Pronouns Sandra Boyd

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.

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

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) Tell John and me about Hercules. (Not John and I) **cover up trick (cover the blue) Continue

Using Pronouns Correctly Lee and I read some ancient Roman myths. (Not I and Lee) Never put yourself first. Always use I in the subject of the sentence. Mythology interests Lee and me. (Not me and Lee). Always use me in the object of the sentence. Continue

Using Pronouns Correctly In formal writing and speech use a subject pronoun after a linking verb. The writer of this report was she. **she was… The person in the costume was him. **him was… (wrong!) **flip-it-trick (flip the pronoun with the linking verb) 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. 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. Continue

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

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’s about the adventures of Odysseus. (contraction of It is)

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 Continue

Reflexive Pronouns Singular Plural myself yourself himself, herself, itself ourselves yourselves themselves Sometimes hisself is mistakenly used for himself and theirselves for themselves. DO NOT use hisself and theirselves. Continue

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

Interrogative Pronouns Interrogative pronouns are used in asking questions. The pronouns who, what and which are used as interrogative pronouns. e.g. Who telephoned?       What did you say?      Which is your brother?

Interrogative Pronouns The pronoun Who Subjective Case: who- use as a subject Objective Case: whom- use prepositions to, for, from, with… (unknown receiver) Possessive Case: whose- shows ownership (not who’s which is the contraction for who is)

Interrogative Pronouns What (thing) and Which (choice) What and which can be used either as interrogative pronouns, or as interrogative adjectives followed by nouns. e.g. What is that?       Which is his sister?       What time is it?       Which woman is his sister?