Pronouns

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Pronouns
Sandra Boyd
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Personal Pronouns

• A pronoun is a word that takes the place of one
  or more nouns.
• The most frequently used pronouns are called
  personal pronouns. They refer to people or
  things.

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Subject Pronouns

• A subject pronoun is used as the
• subject of a sentence.
• She is my best friend.
• It is my dog.
• Does he know the answer?
• You and I will meet later.

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Object Pronouns

• An object pronoun is used as the
• direct/indirect object or the object of a
  preposition.
• Give the book to me.
• The teacher gave her a reprimand.
• I will tell you a story.
• Susan read it to them.

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List of Personal Pronouns

• Singular Plural
• I we
• you you
• he, she, it they

Subject Pronouns
me us you you him, her, it them

Object Pronouns
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ACTIVITY 1

• Write sentences using each of the subject
  pronouns. Underline each subject pronoun.
• Write sentences using each of the object
  pronouns. Circle each object pronoun.
• Total of 16 pronouns.
• You can combine subject and object pronouns in
  you sentences.

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PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS

• Read the following sentences. Can you tell to
  whom the word She refers?
• Arachne competes with Athena. She weaves
  skillfully.
• The sentence is not clear because the word She
  could refer to either Arachne or Athena.
  Sometimes you must repeat a noun or rewrite the
  sentence.
• Arachne competes with Athena. Athena weaves
  skillfully.

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PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS

• The noun or group of words that a pronoun refers
  to is called its antecedent.
• When you use a pronoun, you should be sure that
  it refers to its antecedent clearly. Be
  especially careful when you use the pronoun they.
  Read the following sentence.
• They have several books about Greek myths at the
  library.
• Continue

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PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS

• The meaning of They is unclear. The sentence can
  be improved by rewriting it in the following
  manner.
• Several books about myths are available at the
  library.

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PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS

• When using pronouns, you must also make sure that
  they agree with their antecedents in number
  (singular or plural) and gender. The gender of a
  noun may be masculine (male), feminine (female),
  or neuter (referring to things). Notice how the
  pronouns on the next slide agree with their
  antecedents.

Continue
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PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS

• 1. The myth of Arachne is amusing. I enjoyed
  it.
• 2. The bystanders see Athena. They watch her at
  the loom.
• In the first sentence, myth is the antecedent of
  the pronoun it.
• In the second sentence, bystanders is the
  antecedent of They, and Athena is the antecedent
  of her.

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Using Pronouns Correctly

• Subject pronouns are used in compound subjects,
  and object pronouns are used in compound objects.
• He and Carmen wrote a report on the subject. (Not
  Him and Carmen)
• Tell John and me about Hercules. (Not John and
  I)

Continue
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Using Pronouns Correctly

• A preposition takes an object, just as many
  verbs do. The object of a preposition can be
  simple or compound. In either case, use an
  object pronoun as the object of the preposition.
  
• Lee read a famous myth to me.
• Lee read a famous Roman myth
• to John and me.

Continue
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Using Pronouns Correctly

• If you are not sure of which form of the
  pronoun to use, say the sentence aloud with only
  the pronoun as the subject or the object. Your
  ear will tell you which form is correct.
• Whenever the pronoun I is part of a compound
  subject, it should always be placed after the
  other parts of the subject. Similarly, when the
  pronoun me is part of a compound object, it
  should go after the other parts of the object.

Continue
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Using Pronouns Correctly

• Lee and I read some ancient Roman myths.
  (Not I and Lee)
• Mythology interests Lee and me. (Not me and
  Lee).

Continue
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Using Pronouns Correctly

• In formal writing and speech use a subject
  pronoun after a linking verb.
• The writer of this report was she.
• It is I.

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Possessive Pronouns

• A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that
  shows who or what has something. A possessive
  pronoun may take the place of a possessive noun.
• Read the following sentences. Notice the
  possessive nouns and the possessive pronouns that
  replace them.

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Possessive Pronouns

• Homers story is famous.
• His story is famous.
• This story is Homers.
• This story is his.
• Possessive nouns are in green. Possessive
  pronouns are in red.

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Possessive Pronouns

• Possessive pronouns have two forms. One form is
  used before a noun. The other form is used alone.

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Possessive Pronouns

• Possessive pronouns are not written with
  apostrophes. The pronoun its, for example, shows
  possession. The word its, on the other hand, is
  a contraction of it is. Read the following
  sentences. Notice the meaning of the words in
  red type.
• Its central character is Odysseus. (possessive
  pronoun)
• Its about the adventures of Odysseus.
  (contraction of It is)

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Indefinite Pronouns

• An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that does not
  refer to a particular person, place, or thing.
• Does anyone know the story of Midas?
• Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or
  plural.

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Some Indefinite Pronouns
Singular Plural
another everybody no one anybody everyone nothing anyone everything one anything much somebody each neither someone either nobody something both few many others several
All, any, most, none and some can be singular or
plural, depending on the phrase that follows them.
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Some Indefinite Pronouns
When an indefinite pronoun is used as the
subject, the verb must agree with it in
number. Everyone discusses the plot.
(singular) Both talk about King Minos.
(plural) All of mythology is about beliefs and
ideals. (singular) All of the myths are about
beliefs and ideals. (plural)
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Some Indefinite Pronouns
Possessive pronouns often have indefinite
pronouns as their antecedents. In such cases,
the pronouns must agree in number. Note that in
the first example the intervening prepositional
phrase does not affect the agreement. Each of the
characters has his or her motive. Several have
conflict with their rivals.
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Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun refers to a noun or another
pronoun and indicates that the same person or
thing is involved. Reflexive pronouns are formed
by adding self or selves to certain personal
and possessive pronouns The woman found herself
a book of folktales.
Reflexive Pronoun
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Reflexive Pronouns
Singular Plural
myself yourself himself, herself, itself ourselves yourselves themselves
Sometimes hisself is mistakenly used for himself
and theirselves for themselves. Avoid using
hisself and theirselves.
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Intensive Pronouns
An intensive pronoun is a pronoun that adds
emphasis to a noun or pronoun already
named. George himself bought a copy of American
Tall Tales. He himself paid for the book.