PRONOUNS

A WORD USED IN PLACE OF A NOUN OR ANOTHER PRONOUN

THEY

THIS

IT

WHO

THOSE

YOURS

I

NONE

EACH

HIS

HIMSELF

ANYONE

WHAT IS A PRONOUN

• A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun, noun phrase or another pronoun

• Pronouns can be in one of three cases: Subject, Object, or Possessive

• reduces repeated use of the full subject or object word

TYPES OF PRONOUNS• Subject Pronouns - I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they

function as the subject of a sentence:

– I live in New York. – Do you like playing tennis? – They bought a new car last month.

• Object Pronouns - me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them serve as the object of a verb. – Give me the book. – He told you to come tonight.– I invited them to a party.

Personal PronounsSINGULAR PLURAL

SUBJECTIVE OBJECTIVE POSSESSIVE SUBJECTIVE OBJECTIVE POSSESSIVE

1ST PERSON

I ME MY, MINE WE US OUR, OURS

2ND PERSON

YOU YOU YOUR, YOURS

YOU YOU YOUR,YOURS

3RD PERSON

HE,SHE,IT

HIM, HER, IT

HIS, HERHERS,ITS

THEY THEM THEIR, THEIRS

CHARACTERISTICS•Personal pronouns have the following characteristics:    •FIRST OF ALL THERE ARE: 

–  Three cases – subject, object, and possessive

- The pronoun's form changes with its function in the

sentence.– Examples:– She met Paul. (She is the sentence subject, so it is a subject

pronoun)– Paul met her. (Her is the sentence direct object, so it is an object

pronoun)

The exception!

BASIC LINKING BASIC LINKING VERBSVERBS

AM

IS

ARE

WAS

WERE

BE

BEING

BEEN

The exception?The exception?

Subject pronouns are used AFTER these verbs.

The best player is she.

SUBJECT SUBJECT PRONOUNPRONOUN

LINKING VERBLINKING VERB

I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they

Possessive Pronouns• If we don't use a noun after the pronoun we use a

possessive form. Do not confuse with possessive adjectives.

Possessive PronounsPlural

mineyours

his, hers, its

oursyourstheirs

Examples: Whose car is that? That car is mine.They both used the same recipe for the cake but hers came out better than his.

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES• Possessive adjectives - my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their -

are often confused with possessive pronouns. The possessive adjective modifies the noun following it in order to show possession. – I'll get my books.– Is that your car over there? – That is his teacher, Mr Jones.– I want to go to her store.– Its color is red.– Can we bring our children?– You are welcome to invite your husbands.– They bought their children a lot of presents.

                                 

  

Demonstrative Pronouns   

                                • Demonstrative pronouns can also be used as

determiners (modifier, describer).                 • Example:         

– Hand me that hammer. (that describes the noun hammer)                        

• Demonstrative pronouns can also be used as qualifiers:   • Example:        

– She wanted that much money? (that describes the adjective much)

this that these those

singular singular plural plural(near) (far) (near) (far)

Reflexive Pronouns • the "self" pronouns   • We use a reflexive pronoun when

we want to refer back to the subject of the sentence or clause.          

• These pronouns can be used only to echo or intensify a word already there.              

• Reflexive pronouns CANNOT REPLACE personal pronouns.    

• Examples:

• I saw myself in the mirror.• Miriam made herself a cake.

Reflexive Pronoun

singular myselfyourselfhimself, herself, itself

plural ourselvesyourselvesthemselves

Do not use these words. This is substandard language.theirselves theirself hisself ourself

    INDEFINITE PRONOUNS         

:              Examples               

Somebody is coming to dinner.Neither of us believes a word Harry says.

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS    

• Plural

Examples:

Both are expected at the airport at the same time.Several have suggested canceling the meeting.

BOTH FEW SEVERAL

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS  

• Can be Singular or Plural, depending on noun that follows and is closest to the verb.– All, Most, None, Some, Any, More

• All of the people clapped their hands.• All of my work is in the drawer.• Some of the dirt has become a permanent part of

the rug.• Some of the trees have been weakened by the

storm.

INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS

WHO WHOSE WHOM WHICH WHAT

• Are used to ask a question.

What did you say?

Which movie would you like to see?

RELATIVE PRONOUNS• Relative pronouns relate to another

noun preceding it in the sentence.• The candidate will choose who will act as campaign director.

WHO

WHOSE

WHICH

THAT

WHOEVER

WHOMEVER