What Is the Nominative Case? (with Examples)

Nominative Case

The nominative case is the case used for a noun or pronoun which is the subject of a verb. For example (nominative case shaded):

Mark eats cakes.
He eats cakes.
They eat cakes.

Got it? Take a quick test.

The nominative case is also used for a subject complement. For example:

Mark is a businessman.
It was I.

The nominative case is also known as the subjective case.

Only Pronouns Change Their Forms

In modern English, a noun does not change its form in any of the cases (other than the possessive case). For example:

The woman saw the cat.
The cat saw the woman.

objective case

A pronoun, however, does change its form depending on case. The nominative pronouns (or subjective pronouns as they're better known) are "I," "you," "he," "she," "it," "we," "they," "who," and "whoever." Look at this example:

I saw the cat. The cat saw me.

Nominative Pronouns

Here is a list of nominative pronouns and objective pronouns:

Nominative Pronoun	Objective Pronoun	Comment
I	me
you	you	There is no change.
he	him
she	her
it	it	There is no change.
we	us
they	them
who	whom	Read more on who & whom.
whoever	whomever

Why Should I Care about the Nominative Case?

Here are five good reasons to care about the nominative case.

(Reason 1) Ensure subject-verb agreement.

A nominative-case noun or pronoun must agree in number with its verb. This just means that a singular noun must be matched with a singular verb. Similarly, a plural noun must be matched with a plural verb. In other words, we must say "The cat was" and not "The cat were." This is called subject-verb agreement.

This seems simple enough, but mistakes are common. The most common mistake is treating a modifier as the subject. Look at this example:

A list of names were written on the paper.
A list of names was written on the paper.

There are other traps too. Read about them on the page about subjects or the page about subject-verb agreement.

(Reason 2) Learn the cases if you're learning a foreign language.

The nominative case (also called the "subjective case") is the main case. It is the version of the word for the subject of your sentence. Any changes that occur in the other cases (called "the oblique cases") can be considered changes to the nominative-case version. So, the nominative case is the baseline. If you are learning a foreign language or teaching English, you must be comfortable with the function of the nominative case. It's the first thing you'll learn or teach.

(Reason 3) You can't use "I" as the object of a verb or the object of a preposition.

"I" is a nominative-case pronoun. Therefore, it must be used as the subject of a verb. It can't be an object of a verb (e.g., They saw I

) or as the object of a preposition (e.g., with I

, to I

). This includes when "I" features in terms like "my wife and I" and "between you and I." Look at these examples:

They invited my wife and I.
I presented a certificate from my wife and I.
My wife and I presented a certificate.
Between you and I, I think the plan will fail.

always

(Reason 4) Don't use "myself" with an order.

The subject of an order (i.e., an imperative sentence) is an inferred "you." For example:

Phone me on Tuesday.
[You] Phone me on Tuesday.

This is worth remembering because you can only use "yourself" or "yourselves" with an imperative verb (i.e., an order). You can't use "myself." Look at this wrong example:

Email your proposals to Brian or directly to myself.

(Reason 5) "Who" is the nominative case. "Whom" isn't.

You can only use "who" when it's the subject of a verb (i.e., in the nominative case). If it isn't the subject of a verb, use "whom." For example:

Who was that?
I know the boy who stole your washing.
Who are you talking to?

Key Points

Learning or teaching a language? Learn the roles of all the cases, starting with the nominative case.
Don't say "my wife and I" unless it's the subject of a verb.
Never say "between you and I."
You can't use "myself" after an imperative verb.

Give your papers to myself or the clerk.

If your "who" isn't the subject of a verb, it's wrong.

Interactive Exercise

Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

Help Us To Improve Grammar Monster

Do you disagree with something on this page?
Did you spot a typo?

Please tell us using this form.

"Smashing Grammar" (2019)
Written by the founder of Grammar Monster, "Smashing Grammar" includes a glossary of grammar essentials (from apostrophes to zeugma) and a chapter on easily confused words (from affect/effect to whether/if). Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to real-life, entertaining examples. All entries conclude with a section highlighting why the grammar point is relevant for a writer and top-level bullet points summarizing the entry. [More�]

"Grammar for Grown-ups" (2011)
Vocational rather than academic, "Grammar for Grown-ups" is packed with real-life examples and keeps you engaged with a wealth of great quotations from Homer the Greek to Homer the Simpson. Straight talking and methodical, Craig Shrives draws on his years compiling Grammar Monster and as an army officer to present a comprehensive but light-hearted and easily digestible grammar reference guide. [More�]