Pronouns

What is a Pronoun? A word that takes the place of one or more nouns and the words that describe those nouns.

Personal Pronouns Used to refer to people or things. Singular or plural Two Kinds: Used as the subject of the sentence OR Used as the object of the verb or preposition

Personal Pronouns Singular Plural Used as Subjects I you he, she, it we they Used as Objects me him, her, it us them

Subject Pronouns Used as the subject of the sentence Examples: Rita likes books. She particularly likes novels. The dog ran down the street. It was so fast no one could keep up. Mom and Dad left this morning for vacation. They went to Jamaica.

Object Pronouns Used as the object of the verb or preposition Examples: The novel amuses Rita. The novel amuses her. The boy knocked the chair over. The boy knocked it over. The officer showed handcuffs to the class. The officer showed handcuffs to them.

Pronouns and Antecedents Antecedent – the noun or groups of words that a pronoun refers to Example: Louisa May Alcott lived near Boston. She had many famous neighbors. Antecedent Pronoun

Pronouns and Antecedents: Singular and Plural Be sure every pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number (singular or plural) and gender. Puccini and Verdi wrote many great operas. They wrote them in Italian. The plural pronoun they refers to Puccini and Verdi. The plural pronoun them refers to operas.

Pronouns and Antecedents: Gender The gender of a noun or pronoun may be masculine, feminine, or neither (referring to things). Mary sent a letter to Aunt Fran. Mary sent it to her. The singular pronoun it refers to letter. The singular pronoun her refers to Aunt Fran.

Demonstrative Pronouns Pronouns that point something out. The demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those. This (singular) and these (plural) refer to something nearby. That (singular) and those (plural) refer to something at a distance.

Demonstrative Pronouns This is an interesting book. (singular, nearby) These are interesting books. (plural, nearby) That is a long book. (singular, at a distance) Those are long books. (plural, at a distance)

Interrogative Pronouns Pronouns used to introduce a question Who Whom Whose What Which

Interrogative Pronouns Cont. Who and Whom both refer to people. Who is used when the interrogative pronoun is the subject. Who borrowed the book? Whom is used when the interrogative pronoun is the object of the verb or preposition. Whom did the librarian call? For whom did you borrow the book?

Interrogative Pronouns Cont. Which and what are used to refer to things and ideas. Which is it? What interests you? Whose shows that someone owns or has something. I found a copy of Great Expectations. Whose is it? *****Do NOT confuse whose with who’s. Who’s is a contraction (who + is = who’s)

Indefinite Pronouns Pronouns that do not refer to a specific person, place or thing. Each thinks about the plot. Singular Plural another anybody anyone anything each either everybody everyone everything much neither nobody no one nothing one somebody someone something both few many others several

Singular or Plural all, any, most, none, some When an indefinite pronoun is used as the subject, the verb must agree with it in number. Everyone reads a part of the novel. (singular) Several enjoy it very much. (plural) Most of the story takes place in England. (singular) Most of the characteristics are memorable. (plural)

Possessive pronouns often have indefinite pronouns as their antecedents. In such cases, the pronouns must agree in number. Several are presenting their interpretations of the novel. Each of the students has his or her ideas about its meaning.

Relative Pronouns Pronouns that signal a subordinate clause, which `cannot stand alone. Whose That Which Who Whoever What Whom Divers search for reefs where much sea life exists. Divers sometimes wear weights that they strap on. **Take note: the relative pronouns are located in the half of the sentence that cannot stand alone (the subordinate clause.)