GRAMMAR UNIT 4 .com



GRAMMAR UNIT 4

USING PRONOUNS

Pronoun – Remember that a pronoun takes the place of one or more nouns or pronouns. Think of Grammar Rock and Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla. Who wants to say that name over and over again in a sentence? Instead we use the pronouns “he” or “him” to save time and our voice. Now, there are several different types of pronouns: personal, reflexive, intensive, demonstrative, interrogative, relative, and indefinite; but you don’t have to remember all that. I will try to teach you what is important to remember about pronouns. If you do feel you would like to learn more about the different types, you may refer to your literature book pages 1053 – 1055.

I’m sure you remember as a child saying “Me and Nick are going to the movies.” Some of you may even have younger siblings or cousins who still speak in this manner. I know of course that none of you still speaks that way! ( Additionally, many of you probably remember being corrected by teachers or parents “Nick and I…” Unfortunately, we now tend to overcompensate by always using “_______and I”; however, that is not always the correct way to speak either. So how do you know when to say “Nick and I…” or “Nick and me…”? It’s really quite simple actually. First of all, you ALWAYS put others first. Sounds like a good rule to live by anyway, right? But, I’m talking about in the way you speak and write.

The best way to know which pronoun (I, me, she, her, hers, or he, him, his) is to test the pronoun by using it alone with the verb.

“Nick and I went to the movie” or “Nick and me went to the movie.”

TEST: I went to the movie or Me went to the movie.

At your age, you would never say “Me went to the movie.” So why would you say “Me and Nick…” or “Nick and me…”? You are probably then thinking, ok, so it’s always _______and I. Nope, not always.

Test this one out. “My mom gave Nick and I some money for the movie.” Or “My mom gave Nick and me some money for the movie.”

TEST: “My mom gave I some money for the movie.” Or “My mom gave me some money for the movie.”

Just as you wouldn’t say “Me went to the movie”, you would not say “My mom gave I some money for the movie.”

So what to do about she, her, hers, or he, his, him, or even, we or us? Basically, you use the same test. Use the pronoun alone with the verb.

Us girls plan to attend the party or We girls plan to attend the party?

TEST: Us plan to attend the party or We plan to attend the party. “We” is the correct pronoun choice here.

The teacher gave Henry and he a longer assignment or The teacher gave Henry and him a longer assignment?

TEST: The teacher gave he a longer assignment or The teacher gave him a longer assignment? The latter him is correct.

EXERCISE A Now it’s your turn to test it out. Underline the correct pronoun in the following sentences. Remember to use the TEST. Sometimes what seems to make sense without the TEST is not correct. ALWAYS use the TEST with pronouns.

Example: Mary and (he, him) often quarrel. (In some cases, you may have to change the verb from plural to singular to do the test). TEST: He often quarrels.

1. Jo and (she, her) save dimes and pennies. SHE saves dimes and pennies.

2. (We, Us) girls caught a few dogfish. WE caught a few dogfish.

3. The boys and (we, us) swam in the deep water. WE swam in the deep water.

4. Are (her and me, she and I) partners? SHE is a partner; I am a partner

5. We and (them, they) met in the finals. THEY met in the finals.

6. Karen and (I, me) had fruit for dessert. I had fruit for dessert.

7. Do you and (her, she) speak Spanish? Does SHE speaks Spanish?

8. You and (we, us) will work together. WE will work together.

9. Have Arturo and (them, they) already gone? Have THEY already gone?

10. Stan and (him, he) look like brothers. HE looks like a brother.

EXERCISE B When the pronoun is an object of the verb, you can use the same test. Try these sentences. Example: Larry surprised Leroy and (me, I). TEST: Larry surprised me.

1. I will ask my mother and (she, her) if we can go to the movies. I will ask HER…

2. You can believe Jiro and (I, me). You can believe ME.

3. Did anyone tell Estrella and (she, her) that the time for the concert has changed?

Did anyone tell HER…

4. I met Sue and (he, him) at the National Museum of African Art.

I met HIM at…

5. Will you take (we, us) to the Cinco de Mayo festival?

Will you take US to…

6. Do you remember Ella and (they, them)? Do you remember THEM?

7. I was expecting Harold and (she, her) to be here by now.

I was expecting HER to be here by now.

