SECTION 1 — PRONOUNS (Concepts 1–15)

1. Possessive pronoun vs. possessive adjective Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) must be followed by a noun; possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs) stand alone and never take an apostrophe.

• Wrong: This umbrella is yours' and that one is our's.
• Fix: This umbrella is yours and that one is ours.
• Wrong: The final decision on the merger was theirs' to make, not our's.
• Fix: The final decision on the merger was theirs to make, not ours.
• Wrong: This desk is her's, and the one near the window is his's.
• Fix: This desk is hers, and the one near the window is his. Why this happens: learners over-apply the apostrophe-s possession rule for nouns (Ravi's file) to pronouns, but pronouns already encode possession in their own spelling and never need the apostrophe.

2. "Its" vs. "it's" Its = possessive adjective. It's = "it is" or "it has."

• Wrong: The bank announced it's quarterly results yesterday.
• Fix: The bank announced its quarterly results yesterday.
• Wrong: Its been three years since the scheme was launched.
• Fix: It's been three years since the scheme was launched.
• Wrong: The committee reviewed the proposal and gave it's approval.
• Fix: The committee reviewed the proposal and gave its approval. Why this happens: every other possessive in English does take an apostrophe (Ravi's, the company's), so writers assume its should follow the same pattern — but its is one of the few possessives built like his and hers, with no apostrophe at all.

3. Reflexive pronouns after certain verbs Verbs like adapt, adjust, avail, resign, pride, absent, exert, apply, acquit often need a reflexive pronoun (myself, himself, themselves) when used with an object referring back to the subject.

• Wrong: She prides on her punctuality.
• Fix: She prides herself on her punctuality.
• Wrong: He absented from the meeting without informing anyone.
• Fix: He absented himself from the meeting without informing anyone.
• Wrong: The candidate acquitted well in the interview panel's eyes.
• Fix: The candidate acquitted himself well in the interview panel's eyes.

4. "Each / Either / Neither" + "of" + plural noun + singular verb

• Wrong: Each of the candidates have submitted their forms.
• Fix: Each of the candidates has submitted his or her form.
• Wrong: Neither of the two clerks were aware of the new circular.
• Fix: Neither of the two clerks was aware of the new circular.
• Wrong: Either of the applicants are eligible for the interview slot.
• Fix: Either of the applicants is eligible for the interview slot.

5. Relative pronoun choice: who / whom / which / that Who/whom for people, which for things, that for either (informally) or for restrictive clauses covering people and things together.

• Wrong: The manager which approved the leave is on vacation.
• Fix: The manager who approved the leave is on vacation.
• Wrong: This is the file who was missing from the shelf.
• Fix: This is the file that was missing from the shelf.
• Wrong: The nurse which attended to the patient has already left for the day.
• Fix: The nurse who attended to the patient has already left for the day.

6. Relative pronoun agrees with the antecedent, not the nearest noun

• Wrong: He is one of the officers who was transferred last month.
• Fix: He is one of the officers who were transferred last month.
• Wrong: She is one of the few students who has cleared the exam on the first attempt.
• Fix: She is one of the few students who have cleared the exam on the first attempt.
• Wrong: This is one of the schemes which was launched during the last budget session.
• Fix: This is one of the schemes which were launched during the last budget session. Why this happens: the verb sits right next to the singular pronoun (he, she) in the sentence, so the ear wants a singular verb even though "who" is actually referring back to the plural noun (officers, students) just before it.

7. "One" must be followed by "one's," not "his/her"

• Wrong: One should always respect his elders.
• Fix: One should always respect one's elders.
• Wrong: If one wants to succeed, he must work hard.
• Fix: If one wants to succeed, one must work hard.
• Wrong: One must always carry his identity card to the examination hall.
• Fix: One must always carry one's identity card to the examination hall.

8. Comparison of pronouns takes the subject case, not the object case

• Wrong: My brother is taller than me.
• Fix: My brother is taller than I (am).
• Wrong: She scored higher marks than him in the aptitude section.
• Fix: She scored higher marks than he (did) in the aptitude section.
• Wrong: The senior clerk has handled more cases than her this year.
• Fix: The senior clerk has handled more cases than she (has) this year. Why this happens: "than" is often followed by a shortened clause with the verb dropped (taller than I [am]), and because the sentence sounds complete without the verb, the ear defaults to the object form used everywhere else after a short word.

9. Objective case after prepositions and preposition-like connectors Words like between, besides, along with, as well as, unlike are followed by the objective case.

