Plain English Part 47

+10.+ +Remember that _me_, _him_, _her_, _them_, _us_ and _whom_ are always object forms+. Never say, _They charged he and I too much_. Say, _They charged him and me too much_. In an attempt to speak correctly and follow the niceties of English, this mistake is so often made. Always use the object form as the object of a verb or preposition.

+11.+ +When a participle is used as a _noun_, and a p.r.o.noun is used with it, the p.r.o.noun should always be in the _possessive_ form+. We make this mistake so frequently. For example, we say: _Us going there was a mistake_. We should have used the possessive form, _Our going there was a mistake_. _I have never known of him being absent from work._ We should say: _I have never known of his being absent from work_. _Did he tell you about me joining with them?_ This should be, _Did he tell you about my joining with them?_ _You talking to him set him to thinking._ This should be, _Your talking to him set him to thinking_. Watch this and wherever you have used a participle as a _noun_, use the p.r.o.noun in the _possessive_ form, as you would with any other noun.

+12.+ +Watch carefully that the number of the p.r.o.noun always agrees with the number of its antecedent.+ If you are speaking of one person or thing use a singular p.r.o.noun. If you are speaking of more than one person or thing in your antecedent, use the plural p.r.o.noun. For example: _Each man must do his own work._ _The soldiers fully understood their danger._

+13.+ +When a singular noun, in the common gender (this means that it may name either a male or female being), is the antecedent of the p.r.o.noun, it is customary for us to use the masculine p.r.o.noun.+ For example:

Every student should send in _his_ examination paper promptly.

Every member of the cla.s.s may select _his_ own subject.

Do not use the p.r.o.noun _their_ when the antecedent is a singular noun.

SUMMARY

p.r.o.noun--In Place of a Noun

CLa.s.sES

_Personal_ {Simple-- {1st Person, _speaking_.

{Compound-- {2nd Person, _spoken to_.

{3rd Person, _spoken of_.

_Interrogative_ {To ask questions.

{_Who_, _which_ and _what_.

_Relative_ {To refer to another word and connect two statements.

{_Who_, _which_, _that_ and _what_.

Exercise 1

Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of _I_, _me_, or _myself_, in the blank s.p.a.ces:

1. My partner and......joined the union.

2. They asked Henry and......to go.

3. May my friend and......call?

4. I will attend to that.......

5. Let my comrade and......go with you.

6. Are you sure it was......?

7. I blame......for joining with them.

8. They accused......of bothering them.

9. I am nearly beside......with grief.

10. The manager dismissed the men......among the rest.

Exercise 2

Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of _we_, _us_ or _ourselves_ in the blank s.p.a.ces:

1. They are better off than.......

2. The French as well as......claim a war of defense.

3. Can you blame......who have always stood by you?

4. We will do that for.......

5. Between......comrades there should be no differences.

6. They gave......men work.

7. Do not trouble;......will attend to this.......

8. They sent a special notice to our friends and.......

Exercise 3

Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of _thou_, _thee_, _thy_ or _thyself_ in the blank s.p.a.ces:

1. To......be true, and it follows as the night the day......

canst not then be false to any man.

2. Paul,......art beside......; much learning hath made ......mad.

3. ......shalt love......neighbor as.......

4. Trust....... Every heart vibrates to that iron string.

Exercise 4

Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of _he_, _him_, or _himself_ in the blank s.p.a.ces:

1. ......and John are to blame.

2. I think it was.......

3. My friend and......called on you.

4. He blamed......for the accident.

5. You are no better than.......

6. I shall call for you and.......

7. You and......must come on time.

8. He found the place.......

9. There should be no quarrel between you and......who loves you.

10. If you were......would you go?

Exercise 5

Complete the following sentences by using the correct form of _she_, _her_, or _herself_ in the blank s.p.a.ces:

1. They asked Mary and......to go.

2. Mary and......went.

3. May......and I go with you?

4. Let......and Harry go.

5. Is that Mary? Yes, it is.......

6. There are many points of difference between......and me.

7. You are more beautiful than.......