Pronouns

• Pronouns 


  A replacement for a form of a noun.
• Subjective form


  Used in place of a noun subject of a sentence.
• Objective form


  Used in place of a noun serving as either a direct or indirect object, or the object of a preposition.
• Possessive form


  Replaces a possessive noun formed with an apostrophe or in a prepositional phrase introduced by of.
• Possessive form pairs

  The second form of the possessive (e.g., her/hers) is used if it replaces the possessive word and the noun it modifies.

  e.g., My car is new --> Mine is new.
• Who and what


  Pronouns used in questions
• Third-person pronouns


  Only form of pronouns that are subsitutions for a noun.
• What third-person pronoun replaces plural pronouns?

  They
• Relative pronouns


  Combine two sentences with identical nouns or pronouns.
• Relative pronoun

  A sentence whose noun is replaced by a relative pronoun becomes a subordinating clause.
• Relative noun elliptical form

  The relative pronoun is omitted but understood.
• English relative pronouns

  who, whom, whose, which, and that.
• Nonrestrictive relative clause


  Information not necessary for the meaning of the main clause.
• Restrictive relative clause


  A clause that explains more about its antecedent.
• That


  introduces a restrictive relative clause.
• who and which


  introduce a nonrestrictive relative clause
• That


  Can be omitted when used as objects.

  e.g., I found the little ashtray () you made in junior high school.
• Prepositions in relative clauses

  In formal style, the preposition precedes a nonrestrictive relative pronoun.

  
  

  "The company that I work for is expanding." --> "The company for which I work is expanding"
• Whose


  A relative pronoun that can refer to an animate or an inanimate antecedent.
• The case of a pronoun in a relative clause depends on whether it functions as a subject or an object withint that relative clause.
• Relative pronoun placement

  Usually comes after its antecendent.
• Preposition placement in restrictive relative pronouns

  The prepositions appear at the end of the relative clause.

  e.g., The dress that she slipped into was much too big for her.
• Of which


  Can replace whose with inanimate antecedents.

  e.g., The judge studied the document, whose content was extremely vague.

  The judge studied the document, the content of which was extremely vague.
• Prepositional phrases in relative clauses

  Often formed by taking the preposition that naturally follows the verb or action in the relative clause and combining it with the relative pronoun.
• If the subject of the relative clause is the object of a preposition, then it will end with a preposition.

  "The book on which I was working."
• Nonrestrictive relative clauses are set off from the rest of the sentence by commas
• Demonstrative pronoun


  A pronoun that expresses its position as near or distant, including in time.
• This demonstative pronoun


  Refers to someone or something nearby or part of the present topic of conversation.
• That demonstrative pronoun


  Points to someone or something in the distance or referred to in the past.
• Demonstrative pronouns can also function as adjectives.

  
  

  e.g., This fellow is in a lot of trouble. --> He is nearby. We’re talking about him now.
• Demonstrative pronouns that are not accompanied by a noun function as pronouns rather than as adjectives.
• Demonstrative pronouns are understood from context (the antecedent)
• A demonstrative pronoun becomes the object of the preposition of to indicate a possessive.

  e.g., Who is the owner of this?
• Reflexive Pronouns


  Used when something does something to itself.
• Reflexive pronouns

  Only ever used as objects and never as subjects of a sentence.
• Reflexive vs Personal

  When the subject and object are different persons or things, the object is a personal pronoun.

  
  

  The man asked her what happened
• Reflexive vs Personal

  A reflexive pronoun is used when the subject and object are the same person or thing.

  
  

  The man asked himself what happened
• Indefinite pronouns


  A replacement for nouns that refer to anything or anyone.
• Most Indefinite pronouns are singular.

  
  

  e.g., Each of the dismissed employees receives (not receive)
• The choice of a singular or plural verb with indefinite pronouns depend on their usage in the sentence and on any accompanying prepositional phrase.

  
  

  e.g., All of the children have had their inoculations. (plural)