Pronoun Perfection

The Basics  Pronouns help us to avoid being overly repetitive. John went to the store, but John forgot to buy milk. John went to the store, but he forgot to buy milk.  Pronouns replace nouns but must keep the same meaning.

The Antecedent  Antecedent = Original Noun John went to the store, but he forgot to buy eggs. John = antecedent.  Can’t have a pronoun without an antecedent.

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement  Your pronouns must agree with the antecedent: Number: Singular or Plural Number: Singular or Plural Gender: Male, Female, Neutral Gender: Male, Female, Neutral Maria (antecedent) needs to buy her (pronoun) mom a new coat. Maria (antecedent) needs to buy her (pronoun) mom a new coat.

Collective Nouns  Remember, collective nouns are singular (i.e. the class, the Bahamas, the audience) (i.e. the class, the Bahamas, the audience) Incorrect: The Bahamas does not have a firm plan for their tourism season. Incorrect: The Bahamas does not have a firm plan for their tourism season. Correct: The Bahamas does not have a firm plan for its tourism season. Correct: The Bahamas does not have a firm plan for its tourism season.

Exception  If you are referring to multiple parts of a collective noun, then use a plural pronoun. The audience clapped their hands. The audience clapped their hands. The dance team could not wait to perform its show. The dance team could not wait to perform its show.  While the audience is singular, there are multiple hands.

Indefinite-Pronoun Antecedents  The following pronouns are singular: Anybody, Each, Everybody, Everyone, No one, Nobody, Someone, Somebody, One. Anybody, Each, Everybody, Everyone, No one, Nobody, Someone, Somebody, One. I hope someone brought his or her dog to the park on such a nice day. I hope someone brought his or her dog to the park on such a nice day. No one at St. Mary’s Girls Academy did her homework last night. No one at St. Mary’s Girls Academy did her homework last night.

More Indefinite Pronouns  All, any, enough, more, most, none, and some can be singular or plural. Did you eat the cake? Yes, I ate all of it. Did you eat the cake? Yes, I ate all of it. Did you eat all the pieces of cake? Yes, I ate all of them. Did you eat all the pieces of cake? Yes, I ate all of them.

Coordinating Conjunctions  Certain conjunctions combine or separate subjects.  And – takes two singular subjects and makes them plural Burt and Ernie kidnapped their neighbor, Mr. Rogers. Burt and Ernie kidnapped their neighbor, Mr. Rogers.

More Coordinating Conjunctions  Or & Nor keep subjects separate. Either Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny did his taxes in my kitchen last night. Either Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny did his taxes in my kitchen last night. Neither Julia Roberts nor Demi Moore knows her own telephone number. Neither Julia Roberts nor Demi Moore knows her own telephone number.

Gender Discrimination in Pronouns  If given a choice, make sure the pronoun is inclusive of both genders. Every student needs to get his act together. Every student needs to get his act together. This is grammatically correct but gender biased.This is grammatically correct but gender biased. If given a choice, make the pronoun inclusive. If given a choice, make the pronoun inclusive. Every student needs to get his or her act together.Every student needs to get his or her act together. All students need to get their acts together.All students need to get their acts together.

Pronoun Case  Subject Pronouns Do the action of the sentence Do the action of the sentence SingularPlural IWe IWe YouYou YouYou He, She, ItThey He, She, ItThey  Object Pronouns Receive the action of the sentence SingularPlural MeUs YouYou Him, Her, ItThem

Special Pronoun Cases  Comparisons – Use subject pronouns! A comparison sentence compares two or more people or things (uses more than, less than, as much as) A comparison sentence compares two or more people or things (uses more than, less than, as much as) She likes Halloween more than they. She likes Halloween more than they. I am faster than he. I am faster than he. Finish the sentence…add in the missing verb. Finish the sentence…add in the missing verb.

Using Between and Among  Always use object pronouns with between and among.  Between you and me, I have no idea why Big Bird is so popular.

Using And…  If you’re unsure which pronoun to use, cross out the word “and” and any other attached nouns to decide which pronoun to use. My dad drove my sister and ___ (I/me). Jose and ___ (he/him) will go to the store.

Who/Whom  Who is a subject pronoun—think of it like “he.”  Whom is an object pronoun—think of it like “him.” (Who/Whom) are you trying to call? (Who/Whom) are you trying to call? Are you trying to call him, or trying to call he?Are you trying to call him, or trying to call he? (Who/Whom) solved the mystery? (Who/Whom) solved the mystery? He solved it, or him solved itHe solved it, or him solved it