Pronouns

1. Pronouns

2. Personal Pronouns A pronoun is a word that takes the place of one or more nouns. The most frequently used pronouns are called personal pronouns. They refer to people or things.

3. Subject Pronouns A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence as well as the predicate nominative. She is my best friend. It is my dog. Does he know the answer? You and I will meet later.

4. Which of the following uses a subjective pronoun as the P.N.? • Dad and Mom vacationed together to Europe and saw many interesting sites. • Dad asked Mom, “Have you seen the receipt for the cake that I purchased?” • Did Dad and Mom eat any of the cake that they bought for Grandmother’s birthday? • No, it was they who made it, but only Grandmother who ate it.

5. The answer is D • No, it was they who made it, but only Grandmother who ate it. • It is the subject of the sentence and is followed by the linking verb was. A predicate pronoun follows the linking verb; notice that this predicate pronoun is subjective.

6. Object Pronouns An object pronoun is used as the direct/indirect object or the object of a preposition. Give the book to me. (OP) The teacher gave her a reprimand. (IO) I will tell you a story. (IO) Susan read it to them. (DO, OP)

7. Which of the following sentences uses a personal pronoun as the compound object of the preposition? (Don’t worry if the antecedent is not clear!) • Carolina and Marcus enjoyed the event as much as he and she enjoyed it. • Maribelle provided the class and him great entertainment with her juggling act. • Mr. Dowdy awarded certificates to you and us because of our excellent integrity. • You and I will never reveal our secret recipe for success, but we do hope that others find their own way to succeed.

8. Answer … C • Mr. Dowdy awarded certificates toyou and us because of our excellent integrity.

9. List of Personal Pronouns Singular Plural I we you you he, she, it they Subject Pronouns me us you you him, her, it them Object Pronouns

10. Test Tip • You will be required to place “click and drag” the personal pronouns into the appropriate box. For example: Into which box would you “click and drag” the personal pronoun –they?

11. PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS Read the following sentences. Can you tell to whom the word She refers? Arachne competes with Athena.She weaves skillfully. The sentence is not clear because the word She could refer to either Arachne or Athena. Sometimes you must repeat a noun or rewrite the sentence. Arachne competes with Athena. Athena weaves skillfully.

12. PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS The noun or group of words to which pronoun refers to is called its antecedent. When you use a pronoun, you should be sure that it refers to its antecedent clearly. Be especially careful when you use the pronoun they. Read the following sentence. They have several books about Greek myths at the library. Continue

13. PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS The meaning of Theyis unclear. The sentence can be improved by rewriting it in the following manner. Several books about myths are available at the library.

14. PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS When using pronouns, you must also make sure that they agree with their antecedents in number (singular or plural) and gender. The gender of a noun may be masculine (male), feminine (female), or neuter (referring to things). Notice how the pronouns on the next slide agree with their antecedents. Continue

15. PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS 1. The myth of Arachne is amusing. I enjoyedit. 2. The bystanders see Athena.They watchherat the loom. In the first sentence, myth is the antecedent of the pronoun it. In the second sentence, bystanders is the antecedent of They, and Athena is the antecedent of her.

16. ??? Which of the passages below has the best clarity in pronoun-antecedent agreement? • The orchestra gave its final performance tonight, so the students had to remember their instruments. Marla and Denise forgot their cellos, and their teacher, the conductor, was not pleased. She apologized and was forgiven for her lapse in memory. • Neither the conductor nor the musicians had taken their places on the stage when Marla confessed to her forgetfulness. It was not until she had sat down that Denise told the conductor about not having her instrument. • All of the musicians played their solos, and each musician had a solo. Kyle and Martin played together, but he was off key and ruined their duet.

