{"id":891,"date":"2016-04-13T20:47:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T20:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-level1-english\/?post_type=chapter&p=891"},"modified":"2017-07-14T16:42:48","modified_gmt":"2017-07-14T16:42:48","slug":"outcome-pronouns","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-basicreadingwriting\/chapter\/outcome-pronouns\/","title":{"raw":"Pronouns","rendered":"Pronouns"},"content":{"raw":"

Introduction<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n

Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • identify functions of pronouns<\/li>\r\n \t
  • identify pronoun person and number<\/li>\r\n \t
  • identify pronoun case (subjects, objects, possessives)<\/li>\r\n \t
  • identify pronoun and\u00a0antecedent clarity<\/li>\r\n \t
  • identify pronoun and\u00a0antecedent agreement<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    \"AAnna\u00a0decided at the beginning of Anna's\u00a0first\u00a0semester of college that Anna would\u00a0run\u00a0for thirty minutes every day. Anna\u00a0knew that Anna\u00a0would be taking a literature class with a lot of reading, so instead of buying print\u00a0copies of all the novels Anna's\u00a0teacher assigned, Anna\u00a0bought the audiobooks. That\u00a0way Anna\u00a0could listen to the audiobooks\u00a0as Anna\u00a0ran.<\/p>\r\nDoes this paragraph feel awkward to you? Let's try it again using\u00a0pronouns:\r\n

    Anna\u00a0decided at the beginning of her<\/strong> first\u00a0semester of college that she<\/strong> would run\u00a0for thirty minutes every day. She<\/strong>\u00a0knew that she<\/strong>\u00a0would be taking a literature class with a lot of reading, so instead of buying hard copies of all the novels her<\/strong>\u00a0teacher assigned, Anna\u00a0bought the audiobooks. That\u00a0way she<\/strong>\u00a0could listen to them<\/strong> as she<\/strong>\u00a0ran.<\/p>\r\nThis second paragraph is much more natural. Instead of repeating nouns multiple times, we were able to use pronouns. You've likely hear the phrase \"a pronoun replaces a noun\"; this is exactly<\/em> what a pronoun does.\r\n\r\nIn this outcome, you'll learn how pronouns work, how to use pronouns in different situations, and how to select\u00a0the correct pronouns.\r\n\r\n

    \r\n\r\n

    Function of Pronouns<\/h2>\r\nA pronoun stands in the place of a noun. Because a pronoun is replacing a noun, its meaning is dependent on the noun that it is replacing. This noun\u00a0is called the\u00a0antecedent<\/strong>. Let's look at the two sentences we just read again:\r\n

    Because a pronoun is replacing a noun, its<\/strong> meaning is dependent on the noun that it<\/strong>\u00a0is replacing. This noun is\u00a0called an\u00a0antecedent<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\nThere are two\u00a0pronouns here:\u00a0its <\/em>and\u00a0it<\/em>.\u00a0Its<\/em> and\u00a0it<\/em>\u00a0both have the same antecedent: \"a pronoun.\" Whenever you use a pronoun,\u00a0you must also include its antecedent. Without the antecedent, your readers (or listeners) won't be able to figure out what the pronoun is referring to. Let's look at a couple of examples:\r\n

      \r\n \t
    • Jason likes it\u00a0when\u00a0people look to him for leadership.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Trini\u00a0brushes her hair every morning.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Billy often has to clean his glasses.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Kimberly is a gymnast. She has earned several medals in different competitions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nSo, what are the antecedents and pronouns in these sentences?\r\n
        \r\n \t
      • Jason<\/em> is the antecedent for the pronoun him<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Trini<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0her<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Billy<\/em> is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0his<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Kimberly<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent for the pronoun she<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
        \r\n

        Practice<\/h3>\r\nIdentify the antecedent in the following\u00a0examples:\r\n
          \r\n \t
        1. The bus is twenty minutes late today, like it always is.<\/li>\r\n \t
        2. I would never be caught dead wearing boot sandals. They are an affront to nature.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"554891\"]Click to Show Answer<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"554891\"]\r\n
            \r\n \t
          1. The bus<\/strong>\u00a0is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0it<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
          2. boot sandals <\/strong> is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0they<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThere are several types of pronouns, including\u00a0personal, demonstrative, and indefinite pronouns. Let's discuss each of these types.\r\n

