Pronouns

• Pronouns replace nouns and noun phrases.

• We use pronouns because it shortens and simplifies sentences, making them

easier to say and write.

• There are pronouns we shall focus on will be personal and possessive pronouns.

• A very important part of pronouns is the antecedent.

• The antecedent is the noun or noun phrase which the pronoun is replacing.

E.g.

➔ Nick loved eating so he learned how to cook.

Nick (Proper noun) is the antecedent of he.

➔ The old bus had no breaks, so it crashed into the wall.

“The old bus”(noun phrase) is the antecedent of it.

Personal Pronouns

• A personal pronoun takes the place of people or things.

• They are always specific and are often used to replace Proper Nouns.

• They have different forms for the singular and plural.

• They also have different forms when they’re the subject of a sentence and when
they’re the object of a sentence.

E.g.

➔ Mary likes sport, so she tries hard. (subject female singular)

➔ The class is noisy, therefore they got in trouble. (subject plural)

➔ Because the car is old, it broke down. (subject neutral singular)

➔ Bill gets angry quickly, so don’t make him angry. (object male singular)
Possessive Pronouns

• A possessive pronoun tells us to whom the noun belongs.

E.g.
➔ That bag is mine. (belonging to me)
➔ That bag is hers. (belonging to Mary)
➔ That bag is his. (belonging to Bob)
➔ Those bags are theirs. (belonging to a lot of people)
➔ That is its missing piece. (the piece belongs to the thing)

Singular Plural

Person Subject Object Possessive Subject Object Possessive

First I Me Mine We Us Ours

Second You You Yours You You Yours

Third:

Bob
He Him His
(Masculine)

Mary
She Her Hers They Them Theirs
(Feminine)

Thing
It It Its
(Neutral)