Subjective Case Examples: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know what subjective case is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on subjective case, including the definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is the subjective case?

Today we will explore the main subjective pronouns. In English, subjective case pronouns are pronouns that take the place of a noun as the subject of a sentence. These include I, you, he/she/it, we, you, and they according to Grammar Monster. The subject pronoun acts as the subject of a verb and the main subject of a sentence. The subjective case is different from the objective case, in which the pronoun acts as the object of a sentence, though it still may be subject to the action of a verb. The objective pronoun acts as an object, while the subjective form acts as a subject when it comes to English pronouns. However, you can’t use “I” as the direct object of a verb, indirect object of the verb, or the object of a preposition.

There are many different cases in English including the possessive case, oblique cases, nominative nouns, subjective nouns, and other cases of nouns and sentences. These distinctive forms have different pronouns like the nominative pronouns. This group of words is different depending on the grammatical subjects in English depending on what the pronouns function as. Subjective case pronouns function as a sentence’s subject. The forms of English pronouns depend on what they are used for such as a simple matter to express ownership or to be the objects of verbs.

What are subjective case examples?

A subjective pronoun can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! The following examples of the subjective case of pronouns are from English Grammar Lessons, Learn Grammar and Grammar Monster, Grammar Island, Grammar Monster and Your Dictionary in italics. 

  •  She did different things on her day off than she normally would.
  •  He will come here tomorrow.
  •  We work together as a team on the assignment.
  •  Andy will sing the song.
  •  The last in the race was I.
  •  The vocalists will be she and I.
  •  My wife and I presented a certificate. 
  •  If you want to understand him, then you will have to listen very carefully.
  •  He is a business-man.
  •  The lawyers were John Dickinson and he.
  •  It frightens the dog.
  •  The winners were they.
  •  He listens to Elvis and gets good grades.
  •  Deanne and I share many of the same beliefs.
  •  I went to the store today.
  •  The guest who brought the cherries is she.
  •  We talked about pronunciations, an appositive, the objects of prepositions, the object of the sentence, neuter nouns, a linking verb, and the arrangement of words in my English class.
  •  It is a beautiful day outside.
  •  He goes to the store to buy milk for breakfast.
  •  Everyone has to follow what I say.
  •  She is finding out the problem.
  •  Ashley and she broke the silence.
  •  Suzan is finding out the problem.
  •   I like to eat cookies.
  •  He is a singer.
  •  They are my neighbors.
  •  Mr. Twaddell and we might rock the boat.
  •  The owner is he in the black suit.
  •  She took John’s coat.
  •  Your entertainers will be they and I.
  •  It was I.
  •  Jim saw the swords of the men from the Kingdom of Alfred.
  •  The officer in charge is she.
  •  She talked to Lemma about the men’s swords that were found in the instrumental case. 
  •  She is a lawyer.
  •  He decided to row to the island in order to get some exercise in.
  •  The culprit was he in the tall hat.
  •  Susan and I went to the planetarium and looked up at all the stars..
  •  He is very busy with the new business.
  •  She is a content writer.
  •  They rode a gondola in Italy.
  •  Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. (Conductor Ed Gardner)
  •  She likes chocolate ice cream.
  •  You and she perform well together.
  •  Ricardo and I are cousins.
  •  The best singer is he.
  •  Jacqueline is she in the picture.
  •   Joe and I work for the same law firm.
  •  Both they and we like the snow.
  •  She did the dishes to help out her busy mother.
  •  He will sing the song.
  •  He led Alfred’s kingdom as a great king should.
  •  We bought a pound of apples and decided to make a big pie with them.
  •  They talked about the direct object case, the prepositional case, and other different word functions.
  •  We shall memorize a poem.
  •  It was I.
  •  They have begun the race.
  •  Alex will assist you in this project.
  •  They were surprised by the power of that large kingdom, and it was the only time they would see it.
  •  Samuel is very busy with the new business.
  •  She is designing the visiting card.
  •  I gave my boss a gift for the holiday season.
  •  They live near my house.
  •  They took the states’ powers, a head start on taking over the world.
  •  Who was that? 
  •  I know the boy who stole your washing. 
  •  Abby and we share the household chores.
  •  Not many people know that she is an astronaut.
  •  Sally and I are doing our homework together
  •  Steven will come here tomorrow.
  •  He met my sister Heather and my friend Carlos while we were in the taxi on the way to the lodge with Jerry Sander.
  •  We met the guest of honor, George, in November.
  •  Erica and I were born in Alaska.
  •  They eat cakes.
  •  Things are only impossible until they ‘re not. (Writer Hannah Louise Shearer)
  •  The drummers are Adriana and he.
  •  The woman saw the cat.
  •  Mom and I flew to Great Britain.
  •  Ann is writing the articles.
  •  The most qualified applicant is she.
  •  You ran five miles yesterday.
  •  The author is he on the stage.
  •  He is a Professor.
  •  She is a graphic designer.
  •  It was I who rang the bell.
  •  Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together. (Author Carl Zwanzig)
  •  Lisa is designing the visiting card.
  •   She is a very nice lady.
  •  He eats cakes.
  •  He held his trusty sword up to the viking.
  •  They are not very happy about what happened.
  •  He was confused on the different types of words function in the first example and second example
  •  I followed the property line.

Overall, the subjective case is a grammatical case in which the case of a pronoun or forms of English pronouns are the subject of the sentence. These little words can be used in the first person, second person, and third person and are the subject of a clause. 

Sources:

  1. pronoun: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  2. Subjective Personal Pronouns | What Are Subjective Personal Pronouns? | Grammar Monster 
  3. What Are Subjective Personal Pronouns? (grammar lesson) | English Grammar Lessons 
  4. Examples of The Subjective Case/Nominative Case | Learn EnglishÂ