Parts of Speech- Pronouns

English 9 2014

Key Concept:

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

Antecedents of Pronouns

• Pronouns get their meaning from the words they stand for. • These words are called antecedents.• Antecedents are nouns (or words that take the place of nouns) for which

pronouns stand.• Example:

Michael said he lost his watch at the fair. (he and his are the antecedent’s for Michael).

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

• Example:Because of its carnival, Rottweil, Germany, is my favorite city. (its is the antecedent

for Rottweil, Germany).

Personal Pronouns

• The most common pronouns are those that you use to refer to yourself and the people and things around you. These pronouns are called personal pronouns.• Personal pronouns refer to the person speaking (first person), the

person spoken to (second person), or the person, place or thing spoken about (third person).

Personal Pronouns

Singular Plural

First Person I, me, my, mine We, us, our, ours

Second Person You, your, yours You, your, yours

Third Person He, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its

They, them, their, theirs

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

• The ending –self or –selves can be added to some personal pronouns to form reflexive and intensive pronouns.• A reflexive pronoun ends in –self or –selves and indicates that

someone or something performs an action to, for, or upon itself.• Reflexive pronouns point back to a noun or pronoun earlier in the

sentence.• An intensive pronoun ends in –self or –selves and simply adds

emphasis to a noun or pronoun in the same sentence.

8 Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns used in English

Singular PluralFirst Person myself Ourselves

Second Person

yourself Yourselves

Third person Himself, herself, itself

themselves

Examples:

• A reflexive pronoun is essential to the meaning of a sentence.• In the following examples, identify the reflexive pronoun and the antecedent.

• Joy helped herself to some turkey.• They poured themselves some milk.

• An intensive pronoun on the other hand, simply adds emphasis. If you omit an intensive pronoun, the sentence will still contain the same basic information.• The mayor herself attended the carnival.

• An intensive pronoun usually comes directly after its antecedent, but not always.• Frank fixed the refrigerator himself.

Demonstrative, Relative and Interrogative Pronouns• Another group of pronouns can be used to direct attention, relate

ideas, or ask questions.• Demonstrative pronouns direct attention to one of many different

people, places or things.

• Demonstrative pronouns may come before or after their antecedent.• Before: This is the person we want to hire.• After: Of all the celebrations in the world, that is my favorite.

Singular PluralThis, that These, those

Relative Pronouns• Relative pronouns relate clauses.• A relative pronoun begins a subordinate clause and connects it to

another idea in the sentence.

• The following sentences show the way relative pronouns are used in sentences.

That which who whom whose

Independent Clause Subordinate ClauseWe planted a shrub that attacks ladybugs.

I saw a cicada which was a surprise.

Louisa is the player who pitched first.

Phil is the debater whom the judges chose.

We visited Grandmother whose house is in New Orleans.

Interrogative Pronouns

• Most relative pronouns can also be used as interrogative pronouns.• An interrogative pronoun is used to begin a question.

• An interrogative pronoun may or may not have a specific antecedent. In the following, only which has an antecedent.• Which of the vegetables do you want?• Who will go with me to the park?

Five Interrogative PronounsWhat Which Who Whom Whose

Indefinite Pronouns

• Indefinite pronouns resemble interrogative pronouns in that they often lack specific antecedents.• Specific Antecedent: Some of the tourists were late.• No Specific Antecedent: Everyone ate something.

• Indefinite Pronouns refer to people, places, or things, often without specifying which ones.

Singular Plural Singular or Plural

Another anybody anyone anything each either everybody everyone everything little much neither nobody no one nothing one other somebody someone something

Both FewMany OtherSeveral

All AnyMore MostNone Some

Helping Verbs

• Often, a single verb is formed from as many as four words.• Helping verbs may be added to a verb such as sung to make a verb

phrase, such as had sung or should have been sung.• Helping verbs are verbs that can be added to another verb to make a

single verb phrase.

Recognizing Helping Verbs

• Learning the forms of be and other verbs that can be used as helping verbs will help you recognize helping verbs in the sentence.• Any of the many forms of be as well as some other verbs can be used

as helping verbs.

Helping Verbs other than the form of beDo have shall canDoes has should couldDid had will may would might must

Verb Phrases

• Verb phrases are created by the addition of helping verbs to other verbs. The following chart lists six examples, but the possibilities are almost endless.

Helping Verbs Verbs

Am DidCan

Will beShould have

Might have been

TalkingPlay

WriteStudying

SeenConsidered

Finding Helping Verbs in Sentences

• Other words may sometimes separate helping verbs from main verbs in sentences.• Words Together: They will be flying in the morning.• Words Separated: They will definitely not be going with us.

Have you and the others met our friends?

• The following examples show the words of a verb phrase together as well as verb phrases interrupted by other words.