Identifying nominative and objective pronouns

Question

I am a middle school student studying for a test on identifying nominative, predicate nominatives, indirect objects, and direct objects. I am completely confused. I have no clue how to identify these within a sentance, nor how to use the right one. Please help.

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

Have you ever seen the movie "Peggy Sue Got Married"? Peggy Sue was a middle-aged woman who passes out at her high school reunion and wakes up 25 years in the past, when she's a high school student again - but with all her adult memories. She has an algebra test and she hands it in completely blank. Her teacher asks why she would do such a thing, and she says something like "I know from personal experience that once I leave this classroom, none of this material will ever be of use to again."

I think you should try that approach with your English teacher.

However, if you're not really game to try that approach, here is some help. I hope.

You know what the subject of sentence is, right? The thing the verb agrees with. The main "doer" (usually) in a sentence. That's the nominative phrase.

When you are saying that one noun IS another noun, that's a predicate nominative. That woman (the subject) is my mother (pred. nominative).

The direct object is whatever is affected by what you are doing. I pet the cat. I opened the book. I kicked the tire.

Try googling Purdue OWL, which is a very helpful site. Search on that site for handouts on these topics.

Identifying nominative and objective pronouns

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