Correct Use of Who, Whom & Whose

Dear learners,
Do you know the importance of pronouns in competitive examinations?

Definition  : 

A pronoun is a word which is used instead of a noun. It can concise the matter. It seems to be familiar but sometimes we commit mistakes using these pronouns in written English.
This area has the second lowest percentage of errors (7%). However, there are students who have not mastered certain grammar items in the use of pronouns and make errors that should be avoided.

Examples of errors in the use of pronouns:

a. Wrong use of the third person (male or female) 
Eg: At the moment, Ahmad’s mother was very afraid and lost his mind.

b. Use of the wrong case ( use of the subjective for the possessive)
Eg: He parents are very poor.

c. Wrong use of reflexive pronoun: 
Eg: I know that there is nothing interest(ing) about myself.

d. Error in subject –pronoun agreement; particularly when the reference goes across from one sentence to another. 
Eg: Some programmes on TV are really boring. They (have) no sense or meaning.

Now I want to let you know some of the rules of Pronouns:

Rule 1.

Personal pronouns are used for three persons.

• Person who is speaking is first person- I, we, myself etc 
• Person who are spoken to is second person – you 
• Persons spoken off is third person- he, she, it, himself, itself, etc. 

Rule 2.

a. The words my, his, her, its, our and your are possessive adjectives. They are used for before the nouns with which these are joined.
Eg: 

1. These cars are theirs. 
2. This pen is mine. 

b. The words his, hers, ours, yours and theirs are possessive pronouns are used

• When separated from the noun by a verb. 
• When the noun is not expressed 
• When it comes after a preposition. 

For Eg: My house and yours are white washed.

Rule 3.

Reflexive pronouns are used

• To show that the person does something to himself. 

Eg: 

1. He laid himself down 
2. I love my own paintings. 

• To lay emphasis on the pronoun or noun 

For Eg: 

1. I myself saw the thief 
2. The house itself fell. 
3. Hari himself saw his father hit by a scooter. 

Rule 4.

demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, those, one, none and such.

• One’s and ones are different in meaning. 
• One’s means of one 
• Ones means plural form of one 

For Eg: 

1. The intelligence ones were rewarded. 
2. It depends on one’s honesty. 

• In some cases pronoun is used to emphasize. 

Eg: It was the thief who was arrested yesterday.

Rule 5.

Relative or Conjunctive pronouns are like who, which, whose and whom.

• Who is used with a subject. 
• Whom is used with objective nouns. 

For Eg: 

1. He is my friend who is in teaching profession. 
2. He is the man whom we met yesterday. 

• Whosoever means any or every person referred to. 

Eg: Whosoever comes to me in need I will help them.

• Wherever means in any or every place where.

Eg: The wise get opportunities wherever they go.

• Whenever means in any or every time when. 

Eg: Buddha says: Good people are like rare pearls. So don’t lose them whenever they come across in your life.

• Whichever means that of all. 

Eg: It was a horrible thing whichever happens till now.

Rule 6.

Interrogative pronouns are which, what, who, which, is used in selective sense, what in general sense. 
Eg: 

1. What book is that? 
2. Which book do you want to buy? 

• What is also used in exclamatory sentences. 

Eg: What an Idea!

Rule 7.

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.
Eg: 

1. I am not one of those who betray their friends. 
2. One must do one’s duty. 

Rule 8.

Pronoun of second person is put first then third and last of all first person. But while making a confession the order is first person, second person, third person.
Eg: 

1. You, he and I are to organize the show. 
2. I, you and the he are in the wrong. 

Finally, I want to conclude that, pronouns are easy to learn but difficult to find out errors in them in correction of sentences. So observe carefully these pronouns and then you can get good marks in all examinations.