PronounsPronouns

Pronouns are small, simple Pronouns are small, simple words we use in place of words we use in place of

nouns.nouns.

Pronouns take the Pronouns take the place of nouns.place of nouns. The The word or phrase replaced word or phrase replaced by a pronoun is called an by a pronoun is called an antecedentantecedent. .

Subject Subject & & ObjectObject PronounsPronouns

Subject Subject PronounsPronouns

SingularSingular PluralPlural

1st1st II WeWe

22ndnd YouYou YouYou

33rdrd He, she, He, she, itit

TheyThey

Object PronounsObject Pronouns

SingularSingular PluralPlural

11stst MeMe UsUs

22ndnd YouYou YouYou

33rdrd Him, Him, her, ither, it

ThemThem

She threw a frying pan at him.

Personal Personal PronounsPronouns

Refer to people or things Refer to people or things

ME!

Include: I, me, my, mine, you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs, we, us, our, ours.

PossessivePossessive, , ReflexiveReflexive & & Demonstrative Demonstrative PronounsPronouns

PossessivePossessive

MyMy MineMine

YourYour YoursYours

His, His, her, itsher, its

His, hers,His, hers,

itsits

OurOur OursOurs

YourYour YoursYours

TheirTheir TheirsTheirs

ReflexiveReflexive

MyselfMyself

YourselfYourself

Himself, Himself, herself, herself, itselfitself

OurselvesOurselves

YourselvesYourselves

ThemselvesThemselves

DemonstraDemonstrativetive

ThisThis

TheseThese

ThatThat

ThoseThose

IndefiniteIndefinite & & RelativeRelative PronounsPronouns

[-one [-one words]words]

[-body [-body words]words]

OneOne NobodyNobody EachEach

AnyoneAnyone AnybodyAnybody EitherEither

EveryoneEveryone EveryboEverybodydy

NeitherNeither

SomeoneSomeone SomeboSomebodydy

neitherneither

All of these indefinite All of these indefinite pronouns are pronouns are singularsingular

All All and and BothBoth are are pluralplural..

WhoWho

WhoseWhose

WhomWhom

WhichWhich

thatthat

Pronoun reference…Pronoun reference…

It is very important for the reader to know who It is very important for the reader to know who or what the pronoun refers to:or what the pronoun refers to:

““Joey told Billy that he was too fat!”Joey told Billy that he was too fat!”

Who is too fat, Billy or Joey ? It is not clear!Who is too fat, Billy or Joey ? It is not clear! Better to say, Better to say, “Joey told Billy, “I am too fat.”“Joey told Billy, “I am too fat.” The pronoun you need to be most careful with The pronoun you need to be most careful with

isis TheyThey– – They raised prices.They raised prices. –who is they?–who is they?

- - They started a war.They started a war. – who is they?– who is they? Remember to make it clear what the Remember to make it clear what the

referent is!referent is!

Pronoun Pronoun AgreementAgreement Pronouns Pronouns agreeagree when a when a singular singular

pronounpronoun refers to a refers to a singular nounsingular noun::

““Each Each manman in the boat was happy in the boat was happy when when he he knew knew hehe had won the race.” had won the race.”

Or when a Or when a plural pronounplural pronoun agrees with agrees with a a plural noun:plural noun:

““All theAll the peoplepeople in the boat were in the boat were happy when happy when theythey knew they had knew they had theythey won the race.”won the race.”

Pronoun Point of View Pronoun Point of View (POV)(POV)

Pronouns should stay consistent in POV:Pronouns should stay consistent in POV: If you start writing in the 1If you start writing in the 1stst person person –I, me, –I, me,

we, us, my, etc. – we, us, my, etc. – stay in the 1stay in the 1stst person person In the 2In the 2ndnd person person – you, your, yours – – you, your, yours –stay stay

there!there! Same for the 3Same for the 3rdrd person person – he, she, it, they, – he, she, it, they,

them and so on – them and so on – keep it in the 3keep it in the 3rdrd person person The most common mistake is shifting from The most common mistake is shifting from

the the 33rdrd to the to the 22ndnd person:person:““If a If a student student studies really hard, studies really hard, youyou will do will do well on the test.”well on the test.”

REMEMBER!REMEMBER!

Be absolutely sure that it is clear Be absolutely sure that it is clear who or what the pronoun refers who or what the pronoun refers to!to!

Always watch out when you use Always watch out when you use

theythey““The owners decided The owners decided theythey needed to raise prices.”needed to raise prices.”