            Personal Pronouns<\/h3>\r\nThe following sentences give examples of particular types of pronouns used with antecedents:\r\n
              \r\n \t
            • Third-person personal pronouns:\r\n
                \r\n \t
              • That poor man<\/b> looks as if he<\/b> needs a new coat. (the noun phrase that poor man<\/em> is the antecedent of he<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n \t
              • Kat<\/b>\u00a0arrived yesterday. I met her<\/b> at the station. (Kat<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent of her<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n \t
              • When they<\/b> saw us, the lions<\/b> began roaring (the lions<\/em> is the antecedent of they<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
              • Other personal pronouns in some circumstances:\r\n
                  \r\n \t
                • Adam\u00a0and I<\/b> were hoping no-one would find us<\/b>. (Adam\u00a0and I<\/em> is the antecedent of us<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n \t
                • You and Aisha<\/b>\u00a0can come if you<\/b> like. (you and Aisha<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent of the second, plural,\u00a0you<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                • Reflexive pronouns:\r\n
                    \r\n \t
                  • Jason<\/b>\u00a0hurt himself<\/b>. (Jason<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent of himself<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • We<\/b> were teasing each other<\/b>. (we<\/em> is the antecedent of each other<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Zoh8XpfcF-c\r\n

                    Demonstrative Pronouns<\/h3>\r\nDemonstrative pronouns substitute for things being pointed out. They\u00a0include\u00a0this<\/em>,\u00a0that<\/em>, these<\/em>, and those<\/em>. This<\/em>\u00a0and that<\/em>\u00a0are singular;\u00a0these\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0those<\/em> are plural.\r\n\r\n\"IconThe difference between\u00a0this<\/em> and\u00a0that<\/em> and between\u00a0these<\/em> and\u00a0those<\/em> is a little more subtle.\u00a0This<\/em> and\u00a0these<\/em> refer to something that is \"close\" to the speaker, whether this closeness is physical, emotional, or temporal.\u00a0That<\/em> and\u00a0those<\/em> are the opposite: they refer to something that is \"far.\"\r\n
                      \r\n \t
                    • Do I actually have to read all of this<\/em>?\r\n
                        \r\n \t
                      • The speaker is indicating a text that is close to her, by using \"this.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                      • That<\/em>\u00a0is not coming anywhere near me.\r\n
                          \r\n \t
                        • The speaker is distancing himself from the object in question, which he doesn't want to get any closer. The far pronoun helps indicate that.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                        • You're telling me you sewed all of these<\/em>?\r\n
                            \r\n \t
                          • The speaker and her audience are likely looking directly at the clothes in question, so the close pronoun is appropriate.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                          • Those\u00a0<\/em>are all gross.\r\n
                              \r\n \t
                            • The speaker wants to remain away from the gross items in question, by using the far \"those.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
                              \r\n\r\nNote:<\/strong> these pronouns\u00a0are often combined with a noun (when this happens, they act as a kind of adjective instead of a pronoun).\r\n
                                \r\n \t
                              • Do I actually have to read all of this\u00a0<\/em>contract?<\/li>\r\n \t
                              • That<\/em> thing is not coming anywhere near me.<\/li>\r\n \t
                              • You're telling me you sewed all of these<\/em> dresses?<\/li>\r\n \t
                              • Those<\/em>\u00a0recipes are all gross.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe antecedents of\u00a0demonstrative\u00a0pronouns can be\u00a0more complex than those of\u00a0personal pronouns:\r\n

                                Animal Planet's\u00a0puppy cam has been taken down for maintenance.<\/strong> I never wanted this<\/em> to happen.<\/p>\r\nThe antecedent for\u00a0this<\/em> is the concept of the puppy cam being taken down.\r\n

                                \r\n\r\nNote:<\/strong>\u00a0The pronoun\u00a0it<\/em> can also have more complex antecedents:\r\n

                                I love Animal Planet's panda cam. I watched a panda eat bamboo for half an hour.<\/strong>\u00a0It<\/em>\u00a0was amazing.<\/p>\r\nThe antecedent for\u00a0it<\/em>\u00a0in this sentence is the experience of watching the panda. That antecedent isn't explicitly stated in the sentence, but comes through in the intention and meaning of the speaker.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                                \r\n

