Transcript what is a pronoun?

*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.
Maria was lost. She didn’t 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.
* 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
* 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
* 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.
A subject pronoun is used as the subject of
a sentence or as a predicate nominative
after a linking verb.
Singular
I
you
he, she, it
Plural
We
you
they
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.
A predicate pronoun follows a linking verb
and renames the subject. (same as a
predicate nominative except it’s 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
An object pronoun can serve any of the
following functions: direct object, indirect
object, or object of the preposition.
Singular
me
you
him, her, it
Plural
us
you
them
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.
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
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:
Let’s keep this between me and you.
OP
OP
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)
EXAMPLE: Yesterday the class and I studied a painting.
subject/we
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
The painting was called Children’s 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 painter’s 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).
10. Mr. Smith assigned Sue and (I, me) to write another
report on this famous family next week.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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
Possessive pronouns show possession of an
object.
Singular
my, mine
your, yours
his, her, hers, its
Plural
our, ours
their, theirs
its
* Act as adjectives: my, your, his, her,
our, their, its
* Act as subject pronouns: mine, yours, his,
hers, its, ours, theirs
Some possessive pronouns can act as
adjectives.
Adj.
Adj.
His mother couldn’t believe her eyes!
Other possessive pronouns can be subject
pronouns.
The fries and salad are yours.
subject
PN
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
myself
yourself
himself, herself, itself
Plural
ourselves
yourselves
themselves
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.
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.
Hisself and theirselves are
NOT words! Do not be
tempted to use them in your
work!
Use himself and themselves
instead.
Identify the pronouns and label them as Pe (personal) Po
(possessive), R (reflexive), or I (intensive).
1.
By fifth grade, Ben Carson considered himself the
dumbest kid in his class.
2.
His mother was raising Ben and his brother herself.
3.
When she saw his report card, she decided that she
herself would give extra homework assignments; two
book reports every week!
4.
She also told her sons to limit themselves to only two
TV shows each week.
5.
Ben outdid himself.
1.
Himself – R; his - P
2.
his – P; herself - I
3.
His – P; herself – I
4.
Her – P; themselves – R
5.
Himself - R
An interrogative prounoun is used to
introduce a question. The following are
interrogative pronouns:
Who
Whom
What
Which
Whose
Hint:
Don’t confuse whose with who’s. Who’s is a
contraction that means who is. (“Who’s
missing?”) Whose is an interrogative pronoun.
(Whose book is gone?)
Choosing who or whom in a question:
•WHO is always used as a SUBJECT or
PREDICATE PROUNOUN.
•Who called the power company?
•The electrician is who?
•WHOM is always used as an OBJECT.
•To whom did you speak?
Example: (Who, Whom) will you see?
1. Rewrite the question as a statement.
You will see (who, whom).
2. Decide if the pronoun is used as a subject or as an
object. Choose the correct form.
You will see whom.
3. Use the correct form in the question.
Whom will you see?
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out
a specific person or thing. The following are
demonstrative pronouns:
this
these
that
those
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.
Examples:
This is my pen; these are my scissors.
That is not my last piece; those are the extras.
Helpful Hint:
Don’t 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.
Indefinite pronouns do not refer to a
specific person, place, thing, or idea.
Singular indefinite pronouns:
another anybody anyone
anything either
everybody
each
everyone everything
much
neither
nobody
no one
nothing
somebody
one
someone something
Plural indefinite pronouns:
both
few
many
several
Singular or plural indefinite pronouns:
all
any
most
none
several
some
Helpful Hint: Pronouns that contain one, thing,
or body are always singular.
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.
Identify the pronouns. Label them as D (demonstrative), I
(indefinite), or P (Personal).
1.
Everyone likes to think he or she will leave a mark on
the world.
2.
That is a good question.
3.
This is a situation in which you might not have access
to food or water.
4.
Each of the people who planned the event was
honored.
5.
Those could belong to anyone.
1.
Everyone - I
2.
That - D
3.
This - D
4.
Each - I
5.
Those – D; anyone - I