Identifying Pronouns

As you read the following passage, identify all of the pronouns, as well as what type of pronoun each is. Remember, there are four types of pronouns we learned about: personal, demonstrative, indefinite, and relative pronouns.

(1) Louis Charles Joseph Blériot (1872–1936) was a French aviator, inventor, and engineer. (2) In 1909, he became world famous for making the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier than air aircraft, winning a prize of £1,000 offered by the Daily Mail newspaper. (3) The prize was widely seen as a way to gain cheap publicity when it was first announced by the paper—no one thought this feat could actually be accomplished. (4) The Paris newspaper Le Matin commented that there was no chance of the prize being won. (5) Blériot would prove everyone wrong.

Finding the Antecedent

Identify the antecedents and pronouns in the following examples:

1. Somebody must have found my cell phone. He or she has been using up all my data!
2. People asked Jorge to review their papers so often that he started a small editing business.
3. He’s been talking for over two hours. This is unbearable.
4. Henry called his parents every week.
5. There are forty bracelets in this box. Are you telling me you made all of those?

Antecedent Clarity

Read the following passage, then re-write it using as many pronouns as possible, while still retaining clarity.

Marina and Marina’s twin sister Adriana often fought over small things. Marina frequently took Adriana’s clothes without asking and never returned them. Adriana always ate the last piece of dessert, even if Mariana had saved it for Mariana. However, Mariana always made sure Adriana knew about the sales at Adriana’s favorite stores, and Adriana baked Mariana’s favorite cookies at least once a month.