8. You could help (we, us) tomorrow.

9. I recognized you and (them, they). I recognized THEM.

10. Did she mean Nan or (me, I)? Did she mean ME?

Here is where it can get tricky. When a pronoun follows a linking verb (a verb such as is, was, are, am, etc. that links a subject to the rest of the sentence) and explains or identifies the subject of the verb, use a different kind of test. For example, let’s look at the following sentence. The woman who borrows the necklace is she. She follows is (a linking verb) and identifies the subject woman. For this TEST, you would need to turn the sentence around and use she as the subject – She is the woman who borrows the dress. Now you try. The main characters are he and his brother Doodle. He and brother follow are (linking verb) and identify the subject characters.

TEST it: Would you say “Him is a main character” or “He is a main character”? You would definitely say “He is a main character.” Try the following sentences, and be sure to TEST them by turning them around and using the pronouns as subjects of the sentence.

Example: The guests of honor are Ted and (her, she). Now, here at first glance, her would appear to be the correct pronoun, but you have to use the test. TEST: Her is the guest of honor. Does that make sense? No, it doesn’t. She is the guest of honor is the correct way to word this sentence. Therefore, (… are Ted and she) is correct. (Remember, you may also have to change the plural verb to a singular one for it to make sense). NOTE: most of these correct pronouns will not make sense.

EXERCISE C NOTE: most of these correct pronouns will not make sense. YOU HAVE TO USE THE TEST.

1. The first to learn t’ai chi were (them, they). THEY were the first to learn…

2. The most improved tennis player is (her, she), now that she has mastered the backhand.

SHE is the most improved tennis player…

3. In this dim light, I thought you were (he, him). I thought HE was you.

4. The new president of the company may be (her, she). SHE is the new president…

5. The person you saw could not have been (I, me). I could not have been the…

6. The winner will be either Bill or (him, he). HE will be the winner.

7. What would you have done if you had been (they, them)?

What would THEY have done…

8. My best friends are Langston and (she, her), because they share my interest in soccer. SHE is my best friend…

More trouble causers – A pronoun following than or as in an incomplete construction should be the same as it would be in a complete construction. These pronouns may be TESTED by adding a verb to the end to complete the construction. Notice how the meaning of each of the following sentences is determined by the pronoun form in the incomplete construction.

EXAMPLES: I wrote you more often than he (wrote you).

I wrote you more often than (I wrote) him.

Did you help Ada as much as I (helped Ada)?

Did you help Ada as much as (you helped) me?

See how the meaning of the sentence changes depending on which pronoun you conclude with? Be sure you know exactly what you want to say. Now it’s your turn.

EXERCISE D On the lines provided, write the words you would use to complete the incomplete construction. Begin with than or as, and use the correct pronoun given in Parentheses. Some items may have more than one correct answer.

Example: 1. Sarah likes her more than (I, me). Than she likes me or than I do.

2. Is he as popular as (she, her)? As she is .

1. I can’t play the conga drums as well as (she, her). as well as she can.

2. Ms. Weldelkin said Carl did better than (he, him). than he did.

3. These pants fit you better than (I, me). than they fit me.

4. Mr. Clark praised us more than (they, them). than she praised them.

5. I can carve turkey better than (she, her). than she can carve a turkey.

6. You are not as forgetful as (he, him). as he is.

7. I expect more of Loretta than (she, her). than I expect of her. or than she expects of Loretta.

8. They play tennis better than (we, us). than we do.

9. I know you better than (she, her). than she knows you. Or than you know her.

10. He paid Rammel more than (I, me). than he paid me. Or than I paid Rammel.

ONE MORE SPECIAL PRONOUN PROBLEM. Do you have the hardest time remembering when to use who or whom? I know I sometimes do. Here’s the general rule: use who as the subject of the sentence. Who wrote “The Most Dangerous Game”? (Who is the subject of wrote). Also use who to identify or rename the noun in the predicate of a sentence. The sniper learned who his enemy was. (Who identifies the noun enemy, which is in the predicate).

