also, the present progressive is used to show a continuing action or condition of a long or short duration. present progressive - long continuing action : I am working at the visitors center this summer. short continuing action : I am watering the plants. continuing action : Julio is being very helpful. The bear is hibernating. (long duration) I am yawning. (short duration) I am washing the dishes. (short continuing action) present emphatic- emphasizing a statement : I do intend to meet her at the airport. denying a contrary assertion : no, he does not have the answer asking a question : do you guide people to the pyramids? making a sentence negative : she does not have our blessing.

modifiers that help clarify tense

The time expressed by a verb can often be clarified by adverbs such as -always- or -frequently- and phrases such as -last week- or -now and then-. Use modifiers when they can help clarify tense. Examples We read about great monuments every weekend. My brother practices singing once a week.

the six verb tenses

There are six tenses that indicate when an action or a condition of a verb is, was, or will be in effect. Each of these six tenses has at least two forms. Each tense has a basic and a progressive form. The Basic Forms of the Six Tenses - Present: I visit the Statue of Liberty Past: I visited Ellis Island last Sunday Future: I will visit the Washington Monument next week. Present Perfect: I have visited the children at the hospital for almost a year now. Past Perfect: I had visited my grandmother on weekends until this past month. Future Perfect: I will have visited my aunt once a week for a year by the end of May. Progressive forms end in -ing. The Progressive Forms - Present Progressive: I am drawing right now. Past Progressive: I was drawing when you called. Future Progressive: I will be drawing all weekend. Present Perfect Progressive: I have been drawing more than usual lately. Past Perfect Progressive: I had been drawing apples until the art teacher suggested I draw boats. Future Perfect Progressive: I will have been drawing in my free time.. There is also a third form, the emphatic, which exists only for the present and past tenses. The present emphatic is formed with the helping verbs do or does, depending on the subject. The past emphatic is formed with did. Examples I do exercise more frequently than you. I did exercise last night to burn more calories.

nominative case

Use the nominative case for the subject of a verb, for a predicate nominative, and for the pronoun in a nominative absolute. a subject of a sentence tells who or what the sentence is about. a predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that appears with a linking verb and renames, identifies, or explains the subject. the pronouns he and she follow the linking verb were; therefore, they are predicate nominatives. nominative pronouns - as the subject of a verb : I will consult the map while she asks for directions. as a predicate nominative : the finalists were he and she. in a nominative absolute : she having finished the meal, the waiter cleared her table. A nominative absolute consists of a noun or nominative pronoun followed by a participial phrase. It functions independently from the rest of the sentence. Example We having opened our textbooks, the geography teacher pointed out the map on page 435. -We- is a nominative pronoun followed by the participial phrase -having opened our textbooks-.

objective pronouns with appositives

When a pronoun used as an object or as the subject of an infinitive is followed by an appositive, remember to use the objective case. Examples The mapmaking quiz intimidated us students. (Us is the object.) She brought us amazed nieces a pet iguana from her trip to Central America. (Us is the object.) The guide asked us stragglers to hurry. (Us is the subject of the infinitive.) Notice that an objective case pronoun may be used as the subject only of an infinitive.

nominative pronouns with appositives

When an appositive follows a pronoun used as a subject or predicate nominative, the pronoun should stay in the nominative case. You can often do a mental check by removing or reversing the order of the subject or predicate nominative; then, the correct usage will becomes more clear. Subject We mapmakers are using more technology. (We are using more technology.) Predicate Nominative The programmers are we seniors. (We are the programmers.)

nominative pronouns in compounds

When you use a pronoun in a compound subject or predicate nominative, check the case by mentally removing the other part of the compound or by mentally inverting the sentence. Compound Subject The teacher and I inspected the map. (I inspected the map.) His father and he sailed the boat. (He sailed the boat.) Compound Predicate Nominative The fastest sailors were Jody and he. (Jody and he were the fastest sailors.) The surveyors were Lin and I. (Lin and I were the surveyors.)

direct questions

Who is the correct form when the pronoun is the subject of a simple question. Whom is the correct form when the pronoun is the direct object, object of a verbal, or object of a preposition. A question in the normal subject-verb order will always correctly begin with who. -who- wants a free ticket? A question in inverted order will never correctly begin with who. To see if you should use whom instead of who, reword the question as a statement. If you change the order of the words, you often find that you need to use whom. -whom- were you discussing? (you were discussing whom) -whom- did you take with you? (you did take whom with you) Choosing the correct case of who and whom is easier if you remember that the pronoun's use within the subordinate clause determines its case. Example They screened whoever applied for the scholarship. In this example, the pronoun appears to be the direct object of screened. A closer look at the pronoun's position, however, reveals that it is the subject of the subordinate clause whoever applied for the scholarship. Thus, the nominative form whoever is correct. The entire subordinate clause is the direct object of the sentence. Follow these steps to see if the case of a pronoun in a subordinate clause is correct. First, isolate the subordinate clause. (If the complex sentence is a question, rearrange it in normal subject-verb order.) Second, if the subordinate clause itself is inverted, rearrange the words in their usual order. Finally, determine the pronoun's use within the subordinate clause.

complex sentences

Who, may I ask, has seen a whale? Reworded sentence: I may ask who has seen a whale. In this example, the pronoun who has been used as the subject of the verb has seen in the noun clause who has seen a whale. Is the tall man the one whom they selected to captain the ship? Reworded clause: They selected whom to captain the ship. In this example, the pronoun whom has been used as the object of the verb selected.

case

case is the form of a noun or a pronoun that indicates its use in a sentence. Both nouns and pronouns have three cases, each of which has its own distinctive uses. nominative - subject of a verb, predicate nominative, or nominative absolute objective - direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, object of a verbal, or subject of an infinitive possessive - to show ownership nominative - the -map- had been hidden for years. (map is nominative because it is the subject of the verb) objective - we tried to find the -map-. (map is objective because it is the object of the infinitive -to find-) possessive - the -map's- location could not be determined. (form only changes to possessive when an 's is added)

in which sentence is the pronoun whom used correctly?

from whom did you borrow the book? is he the man whom they selected to be captain?

I will have run a mile by the time you return from the Lincoln Memorial. what is the verb form?

future perfect the helping verbs -will have- help form the future perfect tense

My classmates and _____ went to the science museum to see the new exhibit. Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence?

he

Jed gave Monica and _____ free tickets to the play. Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence using the objective case?

me

Though Fran and I worked together, my science teacher gave Fran a better grade than _____. Which pronoun correctly completes the clause if the teacher gave Fran a better grade than he gave the speaker?

me

pronoun case

nominative - I, you, he,she, it, we, they objective - me, you, him, her, it, us, them possessive - my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, our, ours, their, theirs

irregular verbs

one whose past and past participle are not formed by adding -ed or -d to the present form. One common problem is using a principal part that is nonstandard. Incorrect They -knowed- about the Jefferson Memorial. Correct They -knew- about the Jefferson Memorial. A second problem is confusing the past and past participle when they are different. Incorrect She -done- the right thing. Correct She -did- the right thing.

Though Ed and his two sisters want to study whales, Ed is more serious about it than _____. Which pronoun correctly completes the elliptical clause?

they

in which sentence is the pronoun who used correctly?

who is reading the book?

in which sentence is the pronoun whoever correctly used?

whoever produced that tv program on whales did a great job.

To _____ did you give your application for a summer job? Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence?

whom

which sentence contains the correct form of the possessive pronoun?

whose book about the blue whales is this?

in which sentence is the underlined pronoun used correctly?

you are much more logical than I