Welcome to the Learning Commons Quick Start Guide on noun and pronoun case!
Case is an important thing for any budding grammarian to understand.
This guide will explain:
- What case meansÂ
- How to tell what is subjective case, objective case, and possessive case  Â
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Course Information
Course Level:Â Beginner
Time to Complete:Â 15 mins
Perfect for:Â Students in WRTG100/101, ENGL103, or anyone who needs a refresher.
Guide Creator:Â Abby Pernsteiner
Case 101
General Rules for Case
What Case Is
The case of a noun or pronoun refers to its position and role in a sentence (whether it be subject, object, etc.) While there are technically five cases in English, there are three that are going to be more relevant to you in day to day life: Subjective, Objective, and Possessive.
Subjective Case
Subjective Case, or Nominative Case, is when the noun or pronoun is the subject of the sentence, the thing performing the action of the sentence, as follows:
IÂ am going to the store.
We are taking a walk.
Jim and Susan work in the office.
Objective Case
By contrast, objective case is when the noun or pronoun is the object of the sentence, the recipient of the action. For example:
Give the paper to me.
They went to meet Susan.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Possessive Case
Finally, possessive case is when the noun or pronoun is indicating the owner of the subject or object in the sentence, as follows:
The book is mine.Â
Dave’s house is just down the street.
I attended their classes.
Your Turn: Test Your Understanding!
Below are a few review exercises that you can use to check on your grasp of this lesson.
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Additional Resources
Video on Nominative and Accusative Cases of Nouns
Intro guides:
More advanced guides: