6th Grade Writing Quiz: Use Proper Pronoun Case

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Use Proper Pronoun Case, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for 6th Grade Writing.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

Question 1

1. they
2. their
3. theirs
4. them (correct answer)

Explanation: This question tests CCSS.L.6.1.a: using proper pronoun case (subjective, objective, possessive) based on grammatical function in the sentence. Pronoun case refers to the form a pronoun takes based on its role in a sentence. Subjective case (I, he, she, we, they) is used for subjects and predicate nominatives; objective case (me, him, her, us, them) is used for direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions; possessive case (my/mine, his, her/hers, our/ours, their/theirs) shows ownership. In this sentence, the pronoun follows the preposition 'to' and serves as the object of that preposition. This requires objective case because pronouns that follow prepositions must always be in objective case. Choice D 'them' is correct because it is the objective case form of 'they', which matches its function as the object of the preposition 'to'. The sentence means the trophy was given to them (a group of people). Choice A 'they' represents a common error where students use subjective case after prepositions, not recognizing that prepositions always take objective case. This error often occurs because students focus on the pronoun's meaning (referring to people who won) rather than its grammatical function (object of preposition). To help students identify correct case: (1) After ANY preposition (to, from, with, for, between, etc.), ALWAYS use objective case. (2) Common prepositions to watch for: to, from, with, for, at, by, in, on, between, among, beside, beneath. (3) The subject-object pairs are: I/me, he/him, she/her, we/us, they/them. (4) Test by substituting a pronoun you're sure about: 'went to him' not 'went to he'. (5) Don't be confused by meaning - even though 'they' won the tournament, after 'to' you need 'them'.

Question 2

1. him
2. he
3. his (correct answer)
4. himself

Explanation: This question tests CCSS.L.6.1.a: using proper pronoun case (subjective, objective, possessive) based on grammatical function in the sentence. Pronoun case refers to the form a pronoun takes based on its role in a sentence. Subjective case (I, he, she, we, they) is used for subjects and predicate nominatives; objective case (me, him, her, us, them) is used for direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions; possessive case (my/mine, his, her/hers, our/ours, their/theirs) shows ownership. In this sentence, the pronoun modifies the gerund 'sketching' (an -ing word functioning as a noun), showing whose sketching is being praised. This requires possessive case because pronouns before gerunds must be possessive to show whose action is being discussed. Choice C 'his' is correct because it is the possessive case form, which is required before the gerund 'sketching'. The sentence means the teacher praised the sketching that belongs to him - his act of sketching. Choice A 'him' represents a common error where students use objective case before gerunds, not recognizing that gerunds require possessive pronouns. This error often occurs because the sentence might sound acceptable with 'him' in casual speech, but formal grammar requires the possessive. To help students identify correct case: (1) Before gerunds (-ing words used as nouns), always use possessive case. (2) The pattern is: possessive + gerund (his singing, her dancing, their laughing, my running). (3) Test by asking 'whose sketching?' - the answer shows you need possession. (4) Don't confuse with progressive verbs: 'I saw him sketching' (progressive verb) vs 'I praised his sketching' (gerund). (5) Common gerund errors include: 'I don't like him singing' (should be 'his singing'), 'They enjoyed us performing' (should be 'our performing'). Remember: if the -ing word is the thing being acted upon (praised, enjoyed, discussed), it's a gerund and needs possessive case before it.

Question 3

1. we
2. us (correct answer)
3. they
4. them

Explanation: The blank is part of the compound direct object 'Keisha and  ', which receives the action of the verb 'congratulated'. Objects need the objective case, so 'us' is correct. A quick test is to remove 'Keisha and' and read it alone: 'The coach congratulated us' sounds right, while 'The coach congratulated we' does not. 'We' is wrong because it is the subjective case, used for subjects that do the action, not for objects that receive it. 'They' is also subjective case, so it cannot serve as a direct object here. 'Them' is objective case and fits the grammar, but it points to other people, not to the group that includes the speaker, so it changes who was congratulated. Remember the matching pairs: we/us and they/them, choosing the object form when the pronoun receives the action.

Question 4

1. she
2. her (correct answer)
3. them
4. they

Explanation: The blank is part of the compound direct object 'Chen and  ,' which receives the action of the verb 'chose.' Direct objects need the objective case, so 'her' is correct. A quick test is to remove 'Chen and': you would say 'The teacher chose her,' not 'The teacher chose she.' The word 'she' is subjective case, used for subjects doing the action, not for objects receiving it. The word 'them' is objective case, which is the right case, but it is plural and cannot pair with the single person Chen in this compound object. The word 'they' is both plural and subjective case, so it is wrong for two reasons: it names more than one person and it is a subject form, not an object form. When a pronoun follows 'and' in a compound, it is easy to lose track of its job, so always ask 'chose whom?' to find the direct object and pick the objective-case pronoun.