                                Practice<\/h3>\r\nRead each sentence pair. The pronouns have been bolded. Identify the antecedent.\r\n
                                  \r\n \t
                                1. I can see forty bracelets. Are you telling me you made all of these<\/strong>?<\/li>\r\n \t
                                2. I can't get rid of my country-shaped mugs. Tommy\u00a0gave those<\/strong> to me for my birthday!<\/li>\r\n \t
                                3. Have I seen\u00a0the video of\u00a0a skateboard-riding bulldog?\u00a0I showed that<\/strong> to you\u00a0last week!<\/li>\r\n \t
                                4. He's been talking for over two hours.\u00a0This <\/strong>is unbearable.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"727295\"]Click to Show Answer<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"727295\"]\r\n
                                    \r\n \t
                                  1. The antecedent is\u00a0forty bracelets<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                  2. The antecedent is\u00a0country-shaped mugs<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                  3. The antecedent is\u00a0the video of a skateboard-riding bulldog<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                  4. The antecedent is the experience of him talking for over two hours.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                                    Indefinite Pronouns<\/h3>\r\nIndefinite pronouns, the largest group of pronouns, refer to one or more unspecified persons or things,\u00a0for example: Anyone<\/b> can do that.<\/i>\u00a0The\u00a0table below shows the most common indefinite pronouns:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
                                    anybody<\/td>\r\nanyone<\/td>\r\nanything<\/td>\r\neach<\/td>\r\neither<\/td>\r\nevery<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                    everybody<\/td>\r\neveryone<\/td>\r\neverything<\/td>\r\nneither<\/td>\r\nno one<\/td>\r\nnobody<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                    nothing<\/td>\r\none<\/td>\r\nsomebody<\/td>\r\nsomeone<\/td>\r\nsomething<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nThese pronouns can be\u00a0used in a couple of different ways:\r\n
                                      \r\n \t
                                    • They can\u00a0refer to members of a group separately rather than collectively. (To each<\/b> his or her own.<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
                                    • They can\u00a0indicate the non-existence of people or things. (Nobody<\/b> thinks that.<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
                                    • They can\u00a0refer to a person, but are not specific as to first, second or third person in the way that the personal pronouns are. (One<\/b> does not clean one's<\/b> own windows.<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nPlease note that\u00a0all of these pronouns are singular. Look back at the example \"To\u00a0each<\/strong> his or her own.\" Saying \"To each their own\" would be incorrect, since their<\/em> is a plural pronoun and each\u00a0<\/em>is singular.\u00a0We'll discuss this in further depth below, in the section \"Antecedent Agreement.\"\r\n
                                      \r\n\r\nNote:<\/strong> Sometimes\u00a0third-person personal pronouns are sometimes used without antecedents\u2014this applies to special uses such as dummy pronouns and generic they<\/i>, as well as cases where the referent is implied by the context.\r\n
                                        \r\n \t
                                      • You know what\u00a0they<\/em> say.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                      • It's<\/em> a nice day today.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
                                        \r\n\r\n

                                        Person, Number, and Case<\/h2>\r\nPersonal pronouns may be classified by three categories: person, number, and case.\r\n

                                        Person<\/h3>\r\n\"IconPerson<\/strong> refers to the relationship that an author has with the text that he or she writes, and with the reader of that text.\u00a0English has three persons (first, second, and third).\r\n

                                        First<\/h4>\r\nFirst-person<\/strong> is the most informal. \u00a0The author is saying, this is about me and people I know.\r\n
                                          \r\n \t
                                        • First-person pronouns include I<\/em>, me<\/em>, we<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                                          Second<\/h4>\r\nSecond-person<\/strong>\u00a0is also informal, though slightly more formal than first-person. \u00a0The author is saying, this is about you, the reader.\r\n
                                            \r\n \t
                                          • All\u00a0second-person pronouns are variations of\u00a0\u00a0you<\/em>, which is both singular and plural<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                                            Third<\/h4>\r\nThird-person<\/strong> is the most formal. \u00a0The author is saying, this is about other people.\r\n\r\nIn the third person singular there are distinct pronoun forms for male, female, and neutral\u00a0gender. Here is a short list of the most common pronouns and their gender:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
                                            Person<\/th>\r\nPronouns<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
                                            First<\/td>\r\nI, me,\u00a0we, us<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                            Second<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                            Third<\/td>\r\nMale<\/td>\r\nhe, him<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                            Female<\/td>\r\nshe, her<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                            Neutral<\/td>\r\nit, they, them<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n
                                            \r\n

