grammar lesson on pronoun usage

1. PRONOUNS

2. What are pronouns?
• Pronouns are known as noun
substitutes.
• Give variety to your writing because
you do not repeat the same noun
over and over

3. Kinds of pronouns
personal relative interrogative
indefinite Demonstrative Reflexive
intensive

4. Personal Pronouns
• Substitutes for nouns that refer to
specific persons or things
• Change their form when they
perform different functions and
appear in different parts of a
sentence

5. • Examples:
–She wants to come along with us.
–I am going to sleep early so you
can watch television.
–I, she, you, he, we, us, they, it

6. Relative Pronouns
•Connect a group of words
containing a subject and a
verb to a noun or pronoun

7. • Examples:
– Rhoda, who is my boss, can
communicate well.
–All the cars that have new plates
will be used for the rally.
–Who, whom, whose, which,
whoever, that

8. Interrogative Pronouns
•Used in asking questions

9. • Examples:
– Who stole the compact discs?
– What have you decided?
– who, whose, whom, which, what

10. Indefinite Pronouns
• Do not specify a particular person or
thing
• Used to make general statements
about individuals or things

11. • Examples:
– I gave him nothing for his hard
work.
– Someone must be held
responsible for this.
–All, another, anybody, both, each,
someone, several, others, many

12. DemonstrativePronouns
• Used to indicate specific persons,
places or things
• Used to point out, designate, or
demonstrate the noun to which they
refer

13. • Examples:
– This is an attractive desk.
– Are these the papers that you need?
– That is not a worthwhile investment.
– Those are the horses that can really
run.
– this, that, these and those

14. Reflexive Pronouns
• Reflect the action of the verb back to
a noun or pronoun in the sentence
• Formed by adding self or selves, as
appropriate, to the personal pronoun

15. • Examples:
– I cut myself while shaving.
– You are losing yourself in your
work.
– The boys saw themselves as
heroes.

16. Intensive Pronouns
• Used for emphasis to strengthen the
subject
• Formed by adding self or selves to
the personal pronoun

17. • Examples:
– He himself was as angelic as a
saint.
– The table itself was worth more
than all the twelve chairs.

18. Cases of pronouns
Nominative
• Functions as subject
of the sentence
• The subject of an
implied verb –after
“than” and “as”
• The predicate
complement
Possessive
• Functions to show
possession or
ownership
• To modify a gerund
Objective
• Direct object of the
verb
• Indirect object
• Object of an infinitive
• Object of a
preposition
• Subject of an infinitive
• Object of an implied
verb

19. Cases of pronouns
Nominative
• She went to see a
movie.
• We enjoyed our
vacation.
• My mother liked cats
better than she.
• It was she who called.
Possessive
• Our plane is leaving.
• Is this book mine?
• His objecting to the
rules caused the
discussion.
• I will appreciate your
taking care of my son.
Objective
• Tina carried him to
the crib.
• The music gave her a
headache.
• Sonia wanted to show
us her new shoes.
• The messenger said
the packages are for
him.

20. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• A pronoun should agree with its antecedent in
person, number and gender.
– Rene is going to Hawaii, where he can surf as
much as he wants.
– Sharon and Sally have made their choice.
– Lina believes she can do it.

21. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• The indefinite pronouns each, anyone, no one,
one, either, neither, somebody, someone,
anybody, everyone, everybody, nobody, kind,
sort, are singular, and a pronoun referring to
any of these words should be singular.
– Someone left his pen on my table.
– Each of the girls had her ticket.

22. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• Use a singular pronoun with two or more
singular antecedents joined by or, nor, either-
or, or neither-nor.
– Neither Tommy nor Tony wants to spend his
money.

23. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• Use a plural noun if any part of a compound
antecedent joined by or, nor, either-or,
neither-nor, is plural.
– Either Chita or her friends will bring their record
player.
– If my sisters or Carol arrives, ask them to wait.

24. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• If the antecedent is a collective noun, the
pronoun is either singular or plural, depending
on its use.
– The committee is meeting next week to reach its
decision.
– The committee members are meeting to reach
their decision.

25. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• An indefinite pronoun used as an antecedent
takes a pronoun in the third person.
– Anyone who wants a high grade has to study his
lessons diligently.

26. Agreementof pronoun to its antecedent
• The indefinite pronouns, all, some, any, and
none, may be referred to by either a singular
or plural noun, depending on its use.
– All of the board members were in their places by 8
am.
– All of the equipment was in its proper place.
– Some of the ice cream has lost its flavor.
– Some of the students have ordered their
uniforms.

27. Thank
you!