Question 235·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
After the rehearsal, the director asked Luis and ______ to stay and discuss the schedule.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For pronoun questions like this, first decide what role the pronoun plays (subject, object, reflexive, or possessive) by identifying the sentence’s subject and verb. If the pronoun is paired with another noun ("Luis and ___"), use the "remove the other person" test: say the sentence with just the pronoun and choose the form that sounds correct and matches the needed role (e.g., object pronoun after a verb or preposition). Avoid choosing options like "myself" or "mine" unless the sentence clearly needs a reflexive or possessive form.
Hints
Focus on the verb and what comes after it
Find the main verb in the sentence ("asked") and notice that "Luis and ______" come after this verb, receiving the action. Think about what kind of pronoun is used after a verb like this.
Think about pronouns in a pair
When you have a phrase like "Luis and ______," try saying the sentence without "Luis" and see which pronoun sounds correct by itself. This often makes it easier to hear which form is right.
Review pronoun types
Ask yourself: Is the blank a subject, an object, something reflexive (pointing back to the subject), or showing possession? Match each answer choice to one of these categories and see which one fits the role of the blank.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the subject, verb, and pronoun’s job
Look at the core of the sentence: "the director asked Luis and ______ to stay."
- The subject is "the director".
- The verb is "asked".
- "Luis and ______" are receiving the action of the verb (they are being asked), so this blank is part of the object of the verb "asked."
Because the blank is in object position, we need an object pronoun (like him, her, us, them), not a subject, reflexive, or possessive pronoun.
Use the "remove the other person" test
A quick way to check pronoun case in a phrase like "Luis and ____" is to temporarily remove the other noun and see what sounds correct by itself.
Try each option by itself:
- "The director asked I to stay…" (sounds wrong)
- "The director asked myself to stay…" (sounds wrong in normal speech)
- "The director asked mine to stay…" (doesn't make sense)
- "The director asked me to stay…" (sounds natural and correct)
The one that fits both grammatically and by ear is the object pronoun that belongs in the blank.
Confirm the correct pronoun form
We now know the blank needs an object pronoun and that only one option sounds correct when used alone.
The only answer choice that is an object pronoun and fits naturally in the sentence is "me", so the completed sentence should read:
"After the rehearsal, the director asked Luis and me to stay and discuss the schedule."