17. Answer…B • The orchestra gave its final performance tonight, so the students had to remember their instruments. Marla and Denise forgot their cellos, and their teacher, the conductor, was not pleased. She apologized and was forgiven for her lapse in memory. (To whom is “she” referring?) • Neither the conductor nor the musicians had taken their places on the stage when Marla confessed to her forgetfulness. It was not until Denise had sat down that Denise told the conductor about not having her instrument. (All antecedents are clearly defined!) • All of the musicians played their solos, and each musician had a solo. Kyle and Martin played together, but he was off key and ruined their duet. (To whom does he refer?)

18. Using Pronouns Correctly Subject pronouns are used in compound subjects, and object pronouns are used in compound objects. He and Carmen wrote a report on the subject. (Not Him and Carmen) Get rid of “and Carmen” and then it is easy to determine which pronoun to use! Tell John and me about Hercules.(Not John and I) Continue

19. Using Pronouns Correctly A preposition takes an object, just as many verbs do. The object of a preposition can be simple or compound. In either case, use an object pronoun as the object of the preposition. Lee read a famous myth to me. Lee read a famous Roman myth to John and me. Continue

20. Using Pronouns Correctly If you are not sure of which form of the pronoun to use, say the sentence aloud with only the pronoun as the subject or the object. Your ear will tell you which form is correct. Whenever the pronoun I is part of a compound subject, it should always be placed after the other parts of the subject. Similarly, when the pronoun me is part of a compound object, it should go after the other parts of the object. Continue

21. Using Pronouns Correctly Lee and I read some ancient Roman myths. (Not I and Lee) Mythology interests Lee and me. (Not me and Lee). Continue

22. Continue Using Pronouns Correctly In formal writingand speech use a subject pronoun after a linking verb. The subject pronoun that follows a linking verb is called the predicate pronoun (like the predicate nominative). The writer of this report wasshe. It isI.

23. In which sentence is the compound part NOT written correctly? • The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has given Mr. Milner and us many great ideas for perfect performances. • It was she and I who decided to play a song from Phantom of the Opera. • Lloyd Webber first got the idea for writing his show Cats when his wife and he were reading a book of poetry by T.S. Eliot. • Eventually, his friend and him turned Eliot’s poems about cats into a musical.

24. Answer…D • Eventually, his friend and him turned Eliot’s poems about cats into a musical. • Eventually, his friend and him turned Eliot’s poems about cats into a musical. • Eventually, he (not him) turned Eliot’s poems about cats into a musical.

25. Continue Possessive Pronouns A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that shows who or what has something. A possessive pronoun may take the place of a possessive noun. Read the following sentences. Notice the possessive nouns and the possessive pronouns that replace them.

26. Continue Possessive Pronouns Homer’s story is famous. His story is famous. This story is Homer’s. This story is his. Possessive nouns are in green. Possessive pronouns are in red.

27. Singular Plural Used before nouns my your his, her, its our your their Used alone mine yours his, hers, its ours yours theirs Continue Possessive Pronouns Possessive pronouns have two forms. One form is used before a noun. The other form is used alone.

28. Possessive Pronouns Possessive pronouns are not written with apostrophes. The pronoun its, for example, shows possession. The word it’s, on the other hand, is a contraction of it is. Read the following sentences. Notice the meaning of the words in red type. Its central character is Odysseus. (possessive pronoun) It’sabout the adventures of Odysseus. (contraction of It is)

29. How would Case 21 ask a personal pronoun question? YIKES • Which of the following sentences is complex (it has both a dependent and independent clause) and uses a plural, objective personal pronoun? A. Ms. Wells and he visited the museum last night. B. Although you told them about your trouble, Casey and Ralph could not help you. • It will be a traumatic experience when Florida State loses. • That boy never obeys, and he certainly is not nice. HINT…Eliminate the simple and compound sentences first. Then examine the pronouns in the complex sentences. Which one of the complex sentences has a plural, objective personal pronoun? That sentence is your answer!

