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Pronoun Summary

Diagnostic

Pronoun Diagnostic : a tool to help you identify specific points that need review
babies

Quiz 1: beginning – intermediate

Quiz 2: intermediate – advanced 

 

Personal Pronouns

 

Personal Pronouns: referring to personal nouns

Begt. ESL

Dancing

Lea is dancing.   She enjoys dancing.
Sammy is dancing with  Lea.   He likes her.

She gave a demonstration to my friend and me.
She gave a demonstration to my friend and  I .

 

Collective Pronouns: referring to collective nouns

Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

Paparazzi

The paparazzi made its purpose clear. It had a right to be outside her house.

The paparazzi placed their cameras right in her face. They were rude, even mean.

 

Double Pronouns: referring to two personal nouns

Native Speakers

Bachelor talking to date

Me and Diana got to know each other.
Diana and I got to know each other.

I had a good feeling about her and I. 
I had a good feeling about her and me. 

 

Indefinite Pronouns: sentence agreement

Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

fisherman

Everyone had his fishing pole.

Some had their fishing poles.

Everyone had their fishing pole. (informal usage)

 

Reflexive Pronouns: referring to oneself; referring to all or part

Beg.–Int. ESL

self dressed

I washed myself.
I dressed myself.

I brushed my teeth.
I shampooed my hair.

Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

 

Possessive Nouns:  indicating possession for people or things

Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

Related page: Apostrophes

The class' soccer team

The state's soccer team won several games.
The states' soccer teams won several games.

The goalpost's leg was broken.
The leg of the goal post was broken.

 

Possessive Pronouns:  indicating possession for people or groups

Beg.–Int. ESL

Naughty Dog

Our dog is over here. / Ours is over here.  

All of the owners bring water for their (own) dogs.

One  should exercise one's dog. (impersonal)
You should exercise your dog. (impersonal)
They don't like dogs there. Their dislike is unusual. (impersonal)

 

Dummy Pronouns

There – Existence: referring to the existence of something

Beg.–Int. ESL

Related pages:  There –Existence,  There/ Their, Here/ There, It/ There Pronouns

milk cheese and eggs

There is milk, cheese and eggs on the table. (En-US)

There are milk, cheese and eggs on the table. (En-Br)

 

It / There Subjects: as placeholders for subjects

Int.–Adv. ESL

Related pages:, "It is" Adjective + Infin, "It takes" + Infinitive, It Clefts

rain drops

Is it still raining?  It's cloudy.   (the weather)
Is there a rain on the street still?  (exists)

To do the work this way is easy. 
It  is easy to do the work this way. 

 

It/This Reference: referring back to something

Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

arrow pointing back

Apple is going to release a new operating system.  It will merge the laptop OS with the iPad and iPhone OS. 

Apple is going to release a new operating system.  This will be a huge step in merging the laptop OS with the iPad and iPhone OS.  

Advanced

 

Pronoun Placement: making the noun reference clear

Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

Putting the cart before the horse

By the time they arrived, my family was very hungry.

By the time my family arrived, they were very hungry.

Tracy gave Robin a recipe.  She is a talented cook. Tracy or Robin?

 

Gender & Pronouns: referring to both males and females 

Int.–Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

photographerfamily portrait

Everyone in my family had their picture taken. (males, females, both?)

Citations to Fowler, Hudddleston and Pullam, Merriam-Webster, Robin Lakoff and others.   

 

Verbs with Indirect Objects: indicating receivers of actions  (dative verbs)

Beg.–Int. ESL

A letter

My friend is bringing me a letter.

My friend is bringing a letter to me.

My friend is bringing me it.

 

Common Mistakes: top 20 agreement errors

Adv. ESL, Native Speakers

Jean Muffins 

Fashions come and go. * Everyone have problems balancing comfort with fashion.