What is a Pronoun?

Lesson 3.1

Here’s the Idea

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun or another pronoun.

• Like a noun, a pronoun can refer to a person, place, thing, or idea.

• The word that a personal pronoun refers to is called its antecedent.

is a great friend. is so funny!

REFERS TO

She Alexis She Alexis

read jokes to the class.Alexis herher

REFERS TO

Alexis

Personal Pronouns

• Pronouns such as we, I, he, them, and it are called personal pronouns.

• Unlike nouns, personal pronouns change their forms to reflect person, number, and case.

Person and Number

• Personal pronouns have different forms for first person, second person, and third person.

• Pronouns can be singular or plural in number.

Examples:

• I went out. We left early.

• You left too. You are all leaving.

• He came by bus. They came by car.

1st

2nd

3rd

SINGULAR PLURAL

Case

• Personal pronouns change their forms, or cases, depending on how they are used in a sentence.

• Each pronoun has three cases: subject, object, and possessive.

• Subject: He just started middle school.

• Object: Scott met him on the first day.

• Possessive: Now Scott is his best friend.

He

him

his

Practice Time!!!

1. Did you ever see the statue in front of Boys Town?

2. It shows one boy carrying a smaller boy.

3. Its caption says,”He ain’t heavy, Father, he’s my brother.”

4. True friends are not burdens when they need help.

DIRECTIONS: Name the pronouns in each sentence.

you

ItIts He he’s my

they

Don’t go away! There’s more!

5. I interviewed my classmates about friendship.

6. “What is a friend?” I asked them.7. They gave me different answers.8. “A friend stands by you no matter what,”

said Rachel.9. “My friends want to be with me, and I

want to be with them,” Lenny said.10. Sue said, “For me, friends are loyal, or

they aren’t friends.”

I my

I them They me

you

My me Ithemme

they