Pronouns SPI (b) Identify the correct use of pronouns within context (agreement, reflexive, interrogative, demonstrative) Based on Tennessee State Curriculum Standards from the school year. Prepared by Andy Lombardo, Sevierville Middle SchoolAndy Lombardo

Our Goal Our goal is to be able to identify the correct use of the following Pronoun topics: Pronoun agreement Reflexive pronouns Interrogative pronouns Demonstrative pronouns Subject and Object Pronouns

Introduction A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.

The big scary word… First, let’s get the big scary word out of the way… ANTECEDENT Now… what’s an antecedent?

Antecedent The job of a pronoun is to take the place of a noun. You know this. It’s been part of your English curriculum since 1 st grade. “Antecedent” is the special term we use for the noun being replaced by the pronoun. For example…

Antecedent (continued) Joe walked home. He got cold. HE is the pronoun taking the place of the noun JOE. Therefore, JOE is the antecedent.

Why is this hard? Well, it’s not, really, when you have easy sentences like that. When it gets tough is when you have the noun near the beginning of a paragraph and a pronoun near the end. Sometimes, you can get confused about what the pronoun is replacing.

Pronoun Agreement

Pronoun agreement means that when you have a pronoun, it should AGREE with its antecedent. What does it mean to agree? If the noun is singular, the pronoun should be singular. If the noun is plural, the pronoun should be plural. If the noun is masculine, the pronoun should be masculine. If the noun is feminine, the pronoun should be feminine

Find the antecedent, the pronoun, and tell me if they agree-- 1.The myth of Arachne is amusing. I enjoyed it. 2.The bystanders see Athena. They watch her at the loom. 3.The maiden Arachne lives in Lydia. It is a country in Asia.

Practice: Fill in the blank with an agreeable pronoun. 1.Arachne is a skillful weaver. _______ boasts about her weaving. 2.Arachne first forms woolen threads. ______ feel as soft as clouds. 3.Now do p. 432 in English book… Numbers 4-25

Subject and Object Pronouns The RULE about Subject and Object Pronouns: When you have a pronoun being used as the subject of a sentence, you should use a subject pronoun. If you have a pronoun being used as an object in a sentence, you should use an object pronoun.

Subject and Object Pronouns What is the subject of a sentence? The part where you learn who or what the sentence is about. When have we talked about objects this year? Direct Objects Indirect Objects Objects of the Preposition

Subject Pronouns I, We, You, He, She, It, They, Who Object Pronouns Me, Us, You, Him, Her, Them, Whom

Practice: List the pronouns and tell if they are subject or object pnouns 1.I will tell you a story about three characters from mythology. 2.They are names Daphne, Apollo, and Cupid. 3.Apollo loved Daphne, but Daphne did not love him. 4.Finish 4-10 on p. 430.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive & Intensive Pronouns Reflexive & Intensive pronouns are ones that end in –self or –selves. Myself, yourself, himself, herself, yourselves, itself, ourselves, themselves Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of the sentence are referring to the same thing. Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to the subject.

Reflexive and Intensive Rules There are three main ways Reflexive pronouns are used: When the subject and object are the same Kyle hurt himself. Sydney talks to herself.

As the object of a preposition, referring to the subject I bought a present for myself. She did it by herself. That man is talking to himself.

When you want to emphasize the subject I'll do it myself. They ate all the food themselves.

Intensive Pronouns Intensive pronouns are pronouns that are used to give extra emphasis to the subject. For example: 1. Mr. Bowers himself thought it was a stupid idea. 2.Miss Dixon herself did a back handspring. Hint: you can take an intensive pronoun out of the sentence and it still makes sense.

More Practice: Write each reflexive or intensive pronoun and label as reflexive or intensive 1.Today occupy yourselves by reading the legend of King Arthur. 2.The legend itself may be based on historical evidence. 3.Arthur’s mother admired herself for giving birth to such a son. 4.Finish 4-10 on p. 440.

Interrogative Pronouns Interrogative pronouns are used to start an interrogative sentence. Who Whom (used as an object) What Whose Which

Practice: Pick the right pronoun 1.(Who, which) is the myth about a quest for a great treasure? 2.To (who, whom) do you read those myths? 3.(What, whom) is the object of the quest? 4.Finish 4-10 on p. 442

Demonstrative Pronouns

This, that, these, those