Pronouns

1. Pronouns

2. Exercise 1, p.135 Correct the errors in pronoun usage. 1. My friends and I ordered Indian food at the restaurant. I wasn’t very hungry, but I ate most of them. 2. When we were in school, my sister and me used to play tennis after school every day. 3. If you want to pass you’re exams, you had better study very hard for it. 4. A hippopotamus spends most of it’s time in the water of rivers and lakes. 5. After work, Mr. Gray asked to speak to Mona and I about the company’s new policies. He explained it to us and asked for ours opinions. 6. My friends asked to borrow my car because their’s was in the garage for repairs.

3. Answers 1. My friends and I ordered Indian food at the restaurant. I wasn’t very hungry, but I ate most of it. 2. When we were in school, my sister and I used to play tennis after school every day. 3. If you want to pass your exams, you had better study very hard for them . 4. A hippopotamus spends most of its time in the water of rivers and lakes. 5. After work, Mr. Gray asked to speak to Mona and me about the company’s new policies. He explained them to us and asked for our opinions. 6. My friends asked to borrow my car because theirs was in the garage for repairs.

4. Personal Pronouns

5. (a ) I read a book. It was good. (b ) I read some books. They were good. A pronoun is used in place of a noun. The noun it refers to is called the “antecedent.” In (a): The pronoun it refers to the antecedent noun book. A singular pronoun is used to refer to a singular noun, as in (a). A plural pronoun is used to refer to a plural noun, as in (b).

6. I like tea. Do you like tea too? Sometimes the antecedent noun is understood, not explicitly (clearly) stated. I refers to the speaker, and you refers to the person the speaker is talking to.

7. S Jihad has a car. He drives to work. Subject pronouns are used as subjects of sentences. O/ V Jihad works in my office. I know him well. O/P I talk to him every day. Object pronouns are used as the objects of verbs, OR as the objects of prepositions.

8. That book is hers. Yours is over there. possessive pronouns are not followed immediately by a noun; they stand alone. incorrect : That book is her’s . Your's is over there. Possessive pronouns do not take apostrophes.

9. Her book is here. Your book is over there. possessive adjectives are followed immediately by a noun; they do not stand alone.

10. A bird uses its wings to fly. incorrect : A bird uses it’s wings to fly. compare : Its has no apostrophe when it is used as a possessive. It’s cold today. The Harbour Inn is my favorite old hotel. It’s been in business since 1933. It’s has an apostrophe when it is used as a contraction of it is. ORit has when has is part of the present perfect tense. NOTE : It’s vs. its is a common source of error for native speakers of English.

11. Exercise 3, p. 137. Identify the personal pronouns and their antecedents. 2. Most monkeys don’t like water, but they can swim well when they have to. 3. The teacher graded the students’ papers last night. She returned them during class today. 4. Nancy took an apple with her to work. She ate it at lunchtime. 5. A dog makes a good pet if it is properly trained. 6. Yuri’s cat is named Maybelle Alice. She* is very independent. She never obeys Yuri. His dogs, on the other hand, obey him gladly. They like to please him.

12. Answers

13. Exercise 4, p. 137. Choose the words in italics that are grammatically correct, note : A number of native English speakers commonly use subject pronouns after and , even when the grammatically correct choice is an object pronoun. 1. My parents always read bedtime stories to my sister and I / me. 2. Just between you and I / me, I think Ms. Lucas is going to lose her job. 3. There’s Kevin. Let’s go talk to him. I need to tell you and he / him something. 4. Mrs. Minski needs to know the truth. I’m going to tell Mr. Chang and she / her the truth, and you can’t stop me. 5. Alex introduced Sally and I / me to his cousin from Mexico City.

14. Answers 1. My parents always read bedtime stories to my sister and I / me. 2. Just between you and I / me, I think Ms. Lucas is going to lose her job. 3. There’s Kevin. Let’s go talk to him. I need to tell you and he / him something. 4. Mrs. Minski needs to know the truth. I’m going to tell Mr. Chang and she / her the truth, and you can’t stop me. 5. Alex introduced Sally and I / me to his cousin from Mexico City.

15. Exercise 5, p. 137. Complete the sentences in each situation with pronouns for the word in italics. Situation 1: There’s Sarah. 1. I need to go talk to her 2. _________ and I have been friends since high school. 3. I went to elementary school with _________ brother and __________ . 4. _________ parents are best friends with my parents. 5. _________ is getting married next month. Another friend and I are taking _____on a short trip before _________ marriage. 6. Being with _________ is a lot of fun. We laugh a lot. 7. ________ always has a good time with _________friends.

16. Situation 2 : I’m not feeling well. I think I ’d better stay home today. 8. My friends and _________ were planning to volunteer at our local food bank today. 9. The food bank often asks my friends and _________ to help them with various projects. 10. But my friends will have to go without__________. 1 1 . I ’d better call _________ friend Sami to tell him I can’t come today. 12. Could I use your cell phone? I don’t have _________ with ___________

17. Answers 2. She and I have been friends since high school. 3. I went to elementary school with her brother and her . 4. Her parents are best friends with my parents. 5. She is getting married next month. Another friend and I are taking her on a short trip before her marriage. 6. Being with her is a lot of fun. We laugh a lot. 7. She always has a good time with her friends. 8. My friends and I were planning to volunteer at our local food bank today. 9. The food bank often asks my friends and me to help them with various projects. 10. But my friends will have to go without me. 1 1 . I ’d better call my friend Sami to tell him I can’t come today. 12. Could I use your cell phone? I don’t have mine with me.

