1. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 1 Lesson 1 Pronouns A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or another pronoun. An antecedent is the word that the pronoun refers to or replaces. Example: Gabe opened the letter and laid it on the desk. In the above sentence, letter is the antecedent, and it is the pronoun that takes its place.

2. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 2 Lesson 1 Pronouns A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or another pronoun. An antecedent is the word that the pronoun refers to or replaces. Example: Shannon takes her laptop computer with her everywhere she goes. In this sentence, Shannon is the antecedent, and her, her, and she are the pronouns that take its place.

3. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 3 Lesson 1 Pronouns Incorrect Number Reference Incorrect number reference occurs when the pronoun and antecedent don’t match in number. Singular pronouns are used with singular antecedents, plural pronouns with plural antecedents. Problems often occur with indefinite pronouns, words like “each,” “few,” and “any.” Some indefinite pronouns are always singular, and some are always plural. Others are singular or plural, depending on their antecedents. Use the table of indefinite pronouns on the following screen as a guide.

4. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 4 Lesson 1 Pronouns Indefinite Pronouns Always SingularAlways PluralSingular or Plural anybody anyone each either everybody everyone neither one somebody someone both few many several all any most more none some

5. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 5 Lesson 1 Pronouns Incorrect Number Reference Example: Each student should bring their lunch.

6. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 6 Lesson 1 Pronouns Incorrect Number Reference Example: Each student should bring their lunch. Revision: Each student should bring his or her lunch. OR All students should bring their lunches.

7. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 7 Lesson 1 Pronouns Incorrect Number Reference Example: Did either of the girls actually believe they would get away with cheating?

8. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 8 Lesson 1 Pronouns Incorrect Number Reference Example: Did either of the girls actually believe they would get away with cheating? Revision: Did either of the girls believe she would get away with cheating?

9. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 9 Lesson 1 Pronouns Ambiguous Reference Ambiguous reference occurs when it is unclear which antecedent a pronoun is replacing. Look at the examples and revisions below. Example: The men removed all the furniture from the room to clean it. It is unclear in the above sentence whether it refers to the room or the furniture.

10. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 10 Lesson 1 Pronouns Ambiguous Reference Ambiguous reference occurs when it is unclear which antecedent a pronoun is replacing. Look at the examples and revisions below. Example: The men removed all the furniture from the room to clean it. It is unclear in the above sentence whether it refers to the room or the furniture. Revision: The men removed all the furniture from the room and then cleaned the room. OR After removing all the furniture, the men cleaned the room.

11. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 11 Lesson 1 Pronouns Ambiguous Reference Example: Luis should help John, but he should help himself first. Should Luis help himself or should John help himself?

12. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 12 Lesson 1 Pronouns Ambiguous Reference Example: Luis should help John, but he should help himself first. Should Luis help himself or should John help himself? Revision: Luis should help John, but Luis should help himself first. OR Luis should help himself before he helps John.

13. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 13 Lesson 1 Pronouns Correct Pronoun Forms The pronouns I, he, she, we, and they should be used as subjects. The pronouns me, him, her, us, and them should be used as direct objects or objects of prepositions. Be particularly careful when you write sentences with compound objects. Example: Between you and I, Miguel is making a mistake.

14. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 14 Lesson 1 Pronouns Correct Pronoun Forms The pronouns I, he, she, we, and they should be used as subjects. The pronouns me, him, her, us, and them should be used as direct objects or objects of prepositions. Be particularly careful when you write sentences with compound objects. Example: Between you and I, Miguel is making a mistake. Revision: Between you and me, Miguel is making a mistake.

15. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 15 Lesson 1 Pronouns Correct Pronoun Forms The pronouns I, he, she, we, and they should be used as subjects. The pronouns me, him, her, us, and them should be used as direct objects or objects of prepositions. Be particularly careful when you write sentences with compound objects. Example: Give Tom and he the directions.

16. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 16 Lesson 1 Pronouns Correct Pronoun Forms The pronouns I, he, she, we, and they should be used as subjects. The pronouns me, him, her, us, and them should be used as direct objects or objects of prepositions. Be particularly careful when you write sentences with compound objects. Example: Give Tom and he the directions. Revision: Give Tom and him the directions.

17. Common Writing Problems: Pronouns 9-10 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning ® Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 17 Lesson 1 Pronouns Correct Pronoun Forms The following pronoun forms are often confused. Make sure to use the correct form in your writing. your—belonging to you you’re—contraction for “you are” its—belonging to it it’s—contraction for “it is” their—belonging to them there—a location