Pronoun Usage



Pronoun Usage

a. Indefinite Pronouns: one, anyone, everyone, everybody, something, everything (are always singular)

b. Example Sentences:

i. Each of the Boy Scouts received _his____ merit badge.

ii. Everyone in the sorority donated _her____ time to the project.

c. Collective Nouns: team, class, committee, group (refer to more than one place or thing and usually are singular but not always)

d. Example Sentences:

i. The committee members divided the fund-raising chores among (itself, themselves).

ii. The sophomore class had (its, their) picture taken.

e. Unclear Pronoun References

i. Jim told Leonard his bike had been stolen.

ii. Corrected:

1. Jim told Leonard Jim’s bike had been stolen.

2. Jim told Leonard, “My bike has been stolen.”

f. Isolating the pronoun

i. Aunt Sophie planned a big dinner for (I, me, myself) and Jack.

ii. Last week, (I, me, myself) took a ride on the new train.

g. Consistency

i. If you begin a sentence in first person, stay in first person.

1. Whenever I eat at Claudia’s restaurant, you know the food is great.

Pronoun Choices

1.  I doubt that either of those social workers knows what ____________ caseload will be.

[pic]HIS OR HER

[pic]THEIR

2.  Among the Iroquois, everyone prepared ____________ carefully for the gathering ceremonies.

[pic]HIMSELF OR HERSELF

[pic]THEMSELVES

3.  According to Alvina and ____________ , this is the best math course you'll ever take.

[pic]HE

[pic]HIM

4.  Last week Raoul said that ____________ first-year students don't need to register yet.

[pic]WE

[pic]US

5.  The bus driver told me that he'd make change for you and ____________ this time but never again.

[pic]I

[pic]ME

6.  Probably the captain doesn't expect any of ____________ to show up on a day like this.

[pic]THEY

[pic]THEM

7.  It sounds as if you're complaining whenever you and ____________ talk that way.

[pic]SHE

[pic]HER

8.  Every winter Simon and ____________ get together to look at each other's drawings.

[pic]WE

[pic]US

9.  This year Stan wants to paint you and ____________ together.

[pic]I

[pic]ME

10.  Randy seems to think that there's some conflict developing between Jason and ____________ .

[pic]HE

[pic]HIM

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