Pronouns and Antecedents

1. Pronouns and Antecedents • The job of a pronoun is to take the place of a noun in a sentence. • The radio is old, but it works well. • it takes the place of radio. • Without pronouns, here’s how the sentence would read: • The radio is old, but the radio works well. • A little redundant, isn’t it? • The noun that the pronoun refers to is called theantecedent. • So…in the sentence, the antecedent is…

2. More on antecedents • Antecedents can come anywhere in a sentence. • Although she was late, the announcer walked slowly. • The antecedent for she is… • announcer.

3. One more thing… • Sometimes you have to look in a previous sentence to find an antecedent. • The tapes were left uncovered. Are they dusty? • The antecedent for they is… • tapes

4. Finding the AntecedentLet’s Practice • http://www.towson.edu/ows/exercisep-aagr.htm • http://www.towson.edu/ows/exercisep-aagr2.htm

5. Pronouns Have to Agree with Their Antecedents in… • Gender • Henry – he • Sheila – she • computer – it • Number • Lily – she • Chris and Beth – they • Kim and I – we • Person • 1st – I, me, mine • 2nd – you, yours • 3rd – he, she, they

6. Singular I You He, she, it Plural We You They Subject Pronouns

7. Subject Pronouns • Use a subject pronoun as the subject in the sentence. • We played football all day. • They took the car for a drive. • Use a subject pronoun after a linking verb. • What a great football player is he! • It was she.

8. Subject Pronouns they • The greatest astronauts were __________. • You and ______ both think we should go on to Mars. • The biggest supporters were ______ and I. • The first astronaut on Mars will be _____. • ____ watched the movie about their journey. • It was ________ who won our respect and admiration. I he/she he/she They he/she

9. Singular Me You Him, Her, it Plural Us You Them Object Pronouns Copy these onto your graphic organizer!

10. Object Pronouns • Use an object pronoun as a direct or indirect object. • The baseball hit him in the shin. (D.O.) • Tom gave her a necklace for her birthday. (I.O.) • Use an object pronoun as the object of a preposition. • Between you and me, that was a cheap necklace Tom gave her. • I can’t believe Tom gave that cheap necklace to her.

11. Answer: What? Who? Always a NOUN or PRONOUN Always comes AFTER an action verb Direct Object Questions

12. Answer: To what? For what? To whom? For whom? Usually a pronoun Always comes AFTER an action verb, but before the DO. Indirect Object Questions

13. Sentence Patterns Subject + *Action Verb +DO Subject + *Action Verb + IO + DO * Only Action Verbs have objects

14. Your turn! Choose the correct pronoun. • The travelers revisited the Khan and brought (he, him) many gifts from Europe. • (Us, We) have long been curious about Spanish explorers. • Still popular are Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and (he, him). • Her admirers include Ben and (I, me). • Mrs. De Guire assigned Sue and (she, her) to write a report.

15. Singular Mine Yours His, hers Plural Ours Yours Theirs Possessive Pronouns – Used Alone

16. Singular My Your His, her, its Plural Our Your Their Possessive Pronouns – Used BEFORE nouns

17. Possessive Pronouns • Can be used alone • That toy is mine! • Isn’t that doll in the corner hers? • Can be used with a noun • My keys are hanging on the coat rack. • The teacher told us to bring our books. • DO NOT USE APOSTROPHES in possessive pronouns!

18. Your turn! Choose the correct possessive pronoun. • That book is not (my, mine) book. • That book is not (my, mine). • The book has lost (its, it’s) cover. • (It’s, Its) coming apart. • (Your, You’re) book is broken. • (Your, You’re) going to repair it. • Have you picked up (there, their) mail yet?

19. Demonstrative Pronouns This These Near That Those Far Singular Plural • Is this animal I’m sitting on a horse or a mule? • That animal over there is a donkey. • These rabbits are eating carrots out of my hand. • Are those animals across the road buffalos?

