Download Pronouns

Pronouns
PART I
Pronoun Trouble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e1hZGDaqIw
Pronoun
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of
a noun or a group of words acting as a
noun.
They are used rather than repeating a noun
again and again. Pronouns make sentences
clearer and more interesting.
Antecedent
An antecedent is the noun (or group of
words acting as a noun) to which a pronoun
refers.
The doctors described how they
antecedent
pronoun
performed their jobs.
pronoun
Everyone at the party knew the truth.
Indefinite pronoun
Who cooked the food?
Interrogative pronoun
Personal pronouns
Refer to (1) the person speaking or writing
(2) the person listening or reading
(3) the topic (person, place, thing, or idea) being discussed or written about.
Indefinite pronoun
An indefinite pronoun does not refer to
a specific person, place, or thing.
Indefinite pronouns often do not have
antecedents.
Indefinite
Indefinitepronouns
pronouns
Singular
another
anybody
anyone
anything
each
either
everybody
everyone
everything
neither
nobody
no one
nothing
one
somebody
someone
something
Plural
Singular or
plural
both
few
many
several
others
all
any
most
none
more
some
Demonstrative Pronouns
A demonstrative pronoun points to a specific person, place, or thing.
Demonstrative pronouns
Plural
Single
this
that
these
This is where I keep my shoes.
These are my friends.
That is my book.
Are those your grandparents?
those
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns are connect words. A relative pronoun begins a subordinate
clause and connects it to another idea in the same sentence.
Relative pronouns
that
which
who
whom
Independent clause
subordinate clause
Here is the recipe
He is the one
that my mother gave me.
whose car was stolen.
whose
Reflexive vs. Intensive pronouns
A reflexive pronoun directs the action of the verb toward its subject. Reflexive
pronouns point back to a noun or pronoun in the earlier sentence
An Intensive pronoun simply adds emphasis to a noun or pronoun in the same
sentence.
Example: Tara helped herself to some cookies (herself is reflexive)
The mayor herself attended the carnival (herself is intensive)
Practice:
Page 302 13.2A
page 309 13.2E and 13.2F in Writing
Coach
Flip back a few pages for pronoun review
starting on p. 300
Pronoun Problems
PART II
Sentences can get confusing when there are two or more possible
words that the pronoun could be referring to.
Example: We should take Susan and Kim to the mall and buy her a
birthday gift. (Who’s getting the gift?)
We should take Susan and Kim to the mall and buy Kim a birthday gift.
Example: Joe doesn’t know what Jack did to him. (Who is him?)
Joe doesn’t know what Jack did to Brian.
Consistency: Another major problem results from lack of
consistency in agreement, number and person.
Example: Sometimes a student gets so far behind that they
simply can’t catch up.
What is wrong with that sentence?
Consistency
Wrong: Sometimes a student gets so far behind that they
simply can’t catch up.
“Student” is singular; “they” is plural.
Sometimes a student gets so far behind that he or she simply
can’t catch up.
Sometimes students get so far behind that they simple can’t
catch up.
Consistency
Example: We get so tired of listening to her drone on about
grammar rules that you just want to fall out of your chair.
What is wrong with that sentence?
Consistency
Wrong: We get so tired of listening to her drone on about
grammar rules that you just want to fall out of your chair.
“We” is plural; “you” is singular.
How could we fix it?
Consistency
Example: No one should have to take this kind of punishment, nor
should we have to do this much work.
What is wrong with that sentence? How can we fix it?
Consistency
Example: The team has not won a game yet, but they will
have one last chance this week.
What is wrong with that sentence? How can we fix it?
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
His older brother and him liked to ride the go-carts.
What is wrong with that sentence?
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
His older brother and him liked to ride the go-carts.
Would you say, “Him liked to ride the go-carts”?
Correct:
He and his older brother liked to ride the go-carts.
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
Can me and John leave early for lunch?
What is wrong with that sentence?
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
Can me and John leave early for lunch?
Change it to:
Can John and I leave early for lunch?
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
She is trying to get you and I in trouble.
Is that correct or wrong?
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
She is trying to get you and I in trouble.
Change it to:
She is trying to get you and me in trouble.
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
Us girls like to hang out at the roller skating rink.
Is that correct or wrong?
Using pronouns in compound constructions often results in
confusion between objective and subjective case pronouns.
Us girls like to hang out at the roller skating rink.
Change it to:
We girls like to hang out at the roller skating rink.
Pronoun and verb problems
My brother is taller than me.
Is that correct or wrong?
Pronoun and verb problems
My brother is taller than me. Wrong
My brother is taller than I (am).
Who or whom?
“Who” is a subject, like “he” or “they”
“Whom” is an object, like “him” or “them”
Test a sentence by using a substitution. If the sentence is a
question, answer the question and make the substitution
Who/which/that?
Refer to people as “who” – not “which” or “that.”
Here is the student that failed all her quizzes. (nope)
Here is the student who failed all her quizzes. (yes)
Sorry, Katy. Maybe he left because he cared
about grammar.
“The one that got away” should have been
“the one who got away”.
Maybe it was her dog that got away.
Who or whom?
Who/whom is on the phone?
He is on the phone. So “Who” would be correct.
Who/whom did the teacher select for the leader?
The teacher selected him. So “Whom” would be correct.
That or which
Consider the following sentences. Both are acceptable, but their meanings are subtly
different:
The books, which have red covers, are new.
The books that have red covers are new.
Use which (surrounded by commas) if a group of words adds information. Use that if it limits the set of
things you're talking about.
That or which
Here are two more examples just to make that clear:
Classes that are held on Wednesdays are in building 206.
Leap years, which have 366 days, contain an extra day in February.
In the first sentence, the words "that are held on Wednesdays" are limiting the type of
classes that we're talking about. (We're not talking about all the classes, only the ones
held on Wednesdays.) We thus use that.
In the second sentence, the words "which have 366 days" are adding information. We
thus use which surrounded by commas.
Pronoun Trouble
Pronoun Trouble
From whom I borrowed information:
http://virtual.parkland.edu/walker102/pronoun.htm
http://jokes.myjokesite.info/2013/01/pronoun-confusion.html
Prentice Hall Texas Writing Coach Grade 8