Question 5

1. Me
2. Us
3. I (correct answer)
4. Them

Explanation: The blank is part of the compound subject "  and Sofia," and this pair does the action "worked." Subjects need the subjective case, so "I" is correct. A quick test is to drop the other person: you would say "I worked," not "Me worked." "Me" is the objective case, used when a pronoun receives the action or follows a preposition, so it does not fit a subject slot even though people sometimes say it in casual speech. "Us" is also objective case; besides being the wrong case for a subject, it names more than one person, which does not match a single person working alongside Sofia. "Them" is objective case too and refers to other people, not to the speaker, so it cannot be the subject here. Only "I" both shows the correct subjective case and fits the meaning of the sentence.

Question 6

1. my
2. me
3. mine (correct answer)
4. our

Explanation: A possessive pronoun standing alone at the end of a sentence, with no noun following it, must be "mine": "The charger is mine." That word can stand by itself and still show ownership. The word "my" also shows ownership, but it needs a noun right after it, as in "my charger," so it cannot end the sentence alone. The word "our" has the same problem: it is a possessive that must be followed by a noun, like "our charger," so it cannot stand alone either. The word "me" is an object pronoun; it receives an action and does not show ownership, so it does not fit after "is." Only "mine" works alone in this spot.

Question 7

1. I, because a subject pronoun sounds more formal here
2. me, because it follows the preposition 'between' (correct answer)
3. myself, because it points back to the speaker
4. mine, because it shows the quiz belongs to us

Explanation: The blank comes right after the preposition 'between,' so the pronoun is part of the object 'you and  .' Words that follow a preposition need the objective case, which makes 'me' correct. A quick trick: drop the other person and say it alone — you would say 'between me,' not 'between I.' The choice 'I' is a common mistake; people pick it because 'you and I' can sound fancier, but 'I' is a subject pronoun and cannot serve as the object of 'between.' The choice 'myself' is a reflexive pronoun, which is only used when the subject and object are the same person, as in 'I told myself' — there is no matching subject here, so it does not fit. The choice 'mine' is a possessive pronoun that shows ownership, but the sentence is naming two people, not saying the quiz belongs to someone, so 'mine' makes no sense. Only 'me' correctly completes 'between you and me.'

Question 8

1. Him
2. Them
3. He (correct answer)
4. Her

Explanation: The blank is the subject of the sentence, the one doing the action 'volunteered.' Subjects need the subjective case, so 'He' is correct. You can test it by asking, 'Who volunteered?' The answer names the subject. 'Him' is the objective case, used when a pronoun receives the action or follows a preposition, like 'Maya helped him,' so it cannot be the subject here. 'Them' is also objective case, and it is plural besides, so it does not fit as a single subject doing the action. 'Her' can be either objective case ('Maya helped her') or possessive ('her book'), but neither of those uses works as the subject performing the action of volunteering. Remember: a pronoun at the start of a sentence that is doing the action must be in the subjective case.

Question 9

1. I
2. me (correct answer)
3. him
4. we

Explanation: The blank is part of the compound object 'Jamal and  ' after the preposition 'to.' Pronouns that follow a preposition must be in the objective case, so 'me' is correct. A quick test is to drop 'Jamal and' and read it alone: 'Marcus handed the notes to me' sounds right. 'I' is wrong because it is the subjective case, used for the subject that does the action, not for something following a preposition; students often pick it because it feels more polite, but 'to I' is incorrect. 'Him' is also objective case and would fit grammatically, but the sentence is describing giving the notes to Marcus's listener, so 'him' would change who receives the notes and does not match the person the sentence is about. 'We' is subjective case like 'I,' used for a subject doing an action, so 'to we' is incorrect after a preposition. Only 'me' is both objective case and the right person for this slot.

Question 10

1. her (correct answer)
2. she
3. hers
4. herself

Explanation: A possessive pronoun that comes right before a noun ("backpack") must be "her," as in "her backpack." Choice A is correct. Choice B ("she") is a subject pronoun, Choice C ("hers") is a possessive that stands alone with no noun after it, and Choice D ("herself") is a reflexive pronoun, so none fits before the noun.