Mastering Pronouns: A Comprehensive Guide
The Everyday Writer
Andrea A. Lunsford
Pronouns acting as subjects are in the
subjective case; those acting as objects are in
the objective case; those acting as possessives
are in the possessive case.
She
was passionate about recycling.
The boss surprised
her
with a big raise.
The sound of
his
voice came right through the walls.
In questions, answer the question using a
personal pronoun. If the answer is
he, she
, or
they
, use
who
; if it is
him, her
, or
them
, use
whom
.
Who
did you visit?
I visited
them
.
Whom
do you think wrote the story?
I think
she
wrote the story.
Whom
Who
In dependent clauses, determine its purpose in
the clause. *Trick—if you can put a person’s
name in, use
who
; if not, use
whom
.
Anyone can hypnotize someone
whom
wants to be hypnotized.
John
wants to be hypnotized.
The minister smiled at
whoever
she greeted.
John she greeted (???)
who
whomever
Take the other words out to see what case it
should be.
The boss invited
she
and her family to dinner.
The boss invited she to dinner????
her
Come to the park with Ann and
I
.
Come to the park with I?????
me
When an elliptical construction (words are
understood and left out) ends in a pronoun, put
the pronoun in the case it would be in normally.
His sister has always been more athletic than he [is].
Willie likes Lily more than she [likes Willie].
How would it sound without the noun?
Us
fans never give up hope.
Us never gives up hope????
The Rangers depend on
we
fans.
The Rangers depend on we???
We
us
Pronouns and antecedents (the words they
replace) agree when they match up in person,
number, and gender.
The
boys
picked up
their
music.
The
audience
fixed
its
attention on center stage.
One
of the ballerinas lost
her
balance.
Some
of the furniture was showing
its
age.
Ambiguous antecedents
Vague use of it, this, that, and which
The car went over the bridge just before
it
fell into the water.
the bridge
My mother forgot to wake me up, and I was late for class
which
made me
mad.
and being late
Indefinite use of
you, it
, and
they
Possessive antecedents
Commercials try to make
you
buy without thinking.
In
Alexa’s
formal complaint,
she
showed why the test was unfair.
people
her
Alexa
Understand the nuances of pronoun usage with this detailed guide, covering pronoun cases, usage in questions and clauses, compound structures, elliptical constructions, pronoun-antecedent agreement, and more. Enhance your writing skills by mastering pronoun rules and applications.
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Presentation Transcript
The Everyday Writer Andrea A. Lunsford PRONOUNS
PRONOUN CASE Pronouns acting as subjects are in the subjective case; those acting as objects are in the objective case; those acting as possessives are in the possessive case. She was passionate about recycling. The boss surprised her with a big raise. The sound of his voice came right through the walls.
WHO, WHOEVER, WHOM, AND WHOMEVER In questions, answer the question using a personal pronoun. If the answer is he, she, or they, use who; if it is him, her, or them, use whom. Who did you visit? I visited them. Whom Who Whom do you think wrote the story? I think she wrote the story.
WHO, WHOEVER, WHOM, AND WHOMEVER In dependent clauses, determine its purpose in the clause. *Trick if you can put a person s name in, use who; if not, use whom. who Anyone can hypnotize someone whom wants to be hypnotized. John wants to be hypnotized. whomever The minister smiled at whoever she greeted. John she greeted (???)
CASE IN COMPOUND STRUCTURES Take the other words out to see what case it should be. her The boss invited she and her family to dinner. The boss invited she to dinner???? me Come to the park with Ann and I. Come to the park with I?????
CASE IN ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTIONS When an elliptical construction (words are understood and left out) ends in a pronoun, put the pronoun in the case it would be in normally. His sister has always been more athletic than he [is]. Willie likes Lily more than she [likes Willie].
WE AND US BEFORE A NOUN How would it sound without the noun? We Us fans never give up hope. Us never gives up hope???? us The Rangers depend on we fans. The Rangers depend on we???
PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT Pronouns and antecedents (the words they replace) agree when they match up in person, number, and gender. The boys picked up their music. The audience fixed its attention on center stage. One of the ballerinas lost her balance. Some of the furniture was showing its age.
CLEAR PRONOUN REFERENCE Ambiguous antecedents the bridge The car went over the bridge just before it fell into the water. Vague use of it, this, that, and which and being late My mother forgot to wake me up, and I was late for class which made me mad.
CLEAR PRONOUN REFERENCE Indefinite use of you, it, and they people Commercials try to make you buy without thinking. Possessive antecedents Alexa her In Alexa s formal complaint, she showed why the test was unfair.