30. And the answer is…B A. Ms. Wells and he visited the museum last night. – Eliminate this simple sentence. B. Although you told them about your trouble, Casey and Ralph could not help you.(Complex sentence…them is plural, objective pronoun…..ANSWER!!!!!!) • It will be a traumatic experience when Florida State loses. (Complex sentence...the personal pronoun is singular and subjective…NOT THE ANSWER!!!) • That boy never obeys, and he certainly is not nice. – Eliminate this compound sentence.

31. Continue Indefinite Pronouns An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that does not refer to a particular person, place, or thing. Does anyone know the story of Midas? Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural.

32. Continue Some Indefinite Pronouns All, any, most, none and some can be singular or plural, depending on the phrase that follows them.

33. All, Any, Most, None, and Some • For the pronouns that can be singular or plural, determine if the object of the preposition can be measured or if it can be counted. • Measured…singular verbs will be used for correct pronoun/verb agreement. • Counted…plural verbs will be used for correct pronoun/verb agreement

34. Measurable…Singular • All of the water has drained out of the tub. All (of the water) has drained out of the tub. Water can be measured and not counted; therefore, you must use a singular verb like has. SINGULAR VERBS END IN -S

35. Countable…Plural • None of the water spouts work, and I’m thirsty! • None (of the water spouts) work… • I can count water spouts; therefore a plural verb must be used. Remember that plural verbs DO NOT end in –S.

36. What can you measure? What can you count? Measurable (singular) Countable (plural) (Make a list with your partners.) Sugar cubes Hair brushes Freedom riders Milk cartons • (Make a list with your partners.) • Sugar • Hair • Freedom • milk

37. Continue Some Indefinite Pronouns When an indefinite pronoun is used as the subject, the verb must agree with it in number. Everyone discusses the plot. (singular) Both talk about King Minos. (plural) All of mythology is about beliefs and ideals. (singular) All of the myths are about beliefs and ideals. (plural)

38. Continue Some Indefinite Pronouns Possessive pronouns often have indefinite pronouns as their antecedents. In such cases, the pronouns must agree in number. Note that in the first example the intervening prepositional phrase does not affect the agreement. Each of the characters has his or her motive. Several have conflict with their rivals.

39. Test Hint…You will have to place indefinite pronouns on a chart. Somebody Either One Both All Some Few Each Several Singular – one clap Plural – two claps Either Way – don’t clap

40. Continue Reflexive Pronouns A reflexive pronoun refers to a noun or another pronoun and indicates that the same person or thing is involved. Reflexive pronouns are formed by adding –self or –selves to certain personal and possessive pronouns The woman found herself a book of folktales. Reflexive Pronoun

41. Continue Reflexive Pronouns Sometimes hisself is mistakenly used for himself and theirselves for themselves. Avoid using hisself and theirselves.

42. Continue Intensive Pronouns An intensive pronoun is a pronoun that adds emphasis to a noun or pronoun already named. Georgehimselfbought a copy of American Tall Tales. He himself paid for the book.

43. Which of the following sentences uses an intensive pronoun correctly? • Travelers to Tibet are fortunate if they can hike the terrain by themselves. • Tibetan hunters theirselves have depleted the population of yaks by overhunting. • The Tibetan Tang Reserve itself covers 115,000 square miles, an area greater than that of Arizona. • Travelers who have never seen a golden yak might ask themselves “What are we looking for?”

44. Answer…C • Tibetan hunters theirselveshave depleted the population of yaks by overhunting. • The Tibetan Tang Reserve itself covers 115,000 square miles, an area greater than that of Arizona. • Theirselves is not a correct form of an intensive or reflexive pronoun.

45. Relative Pronouns Begin Dependent Clauses • That • Which • Who • Whom • Whoever • Whomever • where

46. Relative Clauses are Adjective Clauses (Modify Nouns) • The student who performs his best on the test will receive an award. • The school where Mrs. Autrey teaches rocks! What is the relative clause in the following sentence? The girl for whom he waited is the love of his life.

47. Answer • The girl for whom he waited is the love of his life.