Nouns and Pronouns

Today we are going to focus on one of these two grammar elements-Pronouns

FACTNouns and pronouns are theonly two parts of speech that can be used as the subject of a sentence.

Nouns—Studied last week

Nouns name a person, place or thing:

JAMES (person)

PLAYGROUND

(place)

SLIDE (thing)

Types of Nouns—last week

Proper Noun James

Common Noun slide

Abstract Noun love

Collective Noun team

Plural Forms of Nouns-last week

– Some nouns add “S” or “ES” to form the plural. These are called regular nouns.

car / cars match / matches

– Some nouns change completely. These are called irregular nouns.

goose / geese mouse / mice

– Some nouns are singular but seem to be plural. These are called collective nouns. team jury group My favorite team is playing tonight.

Pronouns Pronouns-new

Kinds of Pronouns

SubjectiveRelativeObjectiveInterrogative

PossessiveDemonstrativeReflexiveIntensive

Pro means “for” so a pronoun is a word that is used in place of or stands for a noun.

Pronouns

FACT– The noun that a pronoun replaces is called the

antecedent. This term combines two Latin words that mean “comes before.” The noun always comes before the pronoun.

– James is my little brother. He loves to play video games.

Kinds of Pronouns

I * My You Your He His She Her It Its We Our You Your They Their

Subjective case pronouns replace a subject.

*Possessive forms accompany the noun they represent in a sentence:

My car is parked on the corner.

Kinds of Pronouns

Me *MineYou YoursHim HisHer HersIt ItsUs OursYou YoursThem Theirs

Objective case pronouns replace a noun used as an object.

*These possessive forms may stand alone in a sentence:

The car that is parked on the corner is mine.

Kinds of Pronouns

Reflexive Relative Interrogative Demonstrative Myself That Who This Yourself Which Whose That Himself Who What These Herself Whom Whom Those Itself Whose Which Ourselves Yourselves Themselves

Kinds of Pronouns

Reflexive Looks back to an earlier noun or pronoun:

James completed the project by himself.

Relative Helps define properties of a noun or pronoun:

The house that was built in 2007 burned down.

Kinds of Pronouns

Interrogative Asks a question: Who called you after class today?

Demonstrative Points out something or someone:

That is a really good picture of you.

Kinds of Pronouns

Indefinite Singular Plural All Another Anything Anybody Few

None Something EverybodySome One Everything Somebody

Both Everyone Nothing NobodyMost Someone Much Either

Many No one Such Neither More Anyone Each Other Several

Kinds of Pronouns

Plural Indefinite – means some undetermined number: Some of the students were interested in taking a biology course.

Singular Indefinite – means one of a group of people or things, but not one specifically:

Anyone could have taken that course.

Kinds of Pronouns

Singular Indefinite Clues that the pronoun is singular:

– Begins with any or every

– Ends in one or body

Pronouns

Either and neither are singular. The logical meaning is that you are examining the antecedents one at a time:

Two dogs live on my street. Antecedent = dogs Neither dog likes cats.

Pronouns

Some final thoughts:– Pronouns must agree with antecedents.

A student must be careful to record his or her scores. (student is singular, needs singular his and her)

Students can turn in their papers any time today.(students is plural, therefore their is correct)

Pronouns

Some more final thoughts: Who or whom? When to use which one:The easy way to test for who and whom is to

replace them with he/she or him/her.If he is correct, use whoIf him is correct, use whom.

PRONOUNS

Even more final thoughts: Don’t let compounds confuse your use of I

and me:Eliminate the extra words to check:

My dad took James and I to the game. (?)My dad took --- I to the game. (NO!)My dad took James and me to the game. (YES!)