                                            Practice<\/h3>\r\nSelect the response from the list that best completes the sentence.\r\n
                                              \r\n \t
                                            1. This is Theo. (He \/ She \/ It) has a nickname\u2014\"Fast Draw.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
                                            2. Meet my parents. (He \/ It \/ They) don't understand me.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                            3. Luiza is an actress. Everybody knows (him \/ her \/ them).<\/li>\r\n \t
                                            4. These flowers are for you and your family. I picked them for (them \/ you \/ yous).<\/li>\r\n \t
                                            5. Look at these guys. Look at\u00a0(him \/ it \/ them).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"808310\"]Click to Show Answers<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"808310\"]\r\n
                                                \r\n \t
                                              1. This is Theo. He<\/strong> has a nickname\u2014\"Fast Draw.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
                                              2. Meet my parents. They<\/strong>\u00a0don't understand me.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                              3. Luiza is an actress. Everybody knows her<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                              4. These flowers are for you and your family. I picked them for you<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                              5. Look at these guys. Look at\u00a0them<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                                                Number<\/h3>\r\n\"IconThere are\u00a0two numbers: singular and plural. The table below separates pronouns according to number. You may notice that the second person is the same for both singular and plural:\u00a0you<\/em>.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
                                                Person<\/th>\r\nNumber<\/th>\r\nPronouns<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
                                                First<\/th>\r\nSingular<\/td>\r\nI,\u00a0me<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                Plural<\/td>\r\nwe,\u00a0us<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                Second<\/th>\r\nSingular<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                Plural<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                Third<\/th>\r\nSingular<\/td>\r\nhe,\u00a0him<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                she,\u00a0her<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                it<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                Plural<\/td>\r\nthey,\u00a0them<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

                                                Case<\/h3>\r\n\"SuitcaseEnglish personal pronouns have two cases: subject<\/strong> and object<\/strong> (there are also possessive pronouns, which we'll discuss next). Subject-case pronouns<\/strong> are used when the pronoun is doing the action. (I like to eat chips, but she does not). Object-case pronouns<\/strong> are used when something is being done to the pronoun (John likes me but not her). This video will further clarify\u00a0the difference between subject- and object-case:\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/q5HmV3Czl6g\r\n
                                                \r\n

                                                Practice<\/h3>\r\nSelect the response from the list that best completes the sentence.\r\n
                                                  \r\n \t
                                                1. I don't know if I should talk to (he \/ him). (He \/ Him) looks really angry today.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                2. Enrico and Brenna\u00a0are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. (They \/\u00a0Them) will be here at 6:00.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                3. Melissa loves music. (She \/ Her) listens to it when I drive (she \/ her) to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"387333\"]Click to Show Answer<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"387333\"]\r\n
                                                    \r\n \t
                                                  1. I don't know if I should talk to him<\/strong>. He<\/strong>\u00a0looks really angry today.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                  2. Enrico and Brenna are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. They<\/strong> will be here at 6:00.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                  3. Melissa loves music. She<\/strong> listens to it when I drive her<\/strong>\u00a0to work.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                                                    Possessive Pronouns<\/h3>\r\n\"IconPossessive pronouns are used to indicate possession (in a broad sense). Some occur as independent phrases: mine<\/em>, yours<\/em>, hers<\/em>, ours<\/em>, yours<\/em>, theirs<\/em>. For example, \"Those clothes are mine<\/strong>.\"\u00a0Others must be accompanied by a noun: my<\/em>, your<\/em>, her<\/em>, our<\/em>, your<\/em>, their<\/em>, as in \"I lost my<\/strong> wallet.\"\u00a0His<\/em> and its<\/em> can fall into either category, although its<\/em> is nearly always found in the second.\r\n\r\nBoth types replace possessive noun phrases. As an example, \"Their crusade to capture our attention\" could replace \"The advertisers' crusade to capture our attention.\"\r\n\r\nThis video provides another explanation of possessive pronouns:\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/bhzh8VDykc4\r\n
                                                    \r\n

                                                    Practice<\/h3>\r\nSelect the response from the list that best completes the sentence.\r\n
                                                      \r\n \t
                                                    1. Hey, that's (my \/ mine)!<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                    2. Carla gave Peter\u00a0(her \/ hers) phone number.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                    3. Remember\u00a0to leave (their \/ theirs) papers on the table.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"685429\"]Click to Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"685429\"]\r\n
                                                        \r\n \t
                                                      1. Hey, that's mine<\/strong>!<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                      2. Carla gave Peter\u00a0her<\/strong> phone number.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                      3. Remember to leave their<\/strong>\u00a0papers on the table.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                                                        Review<\/h3>\r\nThe table below includes all of the personal pronouns in the English language. They are organized by person, number, and case.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
                                                        Person<\/th>\r\nNumber<\/th>\r\nSubject<\/th>\r\nObject<\/th>\r\nPossessive<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
                                                        First<\/th>\r\nSingular<\/td>\r\nI<\/td>\r\nme<\/td>\r\nmy<\/td>\r\nmine<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        Plural<\/td>\r\nwe<\/td>\r\nus<\/td>\r\nour<\/td>\r\nours<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        Second<\/th>\r\nSingular<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\nyour<\/td>\r\nyours<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        Plural<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\nyou<\/td>\r\nyour<\/td>\r\nyours<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        Third<\/th>\r\nSingular<\/td>\r\nhe<\/td>\r\nhim<\/td>\r\nhis<\/td>\r\nhis<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        she<\/td>\r\nher<\/td>\r\nher<\/td>\r\nhers<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        it<\/td>\r\nit<\/td>\r\nits<\/td>\r\nits<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                        Plural<\/td>\r\nthey<\/td>\r\nthem<\/td>\r\ntheir<\/td>\r\ntheirs<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n
                                                        \r\n\r\n

