By Ellen Gilmore, Kaitlyn Clark, Rick Trevisan

PRONOUNS

What are Pronouns?Generally pronouns stand for or refer to a noun, an individual(s) or thing(s) (the pronoun's antecedent) whose identity is made clear earlier in the text.

Not all pronouns will refer to an antecedent

The problem of agreement between a pronoun and its antecedent and between a pronoun and its verb is the Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement.

1. Personal 2. Demonstrative 3. Relative 4. Indefinite 5. Intensive 6. Reflexive 7. Interrogative 8. Reciprocal

Types of Pronouns

Personal pronouns (which stand for persons or things) change form according to their various uses within a sentence.

Singular: He, She, It, Me, You, I, My Plural: We, They, You, Us, Them Example: We students at NRHS work hard

Personal

Demonstratives can behave either as pronouns or as determiners.

Singular: This, That, Such Plural: These, Those Example: This class is fun.

Demonstrative

Relative pronouns relate groups of words to nouns or other pronouns.

Do NOT introduce a question Who, Whichever, Which, What, Whoever,

Whatever, Whomever I seem to say whatever is on my mind.

Relative

Indefinite pronouns do not substitute for specific nouns but are nouns themselves.

Some, Any, Anybody, Somebody, Everybody, All, Each, Many, Several etc.,

Example: More sugar than that is needed to make a cake.

Indefinite

Intensive pronouns consist of a personal pronoun plus -self or -selves and emphasize a noun.

Singular: Myself, Itself, Herself, Himself Plural: Themselves, Yourselves, Ourselves Example: I decided to make the cake

myself.

Intensive

Reflexive pronouns (which have the same forms as the intensive pronouns) indicate that the sentence subject also receives the action of the verb.

Singular: Myself, Itself, Herself, Himself Plural: Themselves, Yourselves, Ourselves Example: Students who cheat are only

hurting themselves.

Reflexive

Interrogative pronouns introduce questions. Who, Which, What, Example: What is that?

Interrogative

Reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another. They are forms for connecting ideas.

Example: We borrowed each other’s information.

Reciprocal

Benner, Margaret. "Pronouns." (2003): n.pag. Towson University Online Writing Support. Web. 7 Oct 2012. <http://www.towson.edu/ows/pronouns.htm>

Darling, Charles. "Pronouns." (2004): n.pag. Guide to Grammar and Writing. Web. 7 Oct 2012. <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/pronouns1.htm >

Dorough, Bob, and Kathy Mandary. Schoolhouse Rock Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla (Pronouns). 1977. Video. School

House Rock. Web. 7 Oct 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koZFca8AkT0>

Sources