Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[naohsi]

Hi teachers

Is it Ok to say
`It was him who won the 1st prize'

in stead of `It was he who..'?

naohsi

[ebb]

No, "him" sounds barbaric. The nominative case is correct here "by the book", and although in spoken English the objective case is often used by native speakers, even when grammatically incorrect, this is not an apt opportunity. "Who" is in the nominative case (because "to be" is intransitive) so "he" should agree in case.

I would just cut the fat out, however, and say "He won first prize." (Drop the "the"). The correct use of the nominative case, even though grammatically correct, sounds stilted.
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[naohsi]

Problem solved!

Thank you ebb!

naohsi

[ebb]

Try finding this one for comparison on the Web, from Shakespeare's Macbeth: "There is none but he/Whose being I do fear; and under him/my genius is rebuked, as it is said, /Marc Antony's was by Caesar." (That may not be completely accurate, just from memory). {Macbeth is tying to psyche himself up to continue his killing spree, that started when he iced good old Duncan in his sleep.}
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[naohsi]

Wow! It sounds difficult, but then interesting!

[ebb]

do you see why Shakespeare said "but he" ?
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.