THE NOMINATIVE CASE.

The Nominative Case is that which is generally used as the subject of a sentence.

The subject may consist of a noun or a pronoun, or any word, phrase, or clause, used as a noun.

A verb may have several subjects in a sentence; as, "David and Henry have come.'

In some sentences the subject is not expressed. This is usually the case in commands; as, "Come;" "Strive to excel." In parsing such expressions the verb is said to agree with a noun or a pronoun understood.

The subject usually precedes the verb, but not always; it is sometimes placed after the verb or after an auxiliary; as, "Great is Diana;" "Why do you not come?" "Shall we reach the train in time?"

The subject of a finite verb should have the nominative form.

The subject of a verb in the infinitive mode takes the objective form. We may say, "I believe that he is honest," or "I believe him to be honest."

Violations of the Correct Usage of the Nominative Case.

He has dined here and me [I] with him.-Jeffrey.

He was by nature less ready than her [she].-A. Trollope. She professed the greatest regard for the lady, whom [who], she assured us, was an angel.-Scott.

It is much easier to respect a man who has always had our respect than to respect a man whom [who] we know was last year no better than ourselves.-Boswell.

He offered his daughter in marriage to whomsoever [whosoever might subdue the place.-Irving.

The very two individuals whom [who] he thought were far away.-B. Disraeli.

THE NOMINATIVE CASE INDEPENDENT.

The nominative form of a noun or a pronoun is used not only as the subject of a sentence, but also in what are known as the independent and the absolute construction.

A noun or a pronoun is said to be used independently

1. When it represents a person or a thing addressed; as, "Boys, are you ready?" "Gentlemen, shall we have order?" "Dear Sir, I wish to see you."

2. When it is used in exclamation; as, "Delightful task! to rear the tender thought;" "Great Goodness, I did not expect such a result!"

3. When by pleonasm the attention is directed to an object before anything is said of that object; as, “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."

Nouns or pronouns used in the three preceding ways are said to be in the nominative case independent by address, by exclamation, by pleonasm.

A noun or a pronoun is said to be used absolutely, or to be in the nominative case absolute

1. When it is placed before a participle as the subject of an abridged clause; as, "The teacher having come, we began work."

2. When it is used after an infinitive or a participle of a copulative verb, as part of an abridged proposition; as, "His being a reliable man was greatly to his advantage;" "To be a learned man was his ambition."

Sometimes the nominative which should logically precede the participle is omitted; as, "Admitting your argument;" that is, "We admitting your argument."

Sometimes also in the absolute construction, the participle is omitted; as, "The war at an end, the

soldiers returned;" that is, "The war being at an end," etc.

By some grammarians such expressions as the titles of books, the headings of chapters, the names on signs, etc., are considered as being in the nominative case independent by specification.

THE OBJECTIVE CASE.

There are two circumstances under which a noun or a pronoun may be in the objective case.

The first of these is where it represents the object of a transitive verb. The objective case may follow also the participle of a transitive verb.

A verb or a participle may have several objects; as, "He teaches both grammar and logic."

The object of a transitive verb may be any word, phrase, or clause, used as a noun; as, "The boy likes study;" "He likes to study;" "He knows that whoever studies will improve."

Some transitive verbs have two objects, one denoting some person or thing, and the other that which the object is made to be in fact or thought; as, "They made him king;" "They crowned him king." Either of these sentences may be taken to mean, "They kinged him." Him is the direct object, and king is the factitive object, by some grammarians called the complement.

Sentences of similar construction are, "They elected him President;" "They chose Mr. Smith captain." In each case the verb has the sense of to make, and the construction is called factitive, from facio, I make.

The principal verbs used in this construction are choose, elect, make, appoint, name, call, constitute, render, consider, reckon.

Some transitive verbs may be followed by two objects,

the first being the object of a preposition understood and the second the object of the verb; as, “I gave John some money." When the objects change places the preposition is expressed; as, "I gave some money to John."

The indirect object, or object of the preposition understood, is by some writers made the subject of a verb in the passive voice; as, "I was asked my opinion." The propriety of this usage is, however, questionable, and it ought to be avoided. A better form for such sentences is, "My opinion was asked." If the sentence be correct as given, there must be an ellipsis, the meaning being “I was asked (for) my opinion."

The Objective Case After a Preposition. The objective case occurs after a preposition used to show the relation of the noun or other objective following, to some preceding word.

The objective case is used after the adjective worth, and sometimes after like, near, nigh, without a preposition expressed; as, "He is like his father;" "The book is worth a dollar." By some grammarians the object here is called an adverbial objective; others claim that a preposition is understood after the adjective.

When a noun or a pronoun is the object of two or more prepositions it should be made to follow the first preposition, and a pronoun representing it should be placed after the others. Thus, "He spoke in favor of, but voted against, the measure," should be "He spoke in favor of the measure, but voted against it."

The same principle holds good where a noun is used as the object of both a verb and a preposition. Thus, "He advocated and voted for the measure," should be "He advocated the measure and voted for it."

Whom and which should be made to follow rather than

precede the prepositions of which they are the objects. Thus, "To whom did you speak?" is better than "Whom did you speak to ?"

The word home, and nouns denoting time, space, degree, amount, direction, as years, feet, time, etc., are put in the objective case without a preposition; as, "The wall is four feet high;" "We have walked several miles;" "You will not be a dollar richer by the change;" "I have lived here ten years." In each of these sentences a preposition is implied. Thus, "The wall was high by ten feet;" "We have walked (over the space or distance of) several miles;" "You will not be richer (by or to the value of) a dollar by the change."

Violations of the Correct Usage of the Objective Case.

The following illustrations show violations of the principles controlling the use of the objective form:

But first I must show who [whom] I mean by the government.-Benton.

To poor we [us] thine enmity is most capital.-Shakespeare. He loves he knows not who [whom].—Addison.

Let him not boast that puts on his armor, but he [him] that takes it off.-Barclay.

John Horne Tooke was refused admission only because he had been in holy orders.-Diversions of Purley. (Admission was refused to John Horne Tooke, etc.)

Who [To whom] had been unexpectedly left a considerable sum.-Dr. Johnson.

He [him], who had always inspired in her a respect which almost overcame her affection, she now saw the object of open pleasantry.-Miss Austen.

Thackeray having been requested to write in a lady's album, found the following: