English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
Rule 3
The subjective forms are used after linking verbs. Linking verbs connect the subject to what is being said about it and they include: am, is, are, was, were, seem.
Who did it?
It was him. ✖️
It was he. ✔️
The logic behind this usage is that we cannot say “him did it”; it has to be “he did it”. This justifies the choice of “he” in such position which is called subject complement position. The sentence will read in full as: It was he who did it. Note, however, that the choice of “me” is allowed in informal contexts and such is heard even among native speakers of English.
Rule 4
The objective forms are used after prepositions. Prepositions are words used to show relationship such as: between, for, among, to, in etc.
Between you and I ✖️
Between you and me ✔️
I did it for you and I. ✖️
I did it for you and me. ✔️
To we lawyers, cases are good. ✖️
To us lawyers, cases are good. ✔️
GAB
