What is the proper grammar for my example sentence?

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The discussion centers on the correct pronoun case in the sentence "Jessica thinks I was born for ___________." The consensus is that "her" is the appropriate choice, as it is the objective case, while "she" is subjective and incorrect in this context. The distinction is made that the presence of a linking verb does not affect the pronoun case when the main verb separates the subject from the predicate. Additionally, the conversation highlights common misunderstandings about pronoun usage among English speakers. Ultimately, the correct pronoun in the given sentence is confirmed to be "her."
  • #61
timmeister37 said:
Sysprog, do you agree with the rule i wrote in post #27?
Can you restate that rule? We're now at post #61, so this was 34 posts back.
 
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  • #62
Mark44 said:
Can you restate that rule? We're now at post #61, so this was 34 posts back.
The right rule is to distinguish correctly between subject and object when deciding whether to say 'she' or 'her', or 'I' or 'me' (not that you didn't already know that, Sir).
 
  • #63
timmeister37 said:
How does determining whether a pronoun is a direct object or an indirect object help one figure out whether the pronoun should be in the objective case or the subjective case?
I don't see how it's relevant at all. Here are two examples using her:
1. Fred gave her a bouquet. -- Direct object "bouquet," indirect object "her."
2. For the position of director, I nominate her. -- Direct object, "her."

What's important is to distinguish between whether the pronoun is a subject or an object (either direct object or indirect). It's the difference between "Who is calling?" and "To whom did you wish to speak?"
In the first, "who" is the subject; in the second "you" is the subject and "whom" is the indirect object.
 
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  • #64
sysprog said:
The right rule is to distinguish correctly between subject and object when deciding whether to say 'she' or 'her', or 'I' or 'me'.
I was asking @timmeister37 to state his rule -- I didn't want to have to trawl back through a bunch of posts.
 
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  • #65
The transitivity of 'gave' renders problematic the determination of which object is direct and which indirect, but it's not problematic for determination of subject vis-a-vis object . . .
 
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  • #66
Mark44 said:
Can you restate that rule? We're now at post #61, so this was 34 posts back.
The posts are all numbered. It is a long rule. It is on the second page.

Mark44, you already agreed with the rule upthread. I am curious as to sysprog's opinion.
 
  • #67
Mark44 said:
I was asking @timmeister37 to state his rule -- I didn't want to have to trawl back through a bunch of posts.
I changed my mind.
I will restate it, Mark44. It will take several minutes though
 
  • #68
At this point of the discussion I feel I should caution against confusing the object with a predicate nominative.
From the Daily Grammar, "A predicate nominative or predicate noun completes a linking verb and renames the subject. It is a complement or completer because it completes the verb (predicate)."
Example: (Pointing at a person in a photo) "In this photo my mother is she, do you remember her?" "She" for predicate nominative, "her" for direct object.
 
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  • #69
The following is my rule in post #27:

As i recall, the rule for which pronoun case to use has to do with the verb form in the sentence. As i recall, if the sentence uses a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the subjective case (she). If the sentence does not use a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the objective case (her). The only linking verb that matters for this rule is the linking verb that separates the subject from the predicate in the sentence, not any other linking verb in this sentence.
 
  • #70
timmeister37 said:
The following is my rule in post #27:

As i recall, the rule for which pronoun case to use has to do with the verb form in the sentence. As i recall, if the sentence uses a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the subjective case (she). If the sentence does not use a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the objective case (her). The only linking verb that matters for this rule is the linking verb that separates the subject from the predicate in the sentence, not any other linking verb in this sentence.
I would like to see sentential examples.
 
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  • #71
timmeister37 said:
The following is my rule in post #27:

As i recall, the rule for which pronoun case to use has to do with the verb form in the sentence. As i recall, if the sentence uses a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the subjective case (she). If the sentence does not use a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the objective case (her). The only linking verb that matters for this rule is the linking verb that separates the subject from the predicate in the sentence, not any other linking verb in this sentence.

I think i might have found a flaw in my rule in post #27. My post #27 says the following: If the sentence does not use a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the objective case (her).
Consider the following sentence: I am smarter than she.

I know that "I am smarter than she" is correct grammar.

Is "am smarter" a linking verb?
 
  • #72
sysprog said:
I would like to see sentential examples.
There is an example in my post #71.
 
  • #73
timmeister37 said:
I think i might have found a flaw in my rule in post #27. My post #27 says the following: If the sentence does not use a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the objective case (her).
Consider the following sentence: I am smarter than she.

I know that "I am smarter than she" is correct grammar.

Is "am smarter" a linking verb?
I would say 'I am taller than she is' (2 instances of the 'esse' (to be) verb) -- in my view, your sentence does not include a 'linking' verb, but I don't use that terminology . . .
 
  • #74
This isn't the homework forum. Thread closed pending deletion.
 
