Notes

Outline

PRONOUNS What They Are and What They Do

Antecedent The prefix ante means “before” The antecedent of a pronoun is the word that the pronoun takes the place of. Usually the antecedent comes before the pronoun in the same sentence or in the same passage.

Indefinite pronouns Sometimes pronouns do not replace  specific words but are used generically, like Anyone Someone No one Everyone Everybody

Agreement Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in gender and number Mary read her book. John read his book. Mary and John read their books. Every student read his or her book.

YOU/YOUR Do not use the words you and your in formal writing.

Person and Case Person refers to the form of a pronoun that tells whether someone or something speaks (1st), is spoken to (2nd), or is spoken about (3rd). Case is the form of a pronoun that shows grammatical relation to some other part of a sentence.

Subjective case Singular 1st I 2nd you 3rd he, she, it Plural we you they

Possessive Case  Singular 1st my, mine 2nd your, yours 3rd his, her/hers, its    Plural    our, ours    your, yours    their, theirs

Objective Case Singular 1st me 2nd you 3rd him, her, it Plural us you them

Relative Pronouns    Singular Subjective    who Possessive    whose Objective    whom Plural who whose whom