What is a pronoun?
Definition. - A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. Pronouns can be in one of three cases: Subject, Object, or Possessive.
| Rule 1. |
Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence.
You can remember subject pronouns easily by filling in the blank subject space for a simple
sentence. |
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Example: |
______ did the job.
I, you, he, she, it, we, and they all fit into the blank and are, therefore, subject pronouns. |
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| Rule 2. |
Subject pronouns are also used if they rename the subject. They follow to be verbs
such as is, are, was, were, am, and will be. |
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Examples: |
It is he. |
| This is she speaking. |
| It is we who are responsible for the decision to downsize. |
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NOTE: In spoken English, most people tend to follow to be verbs with object pronouns.
Many English teachers support (or at least have given in to) this distinction between written and spoken English. |
| Example: |
It could have been them. |
| Better: |
It could have been they. |
| Example: |
It is just me at the door. |
| Better: |
It is just I at the door. |
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| Rule 3. |
Object pronouns are used everywhere else (direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition). Object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us, and them. |
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Examples: |
Jean talked to him. |
| Are you talking to me? |
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To be able to choose pronouns correctly, you must learn to identify clauses. A clause is a group of words containing a verb and subject.
| Rule 4a. |
A strong clause can stand on its own. |
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Examples: |
She is hungry. |
| I am feeling well today. |
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| Rule 4b. |
A weak clause begins with words such as although, since, if, when, and because. Weak clauses cannot stand on their own. |
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Examples: |
Although she is hungry... |
| If she is hungry... |
| Since I am feeling well... |
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| Rule 4c. |
If a sentence contains more than one clause, isolate the clauses so that you can decide which pronoun is correct. |
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Examples: |
Weak |
Strong |
| [Although she is hungry,] |
[she will give him some of her food.] |
| [Although this gift is for him,] |
[I would like you to have it too.] |
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| Rule 5. |
To decide whether to use the subject or object pronoun after the words than or as,
mentally complete the sentence. |
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Examples: |
Tranh is as smart as she/her.
If we mentally complete the sentence, we would say, "Tranh is as smart as she is." Therefore, she is the correct answer. |
Zoe is taller than I/me.
Mentally completing the sentence, we have, "Zoe is taller than I am." |
Daniel would rather talk to her than I/me.
We can mentally complete this sentence in two ways: "Daniel would rather
talk to her than to me." OR "Daniel would rather talk to her than I would."
As you can see, the meaning will change depending on the pronoun you
choose. |
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| Rule 6. |
Possessive pronouns show ownership and never need apostrophes.
Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs |
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NOTE |
The only time it's has an apostrophe is when it is a contraction for it is or it has. |
| Examples: |
It's a cold morning. |
| The thermometer reached its highest reading. |
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| Rule 7. |
Reflexive pronouns - myself, himself, herself, itself, themselves, ourselves, yourself, yourselves- should be used only when they refer back to another word in the sentence. |
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Correct: |
I worked myself to the bone. |
| Incorrect: |
My brother and myself did it.
The word myself does not refer back to another word. |
| Correct: |
My _________ and I did it. |
| Incorrect: |
Please give it to John or myself. |
| Correct: |
Please give it to John or me. |
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A pronoun can replace a noun or another pronoun. You use pronouns like "he," "which," "none," and "you" to make your sentences less cumbersome and less repetitive.
Grammarians classify pronouns into several types, including the personal pronoun, the demonstrative pronoun, the interrogative pronoun, the indefinite pronoun, the relative pronoun, the reflexive pronoun, and the intensive pronoun.
A personal pronoun refers to a specific person or thing and changes its form to indicate person, number, gender, and case.
A subjective personal pronoun indicates that the pronoun is acting as the subject of the sentence. The subjective personal pronouns are "I," "you," "she," "he," "it," "we," "you," "they."
In the following sentences, each of the highlighted words is a subjective personal pronoun and acts as the subject of the sentence:
- I was glad to find the bus pass in the bottom of the green knapsack.
- You are surely the strangest child I have ever met.
- He stole the selkie's skin and forced her to live with him.
- When she was a young woman, she earned her living as a coal miner.
- After many years, they returned to their homeland.
- We will meet at the library at 3:30 p.m.
- It is on the counter.
- Are you the delegates from Malagawatch?
An objective personal pronoun indicates that the pronoun is acting as an <">object of a <">verb, compound verb, preposition, or infinitive phrase. The objective personal pronouns are: "me," "you," "her," "him," "it," "us," "you," and "them."
In the following sentences, each of the highlighted words is an objective personal pronoun:
- Seamus stole the selkie's skin and forced her to live with him.
The objective personal pronoun "her" is the <">direct object of the verb "forced" and the objective personal pronoun "him" is the object of the preposition "with."
- After reading the pamphlet, Judy threw it into the garbage can.
The pronoun "it" is the direct object of the verb "threw."
- The agitated assistant stood up and faced the angry delegates and said, "Our leader will address you in five minutes."
In this sentence, the pronoun "you" is the direct object of the verb "address."
- Deborah and Roberta will meet us at the newest café in the market.
Here the objective personal pronoun "us" is the direct object of the compound verb "will meet."
- Give the list to me
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