                                                        Antecedent Clarity<\/h2>\r\n\"IconWe've already defined an antecedent<\/strong> as the noun (or phrase) that a pronoun is replacing. The phrase \"antecedent clarity\" simply means that is should be clear who or what the pronoun is referring to. In other words, readers should be able to understand the sentence the first time they read it\u2014not the third, forth, or tenth.\u00a0In this page, we'll look at\u00a0some examples of common mistakes that can cause confusion, as well as ways to fix each\u00a0sentence.\r\n\r\nLet's take a look at our first sentence:\r\n

                                                        Rafael told Matt to stop eating his cereal.<\/p>\r\nWhen you first read this sentence, is it clear if the cereal Rafael's\u00a0or Matt's? Is it clear when you read the sentence again? Not really, no. Since both Rafael and Matt are singular, third person, and masculine, it's\u00a0impossible to tell whose cereal is being eaten (at least from this sentence).\r\n\r\nHow would you best revise this sentence? Type your ideas in the text frame below, and then look at the suggested revisions.\r\n\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"654515\"]Show Possible Revisions<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"654515\"]Let's assume the cereal is Rafael's:\r\n

                                                          \r\n \t
                                                        • Rafael told Matt to stop eating Rafael's cereal.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                        • Matt\u00a0was eating Rafael's\u00a0cereal. Rafael told him to stop it.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWhat if the cereal is Matt's?:\r\n
                                                            \r\n \t
                                                          • Rafael told Matt to stop eating Matt's cereal.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                          • Matt was eating his own cereal when Rafael told him to stop.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThese aren't the only ways to revise the sentence. However, each of these new sentences has made it clear whose cereal it is.<\/span>\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\nWere those revisions what you expected them to be?\r\n\r\nLet's take a look at another example:\r\n

                                                            Katerina was really excited to try French cuisine on her\u00a0semester\u00a0abroad\u00a0in Europe. They make all sorts of delicious things.<\/p>\r\nWhen you read this example, is it apparent who the pronoun\u00a0they<\/em> is referring to? You may guess that they<\/em> is referring to the French\u2014which is probably correct. However, this is not actually stated, which\u00a0means that there isn't actually an antecedent. Since every pronoun needs an antecedent, the example\u00a0needs to be revised to include one.\r\n\r\nHow would you best revise this sentence? Type your ideas in the text frame below, and then look at the suggested revisions.\r\n\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"654516\"]Show Possible Revisions<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"654516\"]Let's assume\u00a0that is is the French who make great cuisine:\r\n

                                                              \r\n \t
                                                            • Katerina was really excited to try French cuisine on her\u00a0semester\u00a0abroad\u00a0in Europe. The\u00a0French\u00a0make all sorts of delicious things.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                            • Katerina was really excited to try the\u00a0cuisine in France on her semester abroad in Europe. The French make all sorts of delicious things.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                            • Katerina was really excited to try French cuisine on her semester abroad in Europe. The\u00a0people there\u00a0make all sorts of delicious things.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                            • One of the things Katerina was really excited about on her semester abroad in Europe was trying French cuisine. It comprises\u00a0all sorts of delicious things.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\nAs you write, keep these two things in mind:\r\n
                                                                \r\n \t
                                                              • Make sure your pronouns always have an antecedent.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                              • Make sure that it is clear what their antecedents are.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
                                                                \r\n

