How do you choose between subject and object pronouns on the ACT (I or me, who or whom), and how do you handle the tricky cases of compounds, comparisons, and who versus whom?
Pronoun case on ACT English: choosing the subject case (I, he, she, we, they, who) for subjects and the object case (me, him, her, us, them, whom) for objects, and handling the test's favorite cases (compounds like 'my friend and I/me', comparisons with than, and who versus whom).
A focused answer to pronoun case on ACT English: using subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they, who) for subjects and object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them, whom) for objects, and the tricky cases of compound subjects and objects, comparisons with than or as, and who versus whom, with a drop-the-other-noun test.
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What this skill is asking
Pronouns change form depending on their job in the sentence: subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they, who) do the action, and object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them, whom) receive it or follow a preposition. The ACT tests this where it is easy to slip: inside a compound ("my friend and I/me"), in a comparison ("taller than I/me"), and with "who" versus "whom". A simple substitution test resolves nearly all of them.
Subject versus object
Case is about the pronoun's grammatical job, not its position.
The drop-the-other-noun test
The compound is the most tested case, and the fix is to remove the distraction.
For comparisons, supply the missing verb to reveal the case. "He runs faster than I" is correct because the full thought is "than I (run)"; "She likes the dog more than me" means "more than (she likes) me" (object), which is a different, also-correct meaning. The ACT usually wants the subject case in a simple comparison ("than I", "as she"), because the implied verb makes the pronoun a subject.
Who versus whom
"Who" is the subject form and "whom" is the object form, and the he/him test settles it.
A shortcut: if the pronoun is immediately followed by a verb with no other subject, it is usually the subject ("the author who wrote the book"); if a new subject follows, the pronoun is usually the object ("the author whom the critics praised").
Why the substitution tests carry this topic
Case questions look fussy, but they all yield to substitution: drop the other noun for compounds, finish the verb for comparisons, and try he/him for who/whom. These tests convert a confusing four-option question into an obvious one-pronoun decision. The skill overlaps with agreement (both are pronoun rules) and with the reflexive trap ("myself" is not a substitute for "I" or "me"). Master the tests and the case questions become quick, dependable points.
Try this
Q1. How do you decide the case of a pronoun inside a compound like "my brother and (I/me)"? [Recall]
- Cue. Drop the other noun and the "and", then say the sentence with just the pronoun. Whichever sounds correct alone is right: "I went" gives "my brother and I"; "to me" gives "to my brother and me". The object of a verb or preposition takes the object case.
Q2. In "the artist ___ the gallery represents", is the answer "who" or "whom", and how do you know? [Short explanation]
- Cue. "Whom". Answer the clause with he/him: "the gallery represents him", and "him" (the object form) signals "whom". The pronoun is the object of "represents", so the object case "whom" is correct.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of ACT exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
ACT English (style)1 marksChoose the best option: 'The award was shared between Daniel and I.' (A) NO CHANGE (B) Daniel and me (C) Daniel and myself (D) I and DanielShow worked answer →
The correct answer is (B), "Daniel and me". "Between" is a preposition, and its objects take the object case. Drop the other name: you would say "between ... me", not "between ... I". So the pronoun must be "me".
Why not the others: (A) "I" is the subject case, wrong as the object of "between"; (C) "myself" is a reflexive pronoun, used only when the subject acts on itself, which is not the case here; (D) reorders but keeps the wrong "I". The object of a preposition takes "me".
ACT English (style)1 marksChoose the best option: 'The scholarship goes to the applicant who the committee selects.' (A) NO CHANGE (B) whom the committee selects (C) which the committee selects (D) whom the committee selectShow worked answer →
The correct answer is (B), "whom the committee selects". In the clause, the pronoun is the object of "selects" (the committee selects whom), so it must be the object form "whom". Test by answering with he/him: "the committee selects him", and "him" signals "whom".
Why not the others: (A) "who" is the subject form, but here the pronoun is an object; (C) "which" is for things, not a person; (D) "select" disagrees with the singular "committee". The object of the verb takes "whom".
Related dot points
- Pronoun agreement and reference on ACT English: matching a pronoun to its antecedent in number (singular antecedents, including indefinite pronouns, take singular pronouns), and fixing unclear reference where a pronoun has no clear antecedent or could point to more than one noun.
A focused answer to pronoun agreement and reference on ACT English: matching a pronoun to its antecedent in number, treating indefinite pronouns and collective nouns correctly, and fixing vague or ambiguous reference where a pronoun has no clear or single antecedent, with a routine for the underlined pronoun.
- Subject-verb agreement on ACT English: matching a verb to its true subject in number, ignoring prepositional phrases and other words between subject and verb, and handling tricky subjects (indefinite pronouns, compound subjects, collective nouns, and inverted there-is and here-are structures).
A focused answer to subject-verb agreement on ACT English: finding the true subject and matching the verb in number, ignoring phrases that come between them, and handling indefinite pronouns, compound subjects, collective nouns, and inverted there-is structures, with a routine for the underlined verb.
- Commonly confused words on ACT English: distinguishing homophone and near-homophone pairs (their/there/they're, your/you're, its/it's, then/than, affect/effect, fewer/less, who's/whose) by meaning and part of speech, and choosing the spelling that fits the sentence.
A focused answer to commonly confused words on ACT English: telling apart homophone and near-homophone pairs (their/there/they're, your/you're, its/it's, then/than, affect/effect, fewer/less) by meaning and part of speech, with quick tests and a routine for choosing the right word in an underlined portion.
- Adjectives, adverbs, and comparisons on ACT English: using adjectives to describe nouns and adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs (good versus well), and forming comparatives (for two) and superlatives (for three or more) without doubling, such as more taller.
A focused answer to adjectives, adverbs, and comparisons on ACT English: using adjectives for nouns and adverbs for verbs and adjectives (good versus well, real versus really), and forming comparatives for two things and superlatives for three or more without doubling, with a routine for the underlined modifier.
Sources & how we know this
- Description of the ACT English Test — ACT, Inc. (2025)
- Preparing for the ACT Test — ACT, Inc. (2025)