Pronoun

Pronoun

• Replaces noun, noun phrase, or noun clause
• An antecedent - the word, phrase, or clause to which the pronoun refers.

Types

• Personal pronoun

Person

• First person

• Refers to the writer.
• I, me, and my => first person singular pronouns.
• We, us, and our => first person plural pronouns.

• Second person

• Refers to the reader
• you, your, and yours.

• Third-person

• Refers to all those other people, not the writer or the reader
• they, them, their, theirs.

Rules

Make antecedent clear

• UNCLEAR
  • Mandy told Misty that she should vote immediately. - UNCLEAR
• CLEAR
  • Mandy said, "Misty, you should vote immediately". or
  • Mandy told Misty, "I should vote immediately".

Agreement of number

• Both the pronoun and its antecedent must be singular or both must be plural.
• Steps
  • Identify which pronouns are singular and which are plural
  • That replacement must be in the same number as the noun it replaces.
• Example.
  • The team member will send her report tomorrow.
    • Both “member” and “her” mean one person.
  • All the team members will send their reports tomorrow.
    • “Members” and “their” are both plural.

See also

• Noun