Speak good English; Get it correct
This week, we are looking at how to use the correct pronoun (subject case or object case) in situations where the pronoun is to be used with a noun to function either as the subject or the object of a verb.
We said when the pronoun and the noun are used as the subjects of a verb, the pronoun must be in the subject case, as in:
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The girl and I worked together (NOT The girl and me worked together).
Kofi and they need assistance (NOT Kofi and them need assistance).
Our teachers and we deserve commendation (NOT Our teachers and us deserve commendation).
On the other hand, if the pronoun and the noun are used as objects of a verb, then the pronoun must be in the object case, as in:
Mr Owusu punished the girl and me (NOT Mr Owusu punished the girl and I).
Mum sent Kofi and them to buy food (NOT Mum sent Kofi and they to buy food).
The PTA rewarded our teachers and us (NOT The PTA rewarded our teachers and we).
Another way to resolve the problem of which pronoun to use (either the subject case or the object case) is to do away with the noun and use only the pronoun, either as the subject or the object of a verb.
For instance, in the sentence:
The union asked the woman and me/I to investigate the matter,
we can do away with the noun woman and use only the pronoun, in which case we will write or say:
The union asked me to investigate the matter (NOT The union asked I to investigate the matter).
If we will use me alone, then we must use me together with the woman in this case:
The union asked the woman and me to investigate the matter.