Slip-ups: Subject, object cases (5)
We are continuing our analysis of the incorrect sentences I gave out to you two weeks ago to determine what was incorrect about them.
So far, we have looked at sentences 2 and 3 and corrected them.
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I hope you were able to determine the aspects of those sentences that were incorrect.
Now let’s look at sentence 4:
Mansa insulted Kofi and I for making fun of her.
Here, the aspect which is incorrect is the use of the personal pronoun in the subject case — I.
And let me add that many people do commit this mistake of using the subject cases of pronouns in situations where they should use the object cases of those pronouns.
Now, in the sentence above, we see Mansa as the subject of the verb insulted, with Kofi and the pronoun being the receivers of that action.
Therefore, the pronoun should be in the object case, for which reason the correct sentence should be:
Mansa insulted Kofi and me for making fun of her.
Note that if we were using only the pronoun, without Kofi, we would say or write:
Mansa insulted me for making fun of her.
Again if, instead of Kofi, we had a pronoun, the sentence should:
Mansa insulted him and me for making fun of her.
If the table turns and the two people are now doing the insulting, the sentence will be:
Kofi and I insulted Mansa for making fun of us.
He and I insulted her for making fun of us.
Notice that just as it’s incorrect to write or say:
She insulted Kofi and I.......
it is equally incorrect to write or say:
Kofi and me insulted......
Now to sentence 5:
The man and his wife gave we their servants money for our upkeep.
Here too, we have the same problem of the use of the pronoun in the subject case when it should be in the object case.
The pronoun we is in the subject case, but since it is receiving action, it should be in the object case — us.
So the sentence should be:
The man and his wife gave us their servants money for our upkeep.
(To be continued.)