1. Chapter 3, Lessons 9 and 10 Pronoun Problems

2. Unclear Reference Be sure that each pronoun refers clearly to only one person, place, or thing. If there is any chance your reader will be confused about whom or what you are talking about, use a noun instead of a pronoun.

3. Unclear Reference Confusing: Tony and Fred want to become veterinarians. He now works at an animal shelter. (Who is working – Tony or Fred?)

4. Unclear Reference Clear: Tony and Fred want to become veterinarians. Fred now works at an animal shelter.

5. Pronouns in Compounds Use the object pronouns me, her, him, us, and them in a compound object. Kenny saw Jill and me at the mall.

6. Pronouns in Compounds Use the subject pronouns I, she, he, we, and they in a compound subject or with a predicate noun or pronoun. Jill and I went to the mall. Mark and he were late to school.

7. A subject pronoun is going to come before an action verb. An action verb is the action of a sentence. Or a subject pronoun is going to come after a linking verb (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste). An object pronoun is going to come after an action verb. An action verb is the action of the sentence.

8. Intervening Phrases Sometimes words and phrases come between a subject and a pronoun that refers to it. Mentally cross out the phrase to figure out the agreement. Jim, like the others, brought his map.