English Grammar
PRONOUN
Pronouns
A pronoun takes the place of an unknown noun. The unknown noun is called the “antecedent.”
Example: Maria wondered if she was late for work.
Maria is the antecedent of “she.” Instead of saying: Maria wondered if Maria was late for work, “she” appears to take the place of “Maria.”
The Nine forms of Pronouns:
Personal, possessive, indefinite, reflexive, reciprocal, intensive, interrogative, relative, and demonstrative.
The pronoun must always agree with antecedent, so if the antecedent is male, the pronoun must be male, if the antecedent is plural, the pronoun must be plural, etc.
Example:
Correct: When Maria bought the detergent, she used her credit card.
Incorrect: When Maria bought the detergent, they used his credit card.
Incorrect: When Maria bought the detergent, they used his credit card.
Pronoun Cases
Nominative Cases: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who
The nominative, or subjective, case pronoun is the subject of the sentence.
Examples: She went to the store.
Who has the book?
I am he.
This is she.
Who has the book?
I am he.
This is she.
Objective Cases: Me, you, him, her, it, us, them, whom
These function as direct or indirect objects.
Examples:
We gave HER the bus money.
We gave IT to HER.
I don’t know to WHOM I speak.
The bag is with HER.
We gave HER the bus money.
We gave IT to HER.
I don’t know to WHOM I speak.
The bag is with HER.
Possessive Cases: My, mine, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs, your, yours, whose
The possessive case pronoun shows possession
Example:
That is MY bag.
That bag is MINE.
HER bus was late.
The bags are all HERS.
That is MY bag.
That bag is MINE.
HER bus was late.
The bags are all HERS.
Personal Pronouns can refer to the person/people speaking (First person,) spoken to (second person,) or spoken ABOUT (third person.)
First person subject singular: I
First person subject plural: We
First person object singular: me
First person object plural: us
First person subject plural: We
First person object singular: me
First person object plural: us
Second person subject singular: you
Second person subject plural: you
Second person object singular: you
Second person object plural: you
Second person subject plural: you
Second person object singular: you
Second person object plural: you
Third person subject singular: he, she, it
Third person subject plural: they
Third person object singular: him, her, it
Third person object plural: them
Third person subject plural: they
Third person object singular: him, her, it
Third person object plural: them
Example: I wanted to give them to her, but he wouldn’t let me.
I — first person singular
Them — third person plural
Her — third person singular
He — third person singular
Me — first person singular
Them — third person plural
Her — third person singular
He — third person singular
Me — first person singular
Possessive Pronouns
Like regular nouns, personal pronouns can also be possessive. Possessive Determiners are possessive forms of personal pronouns. Possessive Determiners must have a following noun.
First person determiner singular: MY (book)
First person determiner plural: OUR (book)
First person pronoun singular: Mine
First person pronoun plural Ours
First person determiner plural: OUR (book)
First person pronoun singular: Mine
First person pronoun plural Ours
Second person determiner singular: YOUR (book)
Second person determiner plural YOUR (book)
Second person pronoun singular: Yours
Second person pronoun plural: Yours
Second person determiner plural YOUR (book)
Second person pronoun singular: Yours
Second person pronoun plural: Yours
Third person determiner singular: IS, HER, ITS (book)
Third person determiner plural: THEIR (book)
Third person pronoun singular: His, hers, its
Third person pronoun plural: Theirs
Third person determiner plural: THEIR (book)
Third person pronoun singular: His, hers, its
Third person pronoun plural: Theirs
Example: They have MY bags but they know they’re MINE.
My — Determiner, dependent on “Bags”
Mine– stands in place of “My bags.”
Mine– stands in place of “My bags.”
Indefinite Pronouns
These have no specific antecedents. These are usually identified with general words like: all, any, some, or none.
Examples:
Singular: another, both, nobody, everything, nothing, somebody, everyone, no one, something, etc.
Plural: all, many, most, much, some
Examples: Somebody has her bags.
Plural: Everyone knows about Maria’s bags.
Plural: Everyone knows about Maria’s bags.
Indefinite pronouns are only pronouns if they are used ALONE. If they are used with a noun, they become indefinite adjectives.
Pronoun: Both knew they were Maria’s bags.
Adjective: Both baggers knew they were Maria’s bags.
Adjective: Both baggers knew they were Maria’s bags.
If the subject performs actions TO or FOR itself, the action in the sentence passes BACK to the subject and becomes a reflexive pronoun.
First person singular: Myself
First person plural: Ourselves
Second person singular: Yourself
Second person plural: Yourselves
Third person singular: Himself/Herself/Itself
Third person plural: Themselves
First person plural: Ourselves
Second person singular: Yourself
Second person plural: Yourselves
Third person singular: Himself/Herself/Itself
Third person plural: Themselves
Example: We asked OURSELVES where her bags were.
“We” is the doer and receiver of the action “ask.”
Intensive Pronouns are used to point back to the noun or pronoun for emphasis.
Example: I myself knew they were Maria’s bags.
The intensive pronoun does not always need to directly follow the noun.
Example: I prefer walking myself.
Reciprocal pronouns express mutual action.
Examples: each other/ each other’s
One another/one another’s
One another/one another’s
Maria and Heather greeted each other.
Interrogative Pronouns
These are used to ask questions and can be personal or non-personal
Personal subject: Who/Whoever
Personal object: Whom/Whomever
Personal possessive: Whose
Non-personal subject: Which
Non-personal subject: What
Personal object: Whom/Whomever
Personal possessive: Whose
Non-personal subject: Which
Non-personal subject: What
Example:
Who has the bags?
Which bagger has them?
Whose bags are these?
Who has the bags?
Which bagger has them?
Whose bags are these?
Demonstrative Pronouns
These substitute specific nouns, usually when someone is gesturing toward something.
Singular: This/That
Plural: These/Those
Plural: These/Those
Example: These are for her.
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