1. Don’t make them confusing!!

3. Singular Pronouns Subject PronounsPossessive PronounsObject Pronouns First Person (used in the place of the name of the speaker) Imy, mineMe Second Person (used to name the person or thing spoken to) youyour, yoursYou Third Person (used to name the person or thing spoken about) he, she, ithis, her, hers, itsHim, her, it Plural Pronouns First Person (used in the place of the name of the speaker) weour, oursUs Second Person (used to name the person or thing spoken to) youyour, yoursYou Third Person (used to name the person or thing spoken about) theytheir, theirsthem

4. Avoid sentences in which a pronoun does not agree with its antecedent – the word the pronoun refers to. For example: Everyone on the team must perform at their peak. Correction: Everyone on the team must perform at his or her peak. A pronoun must agree in number – singular or plural – with its antecedent! Everyone is a singular pronoun their is a plural pronoun

5. Avoid sentences that have confusing pronoun references. For example: When he opened the freezer to take out the fish, it made a startling hissing sound. Correction: The freezer made a startling hissing sound when he opened it to take out the fish. What made the sound – the freezer or the fish??? We don’t know because of the confusing pronoun reference. What does the pronoun “it” refer to?

6. Avoid sentences that include a pronoun shift. Example: If parents need childcare services during the assembly, you should contact the school office. Correction: If parents need childcare services during the assembly, they should contact the school office. you is a second person pronoun! Parents is a third-person subject

7. Let’s practice a few together: 1.Find the pronoun and then draw an arrow back to the antecedent. 2. Check to be sure that they match in number. Ella made sure her roller skates fit correctly before taking it to the rink. The radio station ran their yearly contest to see if listeners could correctly name a few old songs. I, George Washington, cannot tell a lie; I cut down the cherry tree with our little hatchet. No worker is required to pay for their own transportation. Everybody needs to show up with their lunch or contribution to the pancake breakfast. Some of the nurses put her charts on the desk. Each of the dogs had their leashes dragging behind them.