                                                                Practice<\/h3>\r\nUse the context\u00a0clues to figure out which pronoun to use to complete the sentences. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.\r\n
                                                                  \r\n \t
                                                                1. Alex and Jordan went for a bike ride and stopped for lunch. \u00a0When the waiter came, (Jordan \/ he \/ she) knew what she wanted to order but (Alex \/ he \/ she) did not.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                2. Because (Jordan \/ she) loves cheese, (Jordan \/ she) ordered a slice of pizza.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"877215\"]Click to Show Answer<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"877215\"]\r\n
                                                                    \r\n \t
                                                                  1. Alex and Jordan went for a bike ride and stopped for lunch. \u00a0When the waiter came, Jordan knew what she wanted to order but Alex did not.\u00a0(We cannot use a pronoun until we know the person. In this case, repeat the name. Note the\u00a0she<\/em>\u00a0gives us the clue that Jordan is female.)<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                  2. Because Jordan loves cheese, she ordered a slice of pizza.\u00a0(Mention noun before using the pronoun.)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\nLet's try a more complicated paragraph:\r\n
                                                                      \r\n \t
                                                                    1. Edward is a year older than his brother Alphonse. \u00a0When (he \/ Edward) graduated high school, he took a gap year so that (he \/ Edward) could travel and study sciences not offered at the local college. \u00a0(He \/ Alphonse) was so jealous that (he \/ Alphonse) also took a gap year when he graduated.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"877216\"]Click to Show Answer<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"877216\"]\r\n
                                                                        \r\n \t
                                                                      1. Edward is a year older than his brother Alphonse. \u00a0When\u00a0Edward<\/strong>\u00a0graduated high school, he took a gap year so that\u00a0he<\/strong>could travel and study sciences not offered at the local college. \u00a0Alphonse<\/strong>\u00a0was so jealous that\u00a0he<\/strong>\u00a0also took a gap year when he graduated.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n
                                                                        \r\n\r\n

                                                                        Antecedent Agreement<\/h2>\r\n\"IconAs you write, make sure that you are using the correct pronouns. When\u00a0a pronoun matches the person\u00a0and\u00a0number of its antecedent, we say that it\u00a0agrees<\/strong> with it antecedent. Let's look at a couple of examples:\r\n
                                                                          \r\n \t
                                                                        • I hate it when Zacharias tells me what to do. He<\/strong>'s so full of himself<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                        • The Finnegans\u00a0are shouting\u00a0again. I swear you could hear them<\/strong> from across\u00a0town!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nIn the first sentence, Zacharias<\/em>\u00a0is singular, third person, and masculine. The pronouns\u00a0he<\/em> and\u00a0himself<\/em> are also singular, third person, and masculine, so they agree. In the second sentence,\u00a0the Finnegans<\/em>\u00a0is plural and third person. The pronoun\u00a0them<\/em> is also plural and third person.\r\n\r\nWhen you select your pronoun, you also need to ensure you use the correct case of pronoun. Remember we learned about three cases: subject, object, and possessive. The case of your pronoun should match its role in the sentence. For example, if your pronoun is doing an action, it should be a subject:\r\n
                                                                            \r\n \t
                                                                          • He<\/strong>\u00a0runs every morning.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                          • I<\/strong> hate it when she<\/strong> does this.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHowever, when something is being done to your pronoun, it should be an object:\r\n
                                                                              \r\n \t
                                                                            • Birds have always hated me<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                            • My boss wanted to talk to him<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                            • Give\u00a0her<\/strong>\u00a0the phone and walk away.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
                                                                              \r\n

                                                                              Practice<\/h3>\r\nReplace each\u00a0bolded word with the correct pronoun:\r\n
                                                                                \r\n \t
                                                                              1. Hannah<\/strong> had always loved working with plants.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                              2. People often lost patience with Colin<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                              3. Justin was unsure how well Justin<\/strong> and Terry\u00a0would\u00a0together.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                              4. Alicia and Katie<\/strong> made a formidable\u00a0team.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"697932\"]Click to Show Answer<\/strong>[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"697932\"]\r\n
                                                                                  \r\n \t
                                                                                1. She<\/strong>\u00a0had always loved working with plants.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                                2. People often lost patience with him<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                                3. Justin was unsure how well he<\/strong>\u00a0and Terry\u00a0would\u00a0together.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                                4. They<\/strong>\u00a0made a formidable\u00a0team.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nHowever, things aren't always this straightforward. Let's take a look at some examples where things are a little more confusing.\r\n

                                                                                  Person and Number<\/h2>\r\nSome of the trickiest\u00a0agreements are with\u00a0indefinite pronouns:\r\n
                                                                                    \r\n \t
                                                                                  • Every student should do his\u00a0or\u00a0her best on this assignment.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                                  • If nobody lost his or her scarf, then where did this come from?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAs we learned earlier in this outcome, words like every<\/em> and\u00a0nobody<\/em> are\u00a0singular, and demand singular pronouns.\u00a0Here are some of the words that fall into this category:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
                                                                                    anybody<\/td>\r\nanyone<\/td>\r\nanything<\/td>\r\neach<\/td>\r\neither<\/td>\r\nevery<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                                                    everybody<\/td>\r\neveryone<\/td>\r\neverything<\/td>\r\nneither<\/td>\r\nno one<\/td>\r\nnobody<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
                                                                                    nothing<\/td>\r\none<\/td>\r\nsomebody<\/td>\r\nsomeone<\/td>\r\nsomething<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nSome of these may feel \"more singular\" than others, but they all are technically singular. Thus, using \"he or she\" is correct (while\u00a0they<\/em> is incorrect).\r\n\r\nHowever, the phrase \"he or she\" (and its other forms) can often make your sentences clunky. When this happens, it may be best to\u00a0revise your sentences to have plural antecedents.\r\n
                                                                                    \r\n