  • #75
Evo said:
This isn't the homework forum. Thread closed pending deletion.
I'm almost certain this isn't a homework question.
 
  • #76
Mark44 said:
I'm almost certain this isn't a homework question.
It's definitely "homework like" and if it's this much like homework, it goes in homework, that's always been our rule. The information here would be of benefit to any student with similar school work.
 
  • #77
timmeister37 said:
As i recall, the rule for which pronoun case to use has to do with the verb form in the sentence. As i recall, if the sentence uses a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the subjective case (she). If the sentence does not use a linking verb to link the predicate pronoun back to the subject of the sentence, then the predicate pronoun should be the objective case (her).
I think this is correct. The only linking verb (this is terminology I don't recall from when I was learning grammar) is "to be," in its various conjugations, tenses, and moods. I won't swear to this, though,.
timmeister37 said:
Is "am smarter" a linking verb?
No, just "am." Here the adjective "smarter" modifies the subject, "I."
sysprog said:
I would say 'I am taller than she is'
"I am taller than she" is also correct. The final "is" is implied.
 
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  • #78
Evo said:
It's definitely "homework like" and if it's this much like homework, it goes in homework, that's always been our rule. The information here would be of benefit to any student with similar school work.
No, not homework-like. I've been involved with the thread since the beginning. The OP is just curious about how pronouns work in English.

Aside from not being homework, we don't have a Homework section devoted to English grammar.

Please leave the thread open...
 
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  • #79
Well, thanks for re-opening the thread, and for not deleting it -- I understand that's it's not really physics, but I for one think that it's interesting.
 
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  • #80
sysprog said:
Well, thanks for re-opening the thread, and for not deleting it -- I understand that's it's not really physics, but I for one think that it's interesting.
There's no requirement that things in general discussion have to be any STEM topics
 
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  • #81
phinds said:
There's no requirement that things in general discussion have to be any STEM topics
But if it's presented like the OP's first post, it would be considered homework. Also, the OP's attitude is inappropriate.
 
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  • #82
Again I feel I must be missing what the fuss is about.
The word in question is the object of a preposition. What else is required??
 
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  • #83
Evo said:
But if it's presented like the OP's first post, it would be considered homework. Also, the OP's attitude is inappropriate.
Well, even though I'm just a regular member, I to some extent concur with you regarding your pointing out of inappropriateness, and I detested the way @PeroK was treated, although I'm confident that he's amply capable of handling things himself ##\cdots##
 
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  • #84
I think we should mention it once if we are offended and then stop communicating if it continues. Not a big deal...sort of self correcting.
And one can certainly be offended by bad treatment of others... and mention same.
 
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  • #85
hutchphd said:
I think we should mention it once if we are offended and then stop communicating if it continues
I disagree. It is inappropriate to insult another member and to CONTINUE to do it is totally unacceptable. We should report that, not ignore it.
 
  • #86
sysprog said:
I to some extent concur with you regarding your pointing out of inappropriateness, and I detested the way @PeroK was treated,
This occurred some 50 or 60 posts back, and was pointed out to the OP, who seems to have mended his ways.
 
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  • #87
phinds said:
I disagree. It is inappropriate to insult another member and to CONTINUE to do it is totally unacceptable. We should report that, not ignore it.

I think it is better left to the aggrieved party at that point. If they are not sufficiently offended it seems a little bit of a reach to intervene. To each his own.

.
 
  • #88
.
Lol, that's some fancy formatting. . . but I've never seen the "# # \cdots # #" used before.

It does seem to work, though. . . . 🤔

sysprog said:
Well, even though I'm just a regular member, I to some extent concur with you regarding your pointing out of inappropriateness, and I detested the way @PeroK was treated, although I'm confident that he's amply capable of handling things himself ##\cdots##
1587858588507.png


.
 
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  • #89
Since this is rumbling on, I wouldn't worry about me.
 
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  • #90
As i said upthread, about ten years ago, i researched this issue in depth. I found an excellent grammar textbook at my local public library. The English grammar textbook i found was John E. Warriner's textbook English Grammar and Composition. With Warriner's textbook English Grammar and Composition, the rules for when one must use the subjective case and when one must use the objective case were crystal clear, and it made so much sense! One thing i remember about the rule that Warriner stated was that i had to know whether or not a verb was intransitive verb or a transitive verb to know whether or not i should use the subjective case or the objective case. I am going to either buy Warriner's textbook or get it on interlibrary loan.
My purpose on this thread is to get a deep understanding of the rules as to which pronoun case to use. I will share this information with everyone on the thread who wants to know as soon as i acquire it.

Although i do think that my rule on post #27 is on the right track, I don't think the rule i posted on post #27 is 100% complete to give one the correct pronoun case 100 % of the time.

P.S. no, this is not a homework question. I don't attend any school. I am on OTR truck driver.
 
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