1. Pronouns
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2. What is a pronoun?
A pronoun replaces nouns or other pronouns in a sentence so that you do not have to repeat them. In the following sentence, her is a pronoun that replaces Traci:
Traci gave me her number.
The noun or pronoun that a pronoun replaces is called the antecedent.
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3. Common Pronouns:
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4. Keep in mind the following points about pronouns:
A pronoun must agree with the noun it refers to in number: Both must be singular (one) or plural (more than one).
The Trans sold their house.
The pronoun their agrees with the Trans because both are plural.
If a pronoun refers to a singular noun, it must also match that noun in gender: he for masculine nouns, she for feminine nouns, and it for genderless nouns.
Mike likes his coffee hot.
His agrees with Mike because both are singular and masculine.
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5. Indefinite Pronouns and Collective Nouns
Indefinite pronouns (like anybody, everyone, and somebody) often take singular verbs.
Collective nouns (like audience, class, and group) are often singular, unless the people in a group are acting separately.
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6. Pronouns
A pronoun should refer to only one noun, and it should be clear what that noun is.
UNCLEAR: Manuel told Robert that he had to work.
[Which one of them had to work?]
CLEAR: Manuel told Robert to work.
A pronoun should replace the subject of the sentence, not repeat it.
INCORRECT: The letter carrier, he came at noon.
CORRECT: The letter carrier came at noon.
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7. Important pronoun types:
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8. Pronoun Types A subject pronoun serves as the subject of a verb:
She likes canoeing.
An object pronoun either receives the action of the verb:
Carol took me to the store.
Or is part of a prepositional phrase:
Raul gave the watch to me.
Possessive pronouns show ownership:
That car is mine.
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9. Be careful with pronoun usage in the following types of sentences:
Those with more than one subject or object:
Lula and I work together.
Lula works with Joe and me.
Those presenting comparisons:
Collette drives faster than I.
Collette likes Tina more than me.
(This means Collette likes Tina more than she likes me.)
Those with who or whom. Who is always a subject; whom is always an object.
Rick is the man who works at my company.
Rick is the man to whom I sent the memo.
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10. Complete the following sentence with the correct pronoun:
The company laid off all of ____ employees.
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11. Answer: The company laid off all of its employees.
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12. Complete the following sentence with the correct pronoun: (continued 1)
No one wants to have ____ identity stolen.
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13. Answer: (continued 1) No one wants to have his or her identity stolen.
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14. Complete the following sentence with the correct pronoun: (continued 2)
Each of the brothers had ____ own bedroom.
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15. Answer: (continued 2) Each of the brothers had his own bedroom.
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16. Complete the following sentence with the correct pronoun: (continued 3)
April and ____ go to the movies every Saturday night.
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17. Answer: (continued 3)
April and I go to the movies every Saturday night.
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18. Complete the following sentence with the correct pronoun: (continued 4)
Johnny Depp is the actor _____ played Edward Scissorhands.
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19. Answer: (continued 4)
Johnny Depp is the actor who played Edward Scissorhands.
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20. Complete the following sentence with the correct pronoun: (continued 5)
The person with ____ you spoke no longer works at this office.
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21. Answer: (continued 5)
The person with whom you spoke no longer works at this office.
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22. Finding and Fixing Pronoun Problems
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