It is about the problems which may appear in using pronouns. It will help you to figure out the use and the form of them in the sentences.

2. Problems with Pronouns
Pronouns are:
 words that take place of nouns
 can be a subject or an object
 agree with the nouns they are replacing

3. Distinguish Subject & Object
Pronoun
SUBJECT OBJECT
I
You
He
She
It
They
We
me
you
him
her
it
them
us
• A subject pronoun is used as subject of a verb.
• An object pronoun is used as object of a verb or
object of preposition.

4. Distinguish Subject & Object
Pronoun
Example:
Sally gave the book to John.
She gave it to him.
Sally is replaced by she as the subject.
Book is replaced by it as the object of verb.
John is replaced by him as the object of preposition.

5. Distinguish Subject & Object
Pronoun
Exercise:
C 1. The worst problem with it is that he cannot
afford it.
I 2. They saw Steve and I (me) at the movies last
night after class.
I 3. Perhaps you would like to go to the seminar
with they (them) and their friends.
C 4. The mother took her son to the doctor’s
office because he was feeling sick.

6. Distinguish Subject & Object
Pronoun
I 5. I did not know that you and her (she) were
working together on the project.
C 6. She did not buy the sweater because it
had a small hole in it.
C 7. The man leading the seminar gave me all
the information I needed to make a decision.
I 8. The cords connecting the computer to its
printer need to be replaced before them
(they) wear down.

7. Distinguish Subject & Object
Pronoun
C 9. He is going to the party with you and me if
you do not mind.
I 10. You and her (she) ought to return the
books to the library because they are already
overdue.

8. Distinguish Possessive Adjectives
& Pronouns
Possessive Adjectives Possessive Pronouns
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
mine
yours
his
hers
-
ours
theirs
• A possessive adjective describes a noun that
MUST be accompanied by a noun.
• A possessive pronoun is used as a noun that
CAN’T be accompanied by a noun.

9. Distinguish Possessive Adjectives
& Pronouns
Example:
They lent me their book.
adjective
Their is followed by book because a possessive
adjective describes a noun.
They lent me theirs.
pronoun
Theirs is not followed by a noun because a
possessive pronoun is already a noun.

10. Distinguish Possessive Adjectives
& Pronouns
Exercise:
I 1. If she borrows your coat, then you should be
able to borrow her (hers).
C 2. Each pot and pan in her kitchen has its own
place on the shelf.
I 3. Mary and Mark invited theirs (their) parents
to see their new apartment.
C 4. When my roommate paid her half of the rent,
I paid mine.

11. Distinguish Possessive Adjectives
& Pronouns
I 5. All students need to bring theirs (their) own
pencils and answer sheets to the exam.
C 6. All her secretaries are working late tonight to
finish her report.
C 7. The horse trotting around the track won its
race a few minutes ago.
I 8. Before the report is finalized, the information
in their notes and our (ours) must be proofed.

12. Distinguish Possessive Adjectives
& Pronouns
C 9. She worked all day cooking food and making
decorations for her son’s birthday party.
I 10. The weather in the mountains this weekend
will be extremely cold, so please take yours
(your) heavy jackets.

13. Check Pronoun Reference for
Agreement
Pronoun Agreement
1. Be sure that every pronoun and possessive agrees with the noun it
refers to.
2. Generally check back in the sentence for agreement.
After checking the subject and object pronouns
and the possessives are used correctly, it is
needed to check THEM for agreement.

14. Check Pronoun Reference for
Agreement
Example:
The boys will cause trouble if you let him.
Though him is correctly used as an object
pronoun, but it is incorrectly referred to boys.
Therefore, him should be replaced with them.
Everyone must give their name.
Though their is correctly used as a possessive
adjective, but it is incorrectly referred to
everyone. It should be replaced with his or her.

15. Check Pronoun Reference for
Agreement
Exercise:
I 1. If a person really wants to succeed, they
(she/he) must always work hard.
C 2. If you see the students from math class,
could you return their exam papers to them?
I 3. Some friends and I went to see a movie, and
afterwards we wrote a critique about them (it).

16. Check Pronoun Reference for
Agreement
I 4. If you have a problem, you are welcome to
discuss it with me before you try to resolve them
(it).
C 5. I know you had a terrible time last week, but
you must try to forget it.
C 6. At the start of the program, each student
needs to see his advisor about his schedule.
I 7. In spite of its (their) small size, these video
recorders produce excellent tapes.

17. Check Pronoun Reference for
Agreement
I 8. Whatever the situation, you should reflect
profoundly about them (it) before coming to a
decision.
C 9. The people I admire most are those who
manage to solve their own problems.
I 10. If anyone stops by while I am at the
meeting, please take a message from them
(her/him).

18. Exercise Skill 21-23
I 1. Helicopters are being used more and more in
emergency situations because of its (their)
ability to reach out-of-the-way places.
I 2. The worker was fired by the chemical
company because his (he) refused to work with
certain dangerous chemicals.
C 3. If you have car trouble while driving on the
freeway, you should pull your car over to the
side of the freeway and wait for help.

19. Exercise Skill 21-23
I 4. The administration will not install the new
security system because they (it) cost so much.
C 5. Some parents prefer to send their children to
private schools because they believe the
children will be better educated.
C 6. The air traffic controller was not blamed for
the accident because he had strictly followed
the correct procedures.

20. Exercise Skill 21-23
I 7. The new student has been assigned to work
on the project with you and I (me).
I 8. Many different kinds of aspirin are on the
market, but theirs (their) effectiveness seems to
be equal.
C 9. You must bring a tent and a sleeping bag for
your trip to the Sierras.
C 10. Each of team members had their new
uniform.

21. TOEFL Exercise Skill 21-23
B 1. Superman made their (its) comic debut in 1983 in
A B C D
Action Comics.
C 2. Commercial letters of credit are often used to finance
A
export trade, but them (they) can have other uses.
B C D

22. TOEFL Exercise Skill 21-23
C 3. When children experience too much frustration,
A B
its (their) behavior ceases to be integrated.
C D
C 4. On March 30, 1981, President Reagan was shot as
A B
his (he) was leaving a Washington hotel.
C D

23. TOEFL Exercise Skill 21-23
A 5. Although the destruction that it causes (they) is often
A
terrible, cyclones benefit a much wider belt than they
B C D
devastate.
B 6. President Andrew Jackson had an official cabinet,
A
but him (he) preferred the advice of his informal advices,
B C D
the Kitchen Cabinet.

24. TOEFL Exercise Skill 21-23
C 7. After Clarence Day’s book Life with Father was
A
rewritten as a play, they (it) ran for six years on Broadway.
B C D
C 8. Almost half of the Pilgrims did not survive theirs (their)
A B C
first winter in the New World.
D

25. TOEFL Exercise Skill 21-23
C 9. There was no indication from the Senate that he (it)
A B C
would agree with the decision made in the House.
D
D 10. A baby learns the meanings of words as they are
A
spoken by others and later uses him (them) in sentences.
B C D