                                                                                    Practice<\/h3>\r\nHere's a paragraph that uses \"he or she\" liberally:\r\n

                                                                                    Every writer will experience writer's block at some point in his or her career. He or she will suddenly be unable to move on in his or her work.\u00a0A lot of people have written about writer's block, presenting different strategies to \"beat the block.\" However, different\u00a0methods work for different people. Each writer must find\u00a0the solutions that work best for him or her.<\/p>\r\nHow would you best revise this paragraph? Type your ideas in the text frame below, and then look at the suggested revisions.\r\n\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"725756\"]Show Possible Revisions[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"725756\"]There are a couple of different ways you could revise this paragraph:\r\n

                                                                                      \r\n \t
                                                                                    • Writers will all experience writer's block at some point in their\u00a0careers. They\u00a0will suddenly be unable to move on in their\u00a0work. A lot of people have written about writer's block, presenting different strategies to \"beat the block.\" However, different methods work for different people. Writers must find the solutions that work best for them.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                                                    • As a writer, you\u00a0will experience writer's block at some point in your\u00a0career. You\u00a0will suddenly be unable to move on in your\u00a0work. A lot of people have written about writer's block, presenting\u00a0different strategies to \"beat the block.\" However, different methods work for different people. You\u00a0must find the solutions that work best for you.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\nWere those revisions what you expected them to be?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                                                                                      Case<\/h2>\r\n

                                                                                      You and I<\/em> versus\u00a0You and Me<\/em><\/h3>\r\nSome\u00a0of the most common pronoun mistakes\u00a0occur with the decision between \"you and I\" and\u00a0\"you and me.\" \u00a0People will often say things like \"You and me should go out for drinks.\"\u00a0Or\u2014thinking back on the rule that it should be \"you and I\"\u2014they will say \"Susan assigned the task to both you and I.\" However, both of these sentences are wrong.\u00a0Remember that every time you use a pronoun you need to make sure that you're using the correct case.\r\n\r\nLet's take a look at the first sentence: \"You and me should go out for drinks.\" Both pronouns are the subject of the sentence, so they should be in subject case: \"You and I should go out for drinks.\"\r\n\r\nIn the second sentence (Susan\u00a0assigned the task to both you and I), both pronouns are the object of the sentence, so they should be in object case: \"Susan\u00a0assigned the task to both you and me.\"\r\n
                                                                                      Note:<\/strong> This is the same principle that is\u00a0behind the\u00a0who<\/em> versus\u00a0whom<\/em> debate.\u00a0Who<\/em> is the subject case\u00a0of the word, and\u00a0whom<\/em> is the object case.<\/div>\r\n\r\n
                                                                                      \r\n\r\n

                                                                                      Self-Check<\/h2>\r\nhttps:\/\/assessments.lumenlearning.com\/assessments\/1273","rendered":"

                                                                                      Introduction<\/h2>\n
                                                                                      \n

                                                                                      Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n
                                                                                        \n
                                                                                      • identify functions of pronouns<\/li>\n
                                                                                      • identify pronoun person and number<\/li>\n
                                                                                      • identify pronoun case (subjects, objects, possessives)<\/li>\n
                                                                                      • identify pronoun and\u00a0antecedent clarity<\/li>\n
                                                                                      • identify pronoun and\u00a0antecedent agreement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

                                                                                        \"AAnna\u00a0decided at the beginning of Anna’s\u00a0first\u00a0semester of college that Anna would\u00a0run\u00a0for thirty minutes every day. Anna\u00a0knew that Anna\u00a0would be taking a literature class with a lot of reading, so instead of buying print\u00a0copies of all the novels Anna’s\u00a0teacher assigned, Anna\u00a0bought the audiobooks. That\u00a0way Anna\u00a0could listen to the audiobooks\u00a0as Anna\u00a0ran.<\/p>\n

                                                                                        Does this paragraph feel awkward to you? Let’s try it again using\u00a0pronouns:<\/p>\n

                                                                                        Anna\u00a0decided at the beginning of her<\/strong> first\u00a0semester of college that she<\/strong> would run\u00a0for thirty minutes every day. She<\/strong>\u00a0knew that she<\/strong>\u00a0would be taking a literature class with a lot of reading, so instead of buying hard copies of all the novels her<\/strong>\u00a0teacher assigned, Anna\u00a0bought the audiobooks. That\u00a0way she<\/strong>\u00a0could listen to them<\/strong> as she<\/strong>\u00a0ran.<\/p>\n

