WHAT IS A PRONOUN

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Pronouns
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A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a
noun or another pronoun. It can refer to a
person, place, thing, or idea. The word that
a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent.
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Maria was lost. She didnt panic. Maria is the
antecedent that the pronoun she refers to. She
checked the flashlight. It still
worked. Flashlight is the antecedent that the
pronoun it refers to.
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Personal Pronouns
Some pronouns are called personal pronouns.
They have a number of forms to indicate different
persons, numbers, and cases. The personal
pronouns are listed on your Hands-on Grammar
cards I, me you we, us they, them he,
him it she, her
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Personal Pronouns
Person and Number Personal pronouns can
indicate singular, plural, or neutral person.
- I, me, he, him, she, her, and you are
singular - you, we, us, they, and them are
plural - it is neutral
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Personal Pronouns
Case Each personal pronoun can be one of two
cases, depending on its function in the sentence
subject or object. - Subject I, you, he,
she, it, they, we Example I needed the phone
number. - Object me, you, him, her, it, them,
us Example Sally gave me the phone number.
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Subject Pronouns
A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a
sentence or as a predicate nominative after a
linking verb. Singular Plural I We you
you he, she, it they
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Subject Pronouns
Use a subject pronoun when the pronoun is a
subject or part of a compound subject. The
Apollo program was a great success. It got us to
the moon. It, referring to The Apollo
program, is the subject of the sentence. You and
I both think of going to Mars. You and I are the
compound subject.
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Predicate Pronouns
A predicate pronoun follows a linking verb and
renames the subject. (same as a predicate
nominative except its a pronoun instead of a
noun) Always use the subject case for predicate
pronouns. The greatest astronauts were they.
subject PN The first astronaut to
land on Mars will be I. subject PN
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Object Pronouns
An object pronoun can serve any of the following
functions direct object, indirect object, or
object of the preposition. Singular Plural m
e us you you him, her, it them
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Object Pronouns
Direct Object The pronoun receives the action of
the verb and answers the question whom or
what. Bad storms scare me. Me is the
direct object. Do you like them? Them is the
direct object.
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Object Pronouns
Indirect Object The pronoun tells to whom or
what or for whom or what an action is
performed. Give me an explanation of how storms
form. IO DO I told him the
story of Hurricane Floyd. IO DO
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Object Pronouns
Object of the Preposition The pronoun follows a
preposition. He threw the ball right at us.
OP When he sees lightning, he
runs away from it. OP Always use
object pronouns after the preposition between
Lets keep this between me and you. OP
OP
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Helpful Hint
If the pronoun follows a linking verb, it is a
subject pronoun. If the pronoun follows an
action verb, it is an object pronoun. EXAMPLES
The best meteorologist is she. (subject case
following linking verb is) The weather reporter
interviewed her. (object case following action
verb interviewed)
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Practice

• EXAMPLE Yesterday the class and I studied a
  painting. subject/we
• The painting was called Childrens Games.
• Mr. Smith gave the class and me an assignment.
• Find ten familiar games. Will someone list the
  games?
• Tell Janice the games one at a time, please.
• Janice will write as fast as possible. Go!
• The painters initials are P.B. Can you name the
  man?
• Was it Peter Berg? Yes, it was Peter Berg.
• (He, Him) and his relatives were artists.
• Five Bergs created important artworks. Admirers
  include you and (I, me).
• Mr. Smith assigned Sue and (I, me) to write
  another report on this famous family next week.

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Answers

• The painting It/subject
• the class and me us/indirect object
• the games them/direct object
• Janice her/indirect object
• Janice She/subject
• the man him/direct object
• Peter Berg he/subject
• He - subject
• me direct object
• me indirect object

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Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show possession of an
object. Singular Plural my, mine our,
ours your, yours their, theirs his, her, hers,
its its Act as adjectives my, your, his,
her, our, their, its Act as subject pronouns
mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
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Possessive Pronouns
Some possessive pronouns can act as adjectives.
Adj. Adj. His mother couldnt believe her
eyes! Other possessive pronouns can be subject
pronouns. The fries and salad are yours.
subject PN
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Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns end in self or selves and
direct the action back to the subject. They are
necessary for the sentence to make
sense. Singular Plural myself ourselves
yourself yourselves himself, herself, itself
themselves
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Reflexive Pronouns
Examples The Carsons were able to lift
themselves out of poverty. Ben Carson dedicated
himself to becoming a surgeon. Notice if you
take the reflexive pronoun out of the sentence it
no longer makes sense.
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Intensive Pronouns
Intensive pronouns also end in self or selves and
emphasize a noun or pronoun in the sentence.
They are NOT necessary for the sentence to make
sense. Dr. Carson himself has survived
overwhelming odds. You yourself must strive to
overcome hardships. If you take the intensive
pronoun out of the sentence, it still makes sense.
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Helpful Hint
Hisself and theirselves are NOT words! Do not be
tempted to use them in your work! Use himself
and themselves instead.
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Practice

• Identify the pronouns and label them as P
  (possessive), R (reflexive), or I (intensive).
• By fifth grade, Ben Carson considered himself the
  dumbest kid in his class.
• His mother was raising Ben and his brother
  herself.
• When she saw his report card, she decided that
  she herself would give extra homework
  assignments two book reports every week!
• She also told her sons to limit themselves to
  only two TV shows each week.
• Ben outdid himself.

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Answers

• Himself R his - P
• His P his P herself - R
• His P herself I
• Her P themselves R
• Himself - R

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Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out a
specific person or thing. The following are
demonstrative pronouns this that these thos
e The pronouns this and these are used to refer
to items that are nearby, and that and those are
used to refer to items that are farther away.
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Demonstrative Pronouns
Examples This is my pen these are my
scissors. That is not my last piece those are
the extras. Helpful Hint Dont use here or
there after a demonstrative pronoun, no matter
how much it sounds right. This here is an
incorrect sentence. That there is another
incorrect sentence.
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Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns do not refer to a specific
person, place, thing, or idea. Singular
indefinite pronouns another anybody anyone anyt
hing either everybody each everyone everything
much neither nobody no one nothing somebody on
e someone something
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Indefinite Pronouns
Plural indefinite pronouns both few many seve
ral Singular or plural indefinite
pronouns all any most none several Helpf
ul Hint Pronouns that contain one, thing, or
body are always singular.
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Indefinite Pronouns
Examples One of the girls put her soccer ball
in the box. Many contributed their favorite CDs
or games. Some of the time capsule looks like it
is very old. Nothing lasts forever.
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Practice

• Identify the pronouns. Label them as D
  (demonstrative) or I (indefinite).
• Everyone likes to think he or she will leave a
  mark on the world.
• That is a good question.
• This is a situation in which you might not have
  access to food or water.
• Each of the people who planned the event was
  honored.
• Those could belong to anyone.

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Answers

• Everyone - I
• That - D
• This - D
• Each - I
• Those D anyone - I