Use whom as an object of a preposition – From whom did Mme. Loisel borrow the necklace? (Whom is the object of the preposition from). Also use whom as the direct object of a verb). The sniper learned the identity of the man whom he had shot. (Whom is the direct object of the verb phrase had shot). Let’s practice just a few.

EXERCISE E Example: My sister, (who, whom) is a gifted artist, wants to study computer animation in college. (NOTE: who renames the subject sister). The artist (who, whom) she is talking about works mostly in acrylics. (NOTE: whom renames the noun in the predicate- artist). FORTUNATELY, USUALLY THE ONE THAT MAKES SENSE IS CORRECT IN THE CASE OF WHO AND WHOM.

1. Tom Flores is a former player (who, whom) eventually coached the Seattle Seahawks.

2. Dorothy is the one to (who, whom) I lent my copy of Annie John.

3. Mrs. Wallace will help (whoever, whomever) wants to try the parallel bars.

4. Black Hawk, (who, whom) we are studying in history class, was a Sauk chief.

5. Liang wondered (who, whom) she should invite to the Halloween party.

FINALLY, we need to take a look at Clear Pronoun Reference.

A pronoun must refer CLEARLY to its antecedent. Oh there’s that word “antecedent” again. REMEMBER, the antecedent is only the word (noun or pronoun) a pronoun stands for. Think back to Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla. Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla is the antecedent to the pronoun he or him. Of course you remember that pronoun and antecedent have to agree in number and gender. Yep, that was that whole “Agreement” thing in Grammar Unit 2. Bad memories I know, but this is not so complicated. What you must remember here is ambiguous reference, which occurs when a pronoun can refer to any one of two or more antecedents. (AMBIGUOUS MEANS UNCLEAR).

AMBIGUOUS Miss Lottie saw Lizabeth when she was in the garden. (she can refer to either Miss Lottie or Lizabeth.)

CLEAR When Miss Lottie was in the garden, she saw Lizabeth.

CLEAR When Lizabeth was in the garden, Miss Lottie saw her.

Avoid a general reference, which occurs when a pronoun refers to a general idea rather than to a specific antecedent.

GENERAL Rainsford had escaped. This annoyed General Zaroff. (This has no

specific antecedent. What annoyed the general?)

CLEAR That Rainsford had escaped annoyed General Zaroff.

Avoid a weak reference, which occurs when a pronoun refers to an implied (rather than stated antecedent.

WEAK Ralph enjoys writing poetry, but he never shows them to anyone

else. (Them most likely refers to the unstated plural noun poems,

but the writer has used the singular noun poetry instead.)

CLEAR Ralph enjoys writing poetry, but he never shows his poems to

anyone else.

Last but not least – Avoid using an indefinite reference, which occurs when a pronoun

(such as you, it, or they) refers to no particular person or thing.

INDEFINITE In the owner’s manual, they explain how to program the VCR.

(Who does They refer to? They has no antecedent.)

CLEAR The owner’s manual explains how to program the VCR.

EXERCISE F OK, here is your last practice. Each of the following items contains

a pronoun that is ambiguous, general, weak, or indefinite. On the lines provided, rewrite

each item, correcting the unclear reference.

Example: Theo is an accomplished saxophone player, and he hopes to make it his career.

(It is unclear what the pronoun “it” is referring to). Theo is an accomplished saxophone

player, and he hopes to make playing the saxophone his career .

1. The sidewalk was icy in some places. That made our walk to the store very hazardous. That the sidewalk was icy in some places made our walk to the store very hazardous.

2. Mom asked Debbie to mop the kitchen floor when she got home.

When Mom got home, she asked Debbie to mop the kitchen floor.

OR When Debbie got home, Mom asked her to mop the kitchen floor.

3. They have many Jacob Lawrence paintings in this museum.

There are many Jacob Lawrence paintings in this museum.

OR This museum has many Jacob Lawrence paintings.

4. I enjoy pottery, especially when I can give them to friends and family as gifts.

I enjoy pottery, especially when I can give the pots to friends and family as gifts.

5. My mother told my sister she should swim more often because it is good exercise.

My mother told my sister, “I (or you) should swim more often because it is good exercise.”

*** ALL INFO IS FROM HOLT ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE: THIRD COURSE ***

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