Grammar Unit 3 Nouns and Pronouns

Lesson 1: Pronouns Pronoun: a word that is used in place of a noun or another pronoun. Antecedent: the word that a personal pronoun refers to. Personal pronouns change depending on: Person: 1st (I/we), 2nd (you), 3rd (he/she/they) Number: singular or plural Case: subject, object, or possessive

Lesson 2: Subject Pronouns Subject pronoun: used as the subject of a sentence or as a predicate pronoun after a linking verb. Predicate pronoun: follows a linking verb and renames the subject.

Lesson 3: Object Pronouns Object pronouns: personal pronouns that are used as direct objects, indirect objects, or objects of prepositions. Direct object pronoun: receives the action of the verb answers the questions whom or what Indirect object pronoun: receives the direct object answers the question to whom/what or for whom/what Object of a preposition: pronoun follows a preposition (to, from, for, against, by, between, about, etc.)

Lesson 4: Possessive Pronouns Possessive pronoun: personal pronouns used to show ownership or relationship.

Lesson 5: Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns Singular Plural 1st Person Myself Ourselves 2nd Person Yourself Yourselves 3rd Person Himself, herself, itself Themselves

Reflexive Pronouns Refers to the subject of the sentence Directs the action of the verb back to subject Reflexive pronouns are required in order for a sentence to make sense

Examples of Reflexive Pronouns The children were not able to save themselves from the monster. I fell off my bike and hurt myself on the knee. “Themselves” refers back to subject “children”. “Myself” refers back to the subject “I”. “Themselves” and “myself” are required in order for their sentences to make sense.

Lesson 5: Intensive Pronouns Emphasize the noun or pronoun in the sentence (not necessarily the subject) They are not required in order for the meaning of the sentence to be clear

Examples of Intensive Pronouns You yourself have to complete the homework. (You have to complete the homework.) We ourselves must work together in order to accomplish the goal. (We must work together in order to accomplish the goal.) “Yourself” and “ourselves” could be removed from the sentences and they would still make sense.

Reflexive or intensive? She cried herself to sleep. We petted the dogs ourselves. Would the sentence still make sense if the pronoun is removed? If yes, the pronoun is intensive. If no, the pronoun is reflexive.

She cried herself to sleep. (reflexive) We petted the dogs ourselves. (intensive)

Lesson 6: Interrogative Pronouns Who- always used as a subject pronoun or predicate pronoun Subject pronoun: Who is yelling? Predicate pronoun: The teacher is who? Whom- always used as an object pronoun DOP: Whom did the teacher help? IOP: The teacher gave whom an A+? OP: From whom did the student get help? Whose ≠ Who’s (contraction of who is) What Which

Lesson 6: Demonstrative Pronouns Direct attention to a specific noun NEVER use “here” or “there” with demonstrative pronouns

Lesson 7: Antecedents Antecedent: the original noun that is replaced by a pronoun Myra wanted a dog for her birthday. She got one from her parents. “Myra” is the antecedent. “She” is the subject pronoun. We gave the students snacks. They enjoyed them. “Students” is the antecedent. “They” is the pronoun. “Snacks” is the antecedent. “Them” is the pronoun.

Lesson 7: Antecedent-Pronoun Agreement A pronoun must match the antecedent in three ways: Number (singular or plural) The pilots told their passengers the estimated time of arrival. Since “pilots” is plural, the possessive pronoun “their” is plural. Person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) I need to buy my daughter new shoes. “I” is in the 1st person , so “my” is as well. Gender (masculine, feminine, or neutral) Each person must order his or her own meal. Since “person” does not have a specific gender and is singular, the possessive pronoun must refer to both genders in the singular form. “Their” is plural, so it cannot be used.

Lesson 8: Indefinite Pronouns Indefinite pronouns do not refer to specific nouns Often, they do not have an antecedent Singular Plural Singular or Plural Another Each Everything One Both All None Anybody Either Neither Somebody Few Any Some Anyone Everybody Nobody Someone Many Most Anything Everyone No one Something Several

Indefinite Pronoun Examples Everybody wondered when he or she would get a turn on the roller coaster. Since “everybody” is a singular indefinite pronoun, the singular pronouns “he” and “she” must be used, not the plural pronoun “they”. Most of the animals were hibernating in their homes. “Most” can either be a singular or plural indefinite pronoun. However, since “animals” is plural, the possessive pronoun “their” is also plural.