                                                                                        This second paragraph is much more natural. Instead of repeating nouns multiple times, we were able to use pronouns. You’ve likely hear the phrase “a pronoun replaces a noun”; this is exactly<\/em> what a pronoun does.<\/p>\n

                                                                                        In this outcome, you’ll learn how pronouns work, how to use pronouns in different situations, and how to select\u00a0the correct pronouns.<\/p>\n

                                                                                        \n

                                                                                        Function of Pronouns<\/h2>\n

                                                                                        A pronoun stands in the place of a noun. Because a pronoun is replacing a noun, its meaning is dependent on the noun that it is replacing. This noun\u00a0is called the\u00a0antecedent<\/strong>. Let’s look at the two sentences we just read again:<\/p>\n

                                                                                        Because a pronoun is replacing a noun, its<\/strong> meaning is dependent on the noun that it<\/strong>\u00a0is replacing. This noun is\u00a0called an\u00a0antecedent<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

                                                                                        There are two\u00a0pronouns here:\u00a0its <\/em>and\u00a0it<\/em>.\u00a0Its<\/em> and\u00a0it<\/em>\u00a0both have the same antecedent: “a pronoun.” Whenever you use a pronoun,\u00a0you must also include its antecedent. Without the antecedent, your readers (or listeners) won’t be able to figure out what the pronoun is referring to. Let’s look at a couple of examples:<\/p>\n

                                                                                          \n
                                                                                        • Jason likes it\u00a0when\u00a0people look to him for leadership.<\/li>\n
                                                                                        • Trini\u00a0brushes her hair every morning.<\/li>\n
                                                                                        • Billy often has to clean his glasses.<\/li>\n
                                                                                        • Kimberly is a gymnast. She has earned several medals in different competitions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                                                                          So, what are the antecedents and pronouns in these sentences?<\/p>\n

                                                                                            \n
                                                                                          • Jason<\/em> is the antecedent for the pronoun him<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                                                                                          • Trini<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0her<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                                                                                          • Billy<\/em> is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0his<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                                                                                          • Kimberly<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent for the pronoun she<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                                                                            \n

                                                                                            Practice<\/h3>\n

                                                                                            Identify the antecedent in the following\u00a0examples:<\/p>\n

                                                                                              \n
                                                                                            1. The bus is twenty minutes late today, like it always is.<\/li>\n
                                                                                            2. I would never be caught dead wearing boot sandals. They are an affront to nature.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                                                                              Click to Show Answer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
                                                                                              \n
                                                                                                \n
                                                                                              1. The bus<\/strong>\u00a0is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0it<\/em>.<\/li>\n
                                                                                              2. boot sandals <\/strong> is the antecedent for the pronoun\u00a0they<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

                                                                                                There are several types of pronouns, including\u00a0personal, demonstrative, and indefinite pronouns. Let’s discuss each of these types.<\/p>\n

                                                                                                Personal Pronouns<\/h3>\n

                                                                                                The following sentences give examples of particular types of pronouns used with antecedents:<\/p>\n

                                                                                                  \n
                                                                                                • Third-person personal pronouns:\n
                                                                                                    \n
                                                                                                  • That poor man<\/b> looks as if he<\/b> needs a new coat. (the noun phrase that poor man<\/em> is the antecedent of he<\/em>)<\/li>\n
                                                                                                  • Kat<\/b>\u00a0arrived yesterday. I met her<\/b> at the station. (Kat<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent of her<\/em>)<\/li>\n
                                                                                                  • When they<\/b> saw us, the lions<\/b> began roaring (the lions<\/em> is the antecedent of they<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                                                                                                  • Other personal pronouns in some circumstances:\n
                                                                                                      \n
                                                                                                    • Adam\u00a0and I<\/b> were hoping no-one would find us<\/b>. (Adam\u00a0and I<\/em> is the antecedent of us<\/em>)<\/li>\n
                                                                                                    • You and Aisha<\/b>\u00a0can come if you<\/b> like. (you and Aisha<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent of the second, plural,\u00a0you<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                                                                                                    • Reflexive pronouns:\n
                                                                                                        \n
                                                                                                      • Jason<\/b>\u00a0hurt himself<\/b>. (Jason<\/em>\u00a0is the antecedent of himself<\/em>)<\/li>\n
                                                                                                      • We<\/b> were teasing each other<\/b>. (we<\/em> is the antecedent of each other<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n