• Wrong: This is a confidential matter between you and I.
• Fix: This is a confidential matter between you and me.
• Wrong: Besides he, no one else attended the hearing.
• Fix: Besides him, no one else attended the hearing.
• Wrong: Unlike she, he never double-checks his figures before submission.
• Fix: Unlike her, he never double-checks his figures before submission. Why this happens: many learners were corrected as children for saying "me and him went," and over-correct that lesson into every context involving "I," including places where "I" is actually wrong.

10. "That of / those of" for out-of-class comparisons When comparing one thing's quality to a different thing's same quality, use "that of" (singular) or "those of" (plural) instead of repeating or omitting the noun.

• Wrong: The climate of Shimla is cooler than Delhi.
• Fix: The climate of Shimla is cooler than that of Delhi.
• Wrong: The results of this branch are better than the other branch.
• Fix: The results of this branch are better than those of the other branch.
• Wrong: The fee structure of this college is higher than the neighbouring college.
• Fix: The fee structure of this college is higher than that of the neighbouring college.

11. Indefinite pronouns (each, everyone, somebody, no one) take singular verbs and singular pronouns

• Wrong: Everyone must submit their assignment by their own name.
• Fix: Everyone must submit his or her assignment under his or her own name.
• Wrong: Somebody have left their umbrella in the waiting hall.
• Fix: Somebody has left his or her umbrella in the waiting hall.
• Wrong: Nobody were willing to volunteer for the extra shift.
• Fix: Nobody was willing to volunteer for the extra shift.

12. "Whose" for possession — used for both people and things in formal writing

• Wrong: The company which profits declined is restructuring.
• Fix: The company whose profits declined is restructuring.
• Wrong: This is the applicant which form was rejected twice.
• Fix: This is the applicant whose form was rejected twice.
• Wrong: The building which roof collapsed last week has now been evacuated.
• Fix: The building whose roof collapsed last week has now been evacuated.

13. "Who" (subject) vs. "whom" (object) in questions and clauses Who performs the action; whom receives it.

• Wrong: Whom do you think will win the debate competition?
• Fix: Who do you think will win the debate competition?
• Wrong: Who did the principal invite to the annual function? (informal, but formally:)
• Fix: Whom did the principal invite to the annual function?
• Wrong: Who did the panel select for the scholarship? (formally:)
• Fix: Whom did the panel select for the scholarship? Why this happens: a quick test is to answer the question with "he" or "him" — if "he" fits, use who; if "him" fits, use whom. Learners skip this test and default to "whom" whenever the sentence sounds formal, even when the pronoun is actually the subject of its own clause (as in the first example, where "will win" needs a subject).

14. "Myself" cannot replace "I" or "me" outside a reflexive or emphatic use

• Wrong: Myself and my colleague completed the audit report.
• Fix: My colleague and I completed the audit report.
• Wrong: Please send the certificate to myself at the earliest.
• Fix: Please send the certificate to me at the earliest.
• Wrong: Myself will be handling the front desk today.
• Fix: I will be handling the front desk today. Why this happens: "myself" sounds more formal than the plain "I" or "me," so it gets used as a polite substitute — but reflexive pronouns are only correct when they refer back to a subject already named in the same clause (I hurt myself), not as a stand-in for a plain subject or object.

15. Demonstrative pronoun/adjective must agree in number with the noun it modifies This/that + singular noun; these/those + plural noun.

• Wrong: These kind of complaints are increasing every month.
• Fix: This kind of complaint is increasing every month.
• Wrong: Those sort of mistake should be avoided during the exam.
• Fix: That sort of mistake should be avoided during the exam.
• Wrong: This kind of errors are common among first-time applicants.
• Fix: This kind of error is common among first-time applicants.

Mini Practice — Section 1 Spot the error in each sentence.

1. Each of the interns have submitted their weekly report.
2. This umbrella is her's, not mine.
3. He is one of the officials who was suspended last week.
4. Myself and the branch manager will attend the seminar.
5. The turnover of this firm is higher than the rival firm.
6. Neither of the two applicants have submitted their documents on time.
7. This is the officer which signature is required on the file.
8. One must always keep his passport ready before travelling abroad.
9. Besides she, no one attended the review meeting.
10. Somebody have left their bag near the reception counter.

Answer Key

1. "have" → "has" (Each + of + plural noun still takes a singular verb)
2. "her's" → "hers" (no apostrophe on possessive pronouns)
3. "was" → "were" (agrees with "officials," the plural antecedent)
4. "Myself and the branch manager" → "The branch manager and I"
5. Add "that of" — "higher than that of the rival firm"
6. "have" → "has" (Neither + of + plural noun still takes a singular verb)
7. "which" → "whose" (possession, applies to people too)
8. "his" → "one's" (agrees with the indefinite "One")
9. "she" → "her" (objective case after "besides")
10. "have" → "has" (Somebody is an indefinite singular pronoun)

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