Case refers to the way a noun or pronoun is used in a sentence. When it is the subject of a verb, it is in the subjective case (also called the nominative case). When it is the object of a verb or a preposition, it is in the objective case. When it possesses something, it is in the possessive case.
With nouns, the subjective and objective cases aren't a problem because nouns keep the same form whether they are subjects or objects.
-
The frog ate the bee. The bee stung the frog.
Some pronouns, however, take different forms depending on whether they are subjects or objects. These pronouns are listed in Table 1.
|
Subjective Case |
Objective Case |
|---|---|
|
I |
me |
|
he |
him |
|
she |
her |
|
we |
us |
|
they |
them |
|
who, whoever |
whom, whomever |
In the sentence Tension existed between Franklin and Winston, there is no confusion about what case to use for Franklin or Winston. But what about in the following sentence?
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Tension existed between Franklin and him.
Is him right? Or should it be he? (The pronoun is the object of the preposition between, so him is correct.)