20. More on demonstrative pronouns When used alone, they are pronouns. • These are busy streets. • These refers to streets; it isn’t used before a noun, so it’s a pronoun. • These streets are busy. • These is used before a noun (streets), so it functions as an adjective.

21. Indefinite Pronouns SingularPluralSingular/Plural anybody everyone both all anyone everything few any anything neither many most each nobody several none either no one some everybody nothing

22. Indefinite Pronouns • They often do not have antecedents. • All, any, most, none, and some can be singular or plural. Look for what the pronoun is representing. • All of the fuel has been used. • All of what? • All of the fuel – fuel is singular; you need a singular verb • All of the flights have been canceled. • All of what? • All of the flights – flights are plural; you need a plural verb. • If an indefinite pronoun is used before a noun, then it functions as an adjective. • Each plane is ready. (Used as an adjective) • Each of the planes is ready. (Used as a pronoun)

23. Give it a try! • Choose the correct verb for each sentence with an indefinite pronoun. • Someone (is, are) traveling to Japan. • Most of the food (has, have) been eaten. • Several in this row (has, have) tickets to London. • Most of the passengers (has, have) finished their meals. • Everyone (enjoy, enjoys) the Fourth of July celebration. • Many of the people (cheer, cheers) at the fireworks.

24. Pronouns The Who and Whom • Get out a clean sheet of paper and number 1-12 for the maintenance quiz • When you are finished, finish your homework!!!!!

25. Interrogative Pronouns • What – What did he say? • Which – Which dog is yours? • Whose – Whose dog is this? • Who – Who is that man? • Whom – Whom did that dog bite?

26. What’s up with who/whom? • If the sentence needs a subject, use who. • Who is restraining that dog? • Who knows the whole story? • If the sentence needs an object, use whom. • Whom will the dog bite next? • He gave the dog to whom?

27. A few hints… Turn the question into a statement: • If you could substitute he or she in the sentence, then you would use who. • (Who, Whom) knows the story? • She knows the story. Who knows the story. • Who knows the story? • If you could substitute him or her in the sentence, then you would use whom. • (Who, Whom) will we pick? • We will pick him. We will pick whom. • Whom will we pick?

28. Pronoun Problems

29. We and Us Sometimes We and Us are followed by a noun that identifies the pronoun. • Weworkers were tired after the job. • The supervisor gave usworkers a break.

30. We and Us Rules: • Mark out the noun next to We or Us. • We is used as a subject pronoun. • Us is used as an object pronoun.

31. We and Us • For decades, (we, us) carpenters used the wood from chestnut tress to build houses. • Chestnuts were a nutritious food for both (we, us) country dwellers and wildlife. • Us/We chestnut tress are very generous.

32. Unclear Pronoun Reference Be sure that each pronoun refers clearly to only one person, place or thing. For example: • Unclear • Sara and Anne want to become tree farmers. She works after school at an orchard. • Who is she? Sara or Anne? • Clear • Sara and Anne want to become tree farmers. Anne works after school at an orchard

33. Using Pronouns in Compound • Use the subject pronoun I, she, he, we, or they in a compound subject or after a linking verb. • Greg and she decided to learn about it. • The researchers are Polly and I. • Use the object pronoun me, her, him, us, or them in a compound object after an action verb or after a preposition. • Her story has fascinated Polly and me. • The research was divided between Greg and him.

34. Practice • Meriwether Lewis is a favorite topic for Polly and (I, me). • In 1803, President Jefferson sent (he, him) and William Clark to explore thousands of miles of wilderness. • Both Sacajawea and (he, him) translated their conversations with Native Americans. • Lewis, Clark, a band of soldiers, and (she, her) headed west when she was around 17. • Greg, Polly, and (I, me) learned that she was very important to the expedition.

35. Interrupting Phrases • Don’t be confused by words between a pronoun and its antecedent! • Sacajawea, who guided Lewis and Clark, never lost her way.