WREN & MARTIN's English grammar-Personal pronouns for competitive examinations

 

PERSONAL PRONOUNS — MCQs for Competitive Examinations

(Based on Wren & Martin's English Grammar)

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Average Standard

1. ________ and my friends went to the market yesterday.

• A) Me
• B) My
• C) I
• D) Myself

2. The teacher asked Ravi and ________ to clean the classroom.

• A) I
• B) my
• C) myself
• D) me

3. This is a secret between you and ________.

• A) I
• B) me
• C) myself
• D) mine

4. ________ is she talking to on the phone?

• A) Who
• B) Whom
• C) Whose
• D) Which

5. The letters were addressed to my brother and ________.

• A) I
• B) my
• C) me
• D) myself

6. It is ________ who is responsible for this mistake.

• A) him
• B) his
• C) he
• D) himself

7. My sister and ________ have decided to learn French together.

• A) me
• B) my
• C) myself
• D) I

8. The manager appreciated both Priya and ________ for our performance.

• A) I
• B) me
• C) my
• D) myself

9. ________ do you think will win the competition?

• A) Whom
• B) Whose
• C) Who
• D) Which

10. The principal gave the prize to the girl and ________ personally.

• A) I
• B) he
• C) him
• D) his

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Answers

1. C) I When a personal pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence along with a noun, the subject pronoun "I" is used. Wren & Martin's rule: "I" is always used as the subject, never "me." Also, as a matter of courtesy, "I" is placed last — "My friends and I."

2. D) me "Asked" is a transitive verb requiring an object. "Ravi and me" together form the object of the verb "asked." Wren & Martin states that the object pronoun "me" is used when the pronoun functions as the object of a verb.

3. B) me Prepositions are always followed by object pronouns. "Between" is a preposition, so "me" (object pronoun) is correct. "Between you and I" is a very common grammatical error tested in competitive examinations. "Myself" cannot be used without a prior reference to "I" in the sentence.

4. B) Whom "Whom" is used as the object of a verb or preposition. Here, "talking to" — "to" is a preposition and requires the object pronoun "whom." Wren & Martin clearly distinguishes: "who" = subject, "whom" = object.

5. C) me "Addressed to" — "to" is a preposition followed by an object pronoun. "My brother and me" form the object of the preposition "to." Using "I" after a preposition is a grammatical error as per Wren & Martin.

6. C) he After the verb "to be" (is), a subject pronoun is always used. Wren & Martin states that the verb "to be" is followed by the nominative (subject) case. Hence "It is he who..." is grammatically correct, not "It is him."

7. D) I "My sister and I" form the compound subject of the verb "have decided." Wren & Martin's rule: when a pronoun is part of a compound subject, the subject pronoun must be used. "Me" and "myself" are object forms and cannot function as subjects.

8. B) me "Appreciated" is a transitive verb. "Priya and me" together form the object of the verb "appreciated." To test correctness, remove "Priya and" — "the manager appreciated me" sounds correct, confirming "me" is right. This substitution trick is recommended in Wren & Martin.

9. C) Who "Who" is used here as the subject of the verb "will win." Though it appears after "do you think," the pronoun is actually the subject of the embedded clause "who will win the competition." Wren & Martin: use "who" when the pronoun is the subject of its own clause.

10. C) him "To" is a preposition and must be followed by an object pronoun. "The girl and him" form the compound object of the preposition "to." Using "he" (a subject pronoun) after a preposition is incorrect as per Wren & Martin's rules on the objective case of personal pronouns.