Pronoun
Pronoun
• Pronouns take the place of nouns or
noun phrase when we are writing or
talking about something.
• It would be very tiresome if we had to
repeat the same noun over and over
again.
Just look at how long it takes to express ideas without using pronouns
A Day at the Park
• Sammy went to the park with Sammy’s mother and Sammy’s father. Sammy and
Sammy’s mother and Sammy’s father ran on the lawn. Then Sammy’s father
pushed Sammy on the swings while Sammy’s mother smiled and watched.
• Then Sammy’s mother spread out a blanket on the lawn and read a book while
Sammy and Sammy’s father played catch with a ball. Sammy threw the ball too
hard, and Sammy’s father had to chase after the ball. Sammy did some
somersaults, rolling forward on Sammy’s head and kicking Sammy’s feet up over
Sammy’s head. Sammy giggled and lay on the grass until Sammy’s dad came
back.
• Sammy, Sammy’s mother, and Sammy’s father ate sandwiches together before
Sammy, Sammy’s mother, and Sammy’s father went back home.
• Sammy went to the park with ____ mother and
____father. ____ran on the lawn. Then ____ father
pushed ____ on the swings while ____ mother smiled
and watched. Then ____ spread out a blanket on the
lawn and read a book while Sammy and ____ father
played catch with a ball. Sammy threw ____ too hard,
and ____father had to chase after ____. Sammy did
some somersaults, rolling forward on ____ head and
kicking ____feet up over ____head. ____ giggled and
lay on the grass until ____dad came back. All three of
____ ate sandwiches together before ____went back
home.
Pronoun
• 1 Types
– 1.1 Personal
– 1.2 Reflexive and reciprocal
– 1.3 Possessive
– 1.4 Demonstrative
– 1.5 Indefinite
– 1.6 Relative
– 1.7 Interrogative
Personal pronouns have the following
characteristics:
English personal pronouns
Case
Person Number
Subject Object
Singular I me
First
Plural we us
Singular
Second you
Plural
he him
Singular she her
Third
it
Plural they them
Reflexive
• Reflexive pronouns are used when a
person or thing acts on itself.
• the "self" pronouns
• For example:
– John cut himself.
– I saw myself in the mirror.
Possessive
• Possessive pronouns are used to
indicate possession.
• Some occur as independent noun phrases:
– mine, yours, hers, ours, yours, theirs. An
– example is: Those clothes are mine.
• Others must accompany a noun:
– my, your, her, our, your, their,
– as in: I lost my wallet
Demonstrative
• Demonstrative pronouns (this, that,
these, those) often distinguish their targets
by pointing or some other indication of
position;
• for example:
– I'll take these.
– A kid actor would try to be all sweet, and who
needs that
Indefinite
• Indefinite pronouns, the largest group of
pronouns, refer to one or more
unspecified persons or things.
• One group in English includes compounds
of some-, any-, every- and no- with -
thing, -one and -body,
• for example: Anyone can do that.
Indefinite Pronouns
• Singular:
one someone anyone no one everyone
each somebody anybody nobody everybody
(n)either something anything nothing everything
Somebody is coming to dinner.
Neither of us believes a word Harry says.
• Plural:
• Both, few, several
Both are expected at the airport at the same time.
Several have suggested canceling the meeting.
Relative
• Relative pronouns
(who, whom, whose, what, which and that)
refer back to people or things previously
mentioned:
• People who smoke should quit now.
• They are used in relative clauses
Relative
• Who
• Whose
• That
• Which
• Note:
– Use who, whom, and whose to refer to
people.
– Use that and which to refer to things.
Interrogative
• Interrogative pronouns ask which person
or thing is meant.
• In reference to a person, one may
use who(subject), whom (object)
or whose (possessive);
• for example,
– Who did that?
Interrogative
• Who Interrogative pronouns
produce information questions
• Whose that require more than a “yes” or
• Whom “no” answer.
• Which
Examples:
• What
What do you want?
Who is there?
1. ___ is dreaming. (George)
2. ___ is green. (the blackboard)
3. ___ are on the wall. (the posters)
4. ___ is running. (the dog)
5. ___ are watching TV. (my mother and I)
6. ___ are in the garden. (the flowers)
7. ___ is riding his bike. (Tom)
8. ___ is from Bristol. (Victoria)
9. ___ has got a brother. (Diana)
10. Have ___ got a computer, Mandy?
1. ___ am sitting on the sofa.
2. ___ are watching TV.
3. Are ____ from England?
4. ___ is going home.
5. ___ are playing football.
6. ___ is a wonderful day today.
7. ___ are speaking English.
8. Is ___ Kevin's sister?
9. ___ are swimming in the pool.
10. Are ___ in the cinema?
