Pronouns

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Personal Pronouns Subject Pronoun Object Pronoun Possessive Adjective Possessive Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun memine usours youyours himhis herhers it― themtheirs one―

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Rules for Using Personal Pronouns Use the pronoun according to the form required The scientist showed us his invention. The scientist showed us her invention. The scientists showed us their invention. Use an object pronoun after a preposition Between us, the competition is unimportant.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Rules for Using Personal Pronouns Do not confuse its with it’s its: belonging to it (its engine=the engine of the car) it’s: a contracted form of it is (it’s raining) Use the appropriate forms for reflexive pronouns You have to do the assignment yourself. (one person) You have to work among yourselves for this project. (more than one person)

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Reference Use a pronoun to refer to a noun phrase or another pronoun (called the antecedent) mentioned earlier in your writing. Cancer is a major illness, but not everyone who contracts cancer will die from it. Name the highlighted word.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Reference Cancer is a major illness, but not everyone who contracts cancer will die from it. Cancer is the antecedent of it and it is the pronoun reference for cancer.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Reference The antecedent must be specified before the use of the pronoun. Imaging is an important diagnostic tool for determining the stage and the precise locations of cancer to aid in cancer treatment plans. It can also be used to check if cancer has returned. Imaging is the antecedent of it

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Agreement A singular pronoun refers to a singular word or phrase Computer technology has its pros and cons. A plural pronoun refers to a plural form. Different disciplines are engulfed with their own ethical concerns.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Agreement A possessive adjective agrees in gender with its antecedent, not the noun following it. Marie Curie brought pride to her country by winning the Nobel Prize. Environmentalists showed their displeasure by demonstrating at the recent G8 meeting.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Agreement The following need singular pronouns  singular countable nouns  collective nouns  uncountable nouns  indefinite pronouns

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Agreement Types of Noun/ Pronoun ExamplesPronouns to be used Singular countable noun a person a book he or she it Singular collective noun a troop a collection it Singular indefinite pronoun everyone, someone each, every he or she he, she or it Uncountable noun information equipment it

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Pronoun Agreement Plural countable nouns, compound noun phrases and some collective nouns need plural pronouns (they, them, their, theirs) Doctors have to abide by their code of ethics. Engineers and scientists think quite differently because of their training. The government want their citizens to support them.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Demonstrative Pronouns Demonstrative pronouns: are used to point out what is referred to. are only used if there was a previous mention of the object or concept.

Common Errors: 1 It is the most common pronoun. It is commonly omitted when it functions as an object pronoun: You will regret. X You will regret it. I would appreciate if you could reply… X I would appreciate it if you could reply… eg1471/jc/dec2008

Common Errors: 2 Pronouns tend to be omitted when the reference is generally understood: The man was holding a book in right hand. X The man was holding a book in his right hand. eg1471/jc/dec2008

Common Errors: 3 eg1471/jc/dec2008 The wrong category of pronoun can be chosen. For example, determiners instead of non- determiners. The book is her. X The book is hers.

Avoiding Repetition Using pronouns instead of repetition is one way of improving your writing. Many students work very hard. Many students spend all day on campus. Many students work very hard. They spend all day on campus. eg1471/jc/dec2008

Reference Raimes, A. (2006). Grammar Troublespots: A Guide for Student Writers (3 rd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press,