Pronouns
The boy went to the store, and the boy bought some bread because the boy wanted to make a sandwich for the boy and the boy’s girlfriend before the boy and the boy’s girlfriend went to a movie that the boy and the boy’s girlfriend had been waiting to see. The boy and the boy’s girlfriend ate quickly so that the boy and the boy’s girlfriend would not be late, but when the boy and the boy’s girlfriend arrived at the theater, the boy and the boy’s girlfriend discovered that the boy and the boy’s girlfriend had the boy’s and the boy’s girlfriend’s dates mixed up. The movie would not arrive at the theater for another week. The boy and the boy’s girlfriend went home disappointed.
Wow! Did you read that paragraph? Doesn’t it sound awful? Why? Don’t you get tired of seeing/hearing “the boy and the boy’s girlfriend”? Does the following paragraph sound better?
The boy went to the store, and he bought some bread because he wanted to make a sandwich for himself and his girlfriend before they went to a movie that they had been waiting to see. They ate quickly so that they would not be late, but when they arrived at the theater, they discovered that they had their dates mixed up. The movie would not arrive at the theater for another week. They went home disappointed.
What is the difference in the two paragraphs? That’s right! Pronouns! Without pronouns, what we say can be awkward, wordy, and complicated. We must respect pronouns, however. We can’t just throw them around haphazardly. Like everything else regarding the English language, we have to follow rules. Let’s look at some of those pronoun rules in a PowerPoint slideshow.