Pronouns
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of or refers to a specific noun. This lesson will cover (1) the role of pronouns in sentences and (2) the purpose of pronouns.
Pronouns and Their Role in Sentences
A pronoun takes the place of a noun or refers to a specific noun.
Subject, Object, and Possessive Pronouns
A pronoun’s role in a sentence is as subject, object, or possessive.
| Subject Pronouns | Object Pronouns | Possessive Pronouns |
|---|---|---|
| I | me | my, mine |
| you | you | your, yours |
| he | him | his |
| she | her | her, hers |
| it | it | its |
| we | us | ours |
| they | them | their, theirs |
In simple sentences, subject pronouns come before the verb, object pronouns come after the verb, and possessive pronouns show ownership.
Be Careful!
It is easy to make a mistake when you have multiple words in the role of subject or object.
Look at the pronouns in these examples:
- She forgot her coat. (subject: she; possessive: her)
- I lent her mine. (subject: I; object: her; possessive: mine)
- She left it at school. (subject: she; object: it)
- I had to go and get it the next day. (subject: I; object: it)
- I will never lend her something of mine again! (subject: I; object: her; possessive: mine)
| Correct | Incorrect | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| John and I went out. | John and me went out. | John and I is a subject. I is a subject pronoun; me is not. |
| Johan took Sam and me to the show. | Johan took Sam and I to the show. | Sam and me is an object. Me is an object pronoun; I is not. |
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns connect a clause to a noun or pronoun.
These are some relative pronouns:
who, whom, whoever, whose, that, which
- Steve Jobs, who founded Apple, changed the way people use technology.
The pronoun who introduces a clause that gives more information about Steve Jobs.
- This is the movie that Emily told us to see.
The pronoun that introduces a clause that gives more information about the movie.
Other Pronouns
Some other pronouns are:
this, that, what, anyone, everything, something
Did You Know?
Pronouns can sometimes refer to general or unspecified things.
Look for the pronouns in these sentences.
- What is that?
- There is something over there!
- Does anyone have a pen?
Pronouns and Their Purpose
The purpose of a pronoun is to replace a noun. Note the use of the pronoun their in the heading of this section. If we did not have pronouns, we would have to call this section Pronouns and Pronouns’ Purpose.
What Is an Antecedent?
BE CAREFUL!
Look out for unclear antecedents, such as in this sentence:
Take the furniture out of the room and paint it.
What needs to be painted, the furniture or the room?
A pronoun in a sentence refers to a specific noun, and this noun called the antecedent.
- John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence. He signed it in 1776.
The antecedent for he is John Hancock. The antecedent for it is the Declaration of Independence.
Find the pronouns in the following sentence. Then identify the antecedent for each pronoun.
Erin had an idea that she suggested to Antonio: “I’ll help you with your math homework if you help me with my writing assignment.”
| Pronoun | Antecedent |
|---|---|
| that | idea |
| she | Erin |
| I | Erin |
| you | Antonio |
| yours | Antonio’s |
| you | Antonio |
| me | Erin |
| mine | Erin’s |
What Is Antecedent Agreement?
A pronoun must agree in gender and number with the antecedent it refers to. For example:
- Singular pronouns I, you, he, she, and it replace singular nouns.
- Plural pronouns you, we, and they replace plural nouns.
- Pronouns he, she, and it replace masculine, feminine, or neutral nouns.
| Correct | Incorrect | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Students should do their homework every night. | A student should do their homework every night. | The pronoun their is plural, so it must refer to a plural noun such as students. |
| When an employee is sick, he or she should call the office. | When an employee is sick, they should call the office. | The pronoun they is plural, so it must refer to a plural noun. Employee is not a plural noun. |
Let’s Review!
- A pronoun takes the place of or refers to a noun.
- The role of pronouns in sentences is as subject, object, or possessive.
- A pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it refers to.
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