English Language Arts
Grade 12
15 min
Pronouns after "than" and "as"
Pronouns after "than" and "as"
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Differentiate between the subjective and objective cases of personal pronouns.
Analyze sentences to identify the implied, elliptical clause following 'than' or 'as'.
Correctly select the appropriate pronoun (subjective or objective) to complete comparisons.
By the end of a this lesson, students will be able to articulate the grammatical justification for their pronoun choice in complex comparative structures.
Evaluate literary and non-fiction texts for correct and incorrect usage of pronouns in comparisons, analyzing the rhetorical effect.
Construct original, sophisticated sentences that demonstrate mastery of pronoun case in comparisons, avoiding ambiguity.
Is it 'She is smarter than I' or 'She is smarter than me'?...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Pronoun CaseThe form a pronoun takes to indicate its grammatical function in a sentence. The three cases are subjective (or nominative), objective (or accusative), and possessive.In 'He gave the book to her,' 'He' is in the subjective case, and 'her' is in the objective case.
Subjective CaseThe case used for a pronoun that acts as the subject of a verb or a predicate nominative. These pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who.'She' is the subject in the sentence 'She runs faster than he [does].'
Objective CaseThe case used for a pronoun that acts as the direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition. These pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us, them, and whom.'Him' is the direct object...
3
Key Rules & Conventions
The Elliptical Clause Rule
To determine the correct pronoun case after 'than' or 'as,' mentally complete the elliptical (implied) clause.
This is the foundational rule. If the pronoun functions as the subject of the implied verb, use the subjective case. If it functions as the object of the implied verb or preposition, use the objective case.
Subjective Case for Subject Comparisons
Use the subjective case (I, he, she, we, they) when the person or thing represented by the pronoun is being compared to the subject of the main clause.
This occurs when the pronoun is the subject of the implied verb. Example: 'She is as determined as he [is].' The comparison is between 'She' (subject) and 'he' (subject).
Objective Case for Obje...
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
A novelist writes dialogue for a character known for his informal, colloquial speech: 'Look, you know the boss better than me. You make the call.' What is the most likely authorial reason for using 'me' instead of the formally correct 'I'?
A.The author made a grammatical error, not understanding the elliptical clause rule.
B.To characterize the speaker as uneducated or speaking in a casual, non-prescriptive register, reflecting realistic speech patterns.
C.To create deliberate ambiguity, making the reader question who knows the boss better.
D.To emphasize that the boss is the object of the sentence, thus requiring an objective pronoun.
Challenging
Analyze the sentence: 'The system rewards employees who are innovative as much as them.' Which of the following statements presents the most precise and critical evaluation of this sentence?
A.The sentence is grammatically correct, comparing the rewards given to innovative employees with rewards given to 'them'.
B.The sentence is grammatically incorrect; it should be '...as much as they' to reflect the implied clause 'as they are innovative'.
C.The sentence is flawed because 'them' is an ambiguous referent, and the structure creates a confusing comparison.
D.The sentence is acceptable in informal contexts but is imprecise for formal writing because it defaults to the objective case, obscuring whether 'them' refers to another group being rewarded or another group being innovative.
Challenging
Consider these two sentences: 1. 'She trusts you more than he.' 2. 'She trusts you more than him.' Which underlying grammatical principle, as described in the tutorial, is the sole determinant for the radical difference in meaning between them?
A.The principle of pronoun-antecedent agreement.
B.The distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs.
C.The rule that 'than' can function as either a preposition or a conjunction.
D.The principle that a pronoun's case is determined by its function within its own (often elliptical) clause.
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing Free