Junior Freshman LanguageGrammar and Grammatical analysis

Grammar Lecture 9Pronouns (3)

Pronouns1. Personal pronouns2. Reflexive pronouns3. Interrogative pronouns4. Demonstrative pronouns5. Possessive pronouns6. Relative pronouns7. Indefinite pronouns

Reflexive verbs and pronounsA reflexive verb is a verb which is

accompanied by a pronoun, called a reflexive pronoun, which serves ‘to reflect’ the action of the verb back to the subject.

Reflexive pronounsSubject Direct

objectIndirect object

Reflexive Stressed

je me* me* me* moitu te* te* te* toiil,elle,on

le, la lui se lui,elle,soi

nous nous nous nous nousvous vous vous vous vousils,elles les leur se eux,elles

Reflexive pronounsReflexive pronouns are used only with

pronominal verbs (‘les verbes pronominaux’). They always agree with the subject of the

sentence. Like object pronouns, the reflexive pronoun

is placed directly in front of the verb in all tenses except the imperative.

e.g. tu te lèves → lève-toi

Reflexive pronouns Reflexive pronouns always agree with their

subjects, in all tenses and moods.1. I will get up2. We went to bed3. Are you going to shave?

Reflexive verbs are common in French.There are many English expressions that are

not reflexive in English, but whose French equivalent is a reflexive verb.

to get up to make a mistaketo go to bed to stopto wake up to take a walkto be boredto have fun

Interrogative pronounsPronouns that replace a noun and introduce a

questions.

ReminderSubject: the person or thing that performs

the action of the verb.Direct object: a noun or pronoun which

receives the action of the verb directly, without a preposition between the verb and the noun or pronoun object.

Indirect object: a noun or pronoun which receives the action of the verb indirectly, with the preposition à (to) relating it to the verb.

Interrogative pronounsIn both English and French, a different

interrogative pronoun is used depending on whether it refers to a ‘person’ or a ‘thing’.

The form of the interrogative pronoun also changes according to its function in the sentence.

Interrogative pronouns: subjectIn English:Person: Who is used for the subject of the

sentence.Thing: What is used for the subject of the

sentence.

An interrogative pronoun as subject is always followed directly by the verb.

Interrogative pronouns: subjectIn French: as in English, a different

interrogative pronoun is used depending on whether it refers to a person or a thing.

(1) Person: Qui + verb or Qui est-ce qui + verb

(2) Thing: Qu’est-ce qui + verb

Interrogative pronouns: direct objectIn English:A different interrogative pronoun is used

depending on whether it refers to a person or a thing.

Person: Whom is used for the object of the sentence.

Whom do you know here?Thing: What is used for the object of the

sentence.What do you want?

Interrogative pronouns: direct objectIn French: As in English, a different

interrogative pronoun is used depending on whether it refers to a person or a thing.

(1) Person: Qui est-ce que + subject + verb or Qui + verb + subject.

Qui est-ce que vous connaissez?Qui connaissez-vous?

Interrogative pronouns: direct object(2) Thing: Qu’ est-ce que + subject + verb

or Que + verb + subject.Qu’est-ce que vous voulez?Que voulez-vous?

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionIn English: It is difficult to identify an English

interrogative pronoun functioning as an indirect object or as an object of a preposition because the interrogative pronoun is often separated from the preposition of which it is the object.

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionWho did you speak to?

Who did you get the book from?

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionRestructuring the sentence:To establish whether an interrogative

pronoun is an indirect object or an object of a preposition, you will have to change the structure of the sentence so that the preposition is places before the interrogative pronoun.

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionThe following sentences have been

restructured to avoid a dangling preposition:Who are you giving the book to?To whom are you giving the book

What are you contributing to?To what are you contributing?

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionWho are you going out with?With whom are you going out?

What are you writing with?With what are you writing?

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionThe same form of the interrogative pronoun

is used as an indirect object and as an object of a preposition.

However, a different interrogative pronoun is used depending on whether it refers to a person or a thing.

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a preposition(1) Person: Who (whom) is used for indirect

objects and objects of a preposition:Who did you speak to?To whom did you speak

Who did you get the book from?From whom did you get the book?

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a preposition(2) Thing: What is used for indirect objects

and objects of a preposition:What did you pay with?With what did you pay?

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a prepositionIn French: As in English, the same form of

the interrogative pronoun is used as an indirect object (always preceded by the preposition à) and as an object of a preposition (always preceded by a preposition other than à).

As in English, a different interrogative pronoun is used depending on whether it refers to a person or a thing.

Interrogative pronouns: indirect object and object of a preposition(1) Person: The preposition + qui + est-ce

que + subject + verb or the preposition + qui + verb + subject.

A qui est-ce que vous donnez le livre?A qui donnez-vous le livre?To whom are you giving the book?

Avec qui est-ce que vous sortez?Avec qui sortez-vous?With whom are you going out?

(2) Thing: The preposition + quoi + est-ce que + subject + very or the preposition + quoi + verb + subject.

A quoi est-ce que vous contribuez?A quoi contribuez-vous?To what are you contributing?

Avec quoi est-ce que vous écrivez?Avec quoi écrivez-vous?With what are you writing?