18. Exercise 6, p.138 Choose the correct words in italics. 2. This umbrella is my / mine. The other one is your / yours. 3. Mary and Bob have their / theirs books. In other words, Mary has her / hers, and Bob has his / him. 4. Our / Ours house is almost the same as our / ours neighbors’ house. The only difference in appearance is that our / ours is gray and their / theirs is white.

19. Answers 2. This umbrella is my / mine. The other one is your / yours. 3. Mary and Bob have their / theirs books. In other words, Mary has her / hers, and Bob has his / him. 4. Our / Ours house is almost the same as our / ours neighbors’ house. The only difference in appearance is that our / ours is gray and their / theirs is white.

20. Exercise 8, p.138 Complete the sentences with its or it’s. 2. A honeybee has two wings on each side of __ body. 3. Tom has a pet. __ name is Squeak. __ a turtle. __ been his pet for several years. 4. A nation that does not educate __ children has no future. 5. All of us can help create peace in the world. Indeed, __ our responsibility to do so.

21. Answers 2. A honeybee has two wings on each side of its body. 3. Tom has a pet. Its name is Squeak. It’s a turtle. It’s been his pet for several years. 4. A nation that does not educate its children has no future. 5. All of us can help create peace in the world. Indeed, it’s our responsibility to do so.

22. Exercise 9, p. 139 Choose the correct words in italics. When I was in Florida, I observed an interesting bird called an anhinga. It’s / its a fish eater. It / Theydives / dive into the water and spears/spear its / it’s prey on its / it’s long, pointed bill. After emerging from the water, it / they tosses / toss the fish into the air and catches / catch it / them in mid-air, and then swallows / swallow it / them headfirst. Its / It’s interesting to watch anhingas in action. I enjoy watching it / them a lot.

23. Personal Pronouns: Agreement with Generic Nouns and Indefinite Pronouns A student walked into the room. She was looking for the teacher. A student walked into the room. He was looking for the teacher. The pronouns refer to particular individuals whose gender is known. The nouns are not generic.

24. NOTE:A generic noun does not refer to any person or thing in particular; rather, it represents a whole group. A student should always do his assignments. A student should always do his or her assignments. A student is a generic noun; it refers to anyone who is a student. With a generic noun, a singular masculine pronoun has been used traditionally, but many English speakers now use both masculine and feminine pronouns to refer to a singular generic noun.

25. Students should always do their assignments. Problems with choosing masculine and/or feminine pronouns can often be avoided by using a plural rather than a singular generic noun.

26. Indefinite pronouns

27. Somebody left his book on the desk. Everyone has his or her own ideas. In formal English, the use of a singular pronoun to refer to an indefinite pronoun is generally considered to be grammatically correct. informal : Somebody left their book on the desk. Everyone has their own ideas. In everyday, informal English (and sometimes even in more formal English), a plural personal pronoun is usually used to refer to an indefinite pronoun.

28. Exercise 12, p.140 Change the sentences by using plural instead of singular generic nouns where possible. Change pronouns and verbs as necessary. Discuss the advantages of using plural rather than singular generic nouns. 3. Each student in Biology 101 has to spend three hours per week in the laboratory where he or she does various experiments by following the directions in his or her lab manual. 4. A citizen has two primary responsibilities. He should vote in every election, and he should serve willingly on a jury. 5. We listened to a really interesting lecturer last night. She discussed her experiences as an archeologist in Argentina.

29. Answers 3 . (All) students in Biology 101 have to spend three hours per week in the laboratory where they do various experiments by following the directions in their lab manuals. 4 . Citizens have two primary responsibilities. They should vote in all elections and they should serve willingly on juries. 5. (no change)

30. Exercise 13, p.141 Complete each sentence with the pronoun(s) that seems appropriate to the given situation. Choose the correct verbs in parentheses as necessary. Discuss formal vs. informal pronoun usage. 2. One friend to another: Of course you can learn to dance! Anyone can learn how to dance if ______ (wants, want) to. 3. Business textbook: An effective corporate manager must be able to motivate _____ employees. 4. One roommate to another: If anyone asks where I am, tell ___ you don’t know. I want to keep my meeting with Jim a secret.

31. Exercise 13, p.141 5. Son to his mother: Gosh, Mom, everyone who came to the class picnic was supposed to bring ____ own food. I didn’t know that, so I didn’t have anything to eat. I ’m really hungry! 6. A university lecture: I will end my lecture today by saying that I believe a teacher needs to work in partnership with ___ students. 7. A magazine article: People do not always see things the same way. Each person has ____ own way of understanding a situation.

32. Answers Most common answers: 2. they (informal) . . . want 3. his or her 4. them (informal) 5. their (informal) 6. his or her 7. his or her