Parts of SpeechAll About Pronouns

Pronouns• A pronoun is a part of speech that

replaces a noun in a sentence.• There are many different kinds of pronouns:

– Personal– Possessive– Indefinite– Subject/Object– Reflexive– Intensive– Demonstrative– Interrogative

Pronouns• Before understanding pronouns, we

first have to know about antecedents.

• An antecedent is the word that the pronouns refers to or replaces.

AntecedentsSara stubbed her toe on the dresser.

The team won its game against Valley.

My best friend adopted his dog from a shelter.

Sara is the antecedent and her is the pronoun.

Team is the antecedent and its is the pronoun.

Friend is the antecedent and his is the pronoun.

Personal Pronouns• A personal pronoun is a pronoun that

is used to refer to a specific person or thing.

• Examples:– he– she– it– them

Personal Pronouns

Singular• I• he, she, it• his, her, hers, its• him, her, it• himself, herself, itself• you

Plural• we• they• their, theirs• them• Themselves• you

A personal pronoun must grammatically match and have the same singular/plural form as its

antecedent.

In this sentence, the word pronoun is the antecedent. It is singular.

In this sentence, the word its is the pronoun. The pronoun must be singular to match the antecedent.

Personal Pronouns• Examples• I asked Luis to bring the document,

and he said he would.– Luis is the antecedent–He is the pronoun

In this sentence, the antecedent and the pronoun both take on the singular form.

Personal Pronouns• Examples• The students studied for the test

because they wanted to do well.– students is the antecedent– they is the pronoun

In this sentence, the antecedent and the pronoun both take on the plural form.

Possessive Pronouns

• A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that demonstrates ownership.

• Examples:–mine (1st person)– yours (2nd person)– his/hers (3rd person singular)– ours– theirs (3rd person plural)– whose

Possessive Pronouns

• To make a personal pronoun possessive, change it to this.

change to

I my

you your or yours

he his

her hers

it its

Possessive Pronouns

• Examples• My dog is the best behaved dog on

the block.–Whose dog is it?– It is my dog.

Possessive Pronouns

• Examples• The cat chased its tail in circles for

hours.–Whose tail is it?– It is the cat’s tail.– Its is possessive refers to the cat.

NOTE: possessive pronouns do not have any apostrophes: whose, its, yours.

Indefinite Pronouns• An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that

refers to things or people in general. • Examples:– few– everyone– all– anything– nobody– some

Indefinite PronounsEveryone had a great time at the game.

Sarah told someone the secret.

Who had a great time?Everyone had a great time.

Sarah told the secret to who?Sarah told the secret to someone.

Relative Pronouns• A relative pronoun is a pronoun that

is used to connect a phrase or clause to a noun or pronoun.

• Examples:– who– whom– which– that

Relative PronounsThe person whom I texted last night was my friend.

The car that I drive is blue.

Mr. Jones, who is very strict, is my math teacher.

Reflexive Pronouns• A reflexive pronoun is used with

another noun or pronoun when something does something to itself.

• Reflexive pronouns end in “self” or “selves.”

Intensive Pronouns• Intensive pronouns are used to

emphasize a noun or a pronoun.• Examples:–myself – himself/herself– themselves– itself– yourself/yourselves– ourselves

Reflexive vs. Intensive Pronouns

ReflexiveThese kind of pronouns refer back to the subject of a sentence.

Examples: They bought

themselves plenty of pizza.

I read to myself.

IntensiveThese pronouns are the same words used to emphasize the subject of a sentence. Examples: They themselves

bought plenty of pizza. I myself read the

book.

A noun will be EITHER abstract or concrete.

Demonstrative Pronouns

• Demonstrative pronouns focus the attention on the nouns that they are replacing.

• There are only 5 demonstrative pronouns:– this– these– those– that– such

Demonstrative Pronouns

Those shoes are amazing.

I want to eat at that restaurant.

Which shoes are amazing?Those shoes are amazing.

You want to eat at which restaurant?I want to eat at that restaurant.

Interrogative Pronouns

• Interrogative pronouns are used when you are asking a question.

• HINT: Think interrogation• Examples:– who/whom– which– what– whatever

Interrogative Pronouns

Who is picking you up from school today?

To whom did you speak to last night?

What do you want to eat for lunch?