Antecedents of Pronouns

Sophomores Love Grammar!

Pronouns

• Pronouns are words that stand for nouns or for words that take the place of nouns.

Antecedents

* Pronouns get their meaning from the words they stand for. These words are called antecedents.

Antecedents

• In the following examples, pronouns are in italics and their antecedents are in bold. In the first sentence, the pronouns he and his stand for the noun Michael, their antecedent. In the second, the pronouns they and their stand for the noun Levines, their antecedent. In the third, the pronoun it stands for an entire group of words that takes the place of a noun. This group of words is the antecedent of the pronoun it.

Examples

1. Michael said he lost his watch at the fair.

2. When the Levines moved, they gave their pets to neighbors.

3. Attending the Mardi Gras can be tiring, but it can be a lot of fun!

Antecedents of Pronouns

• Take Note: Antecedents do not always appear before their pronouns. Sometimes, an antecedent follows its pronoun.

• Example:

- Because of its Fiesta Days Carnival, Vacaville, California, is my favorite city.

Give it a shot!

- Write the antecedent of each underlined pronoun.1. Carnivals have varied their images over time.2. Many carnivals developed from festivals in Europe that

were held every year.3. They included markets where merchants sold their

wares.4. Eventually, these carnivals adopted rides, games,

shows, and exhibits that often included sideshows.5. Another type of carnival is made up of merrymaking; it

is celebrated just before a traditional time of fasting.6. Vacaville, California, has its carnival in May.7. New Orleans, Louisiana, hosts Mardi Gras during

February or March; thousands of people flock to it each year.

Give it a shot!

• Write a sentence or two using each of the following nouns, accompanied by a pronoun that uses the noun as an antecedent.

1. Clowns

2. Festival

3. Dancer

4. New York City

5. Fireworks