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Pronouns
Go to The Guide to Grammar and Writing section on Pronouns.
Pronouns
What is a pronoun? Is it a follower and
believer in nouns? (“Yeah man, I’m like, pro-noun. I believe everyone should
be able to use them in their writing whenever they want.”) If you’re one of
the benighted on this subject, take heart: believe it or not but you are already
an expert. We use pronouns all the time. Sometimes, we even use them correctly.
Pronouns, when used correctly, will make your writing easier to follow and thus,
result in a higher score on the assessment portion of your HSQGE writing exam.
Read through some of the information I’ve put together below and see if you
too can become an expert in the use of pronouns.
Most pronouns
replace nouns in sentences. Sometimes pronouns are used instead of nouns to
avoid awkward repetition.
Bullets
are pointed at one end so that they can be fired accurately.
The noun Bullets and the pronoun they refer are the same things. The pronoun
is used in this sentence because repeating the noun, as in “Bullets
are pointed at one end so that bullets
can be fired accurately,” would sound clumsy.
Other pronouns, such as someone
and anything, are not used in place of specific nouns. However, they
function in sentences in most of the same ways that nouns do – as subjects and
objects, for example. Still other pronouns, such as this and that, point out
people, things, and ideas.
A pronoun often forms part of a contraction
(a combination of two words in which an apostrophe marks the place of an omitted
letter or letters). “I’ll” (I will) and “you’re” (you are) are
examples of contractions.
Some pronouns have different forms to indicate differences in person, number, gender, and case.
Person is the distinction between the
speaker (first person), the person or people spoken to (second person), and the
person or people spoken about (third person). The pronouns I and we are first person
pronouns, the pronoun you is a second
person pronoun, and the pronouns he, she,
it, and they are third person
pronouns.
Number is the classification of words according to whether they refer to one person or thing or to more than one. The pronouns I, he, she, and it refer only to a single person or thing and are singular. The pronouns we and they refer only to more than one person or thing and are plural. The pronoun you can be either singular or plural.
Gender is the classification of pronouns (and of a few nouns, such as man and woman or rooster and hen) according to whether they refer to males or females. The pronoun he refers only to a male person or animal, so it is masculine. She refers only to a female, so it is feminine. A few inanimate objects, such as ships, are sometimes regarded as having female gender.
It refers to an inanimate object or to an animal of which the sex is either unknown or is regarded as unimportant. It is neutral in gender. A word that is neuter is neither masculine nor feminine.
Case is the classification of pronouns and nouns according to whether they are subjects or objects or show possession. For example, we is in the subject case, meaning it is used as a subject. Us is in the object case, meaning it is used as the object of a verb or preposition. Our is in the possessive case, meaning it is used to show possession.
Here are some rules that you may find helpful:
reflexive pronouns in prepositional phrases
reflexive pronouns used as intensives
this is a list of the relative pronouns:
choosing the right case for relative pronouns
choosing the right case for interrogative pronouns
choosing the right possessive pronoun
choosing between contractions and possessive pronouns
choosing pronouns linked by and
choosing between we and us before nouns
choosing pronouns after than or as
making vague antecedents specific
clarifying ambiguous and unclear antecedents
making pronouns agree in number
making personal pronouns agree in number
making indefinite pronouns agree in number
using collective nouns as antecedents
understanding antecedents joined by Or or Nor
making pronouns agree in gender
avoiding illogical pronoun shifts
Pronouns are classified into six categories. They can be personal, reflexive, relative, interrogative, demonstrative or indefinite.
Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things. They have different forms to indicate differences in person, number, gender, and case, as can be seen in the following list:
first person second person third person
subject case: I you he (male)
she (female)
it (neutral)
object case: me you him (male)
her (female)
it (neutral)
possessive case: my, mine your, yours his (male)
her (female)
hers (female)
its (neutral)
first person
second person third person
subject case: we you they
object case: us you them
possessive case: our, ours your, yours their, theirs
The following chart lists the reflexive pronouns:
singular
plural
First person: myself ourselves
Second person: yourself yourselves
Third person: himself , herself themselves
itself, oneself
This is a complete list: such forms as hisself, ourself, theirself, and theirselves are not acceptable.
A reflexive pronoun is used when the action of a verb is directed back upon itself. This happens when the same person or thing is both the subject and object of a single verb:
Marcy hurt herself sliding into the pool.
The subject of the verb hurt
(Marcy) and its direct object (herself)
refer to the same person. Herself is a
reflexive pronoun. A reflexive pronoun is an object pronoun that reflects the
subject just as a mirror reflects a person who looks into it. In other words, a
reflexive pronoun is used as an object when the subject both performs the action
of the verb and is acted upon.
Reflexive pronouns should not be used as the subjects of sentences:
NOT: Gloria and myself enjoy traveling.
Instead, use a personal pronoun in the subject case:
Gloria and I enjoy traveling.
Reflexive pronouns
in prepositional phrases
A reflexive pronoun can occur in a prepositional phrase when it refers to a person or thing mentioned earlier in the sentence:
The baby walked across the room by herself.
Never send Alvaro to buy Christmas gifts because he always buys nicer things for himself than for the people on the list.
However, when the pronoun in the prepositional phrase does not refer to a person or thing mentioned earlier, a reflexive pronoun is not acceptable:
NOT: These beach towels are for Carla and myself.
Here a personal pronoun is correct:
These beach towels are for Carla and me.
Reflexive pronouns
used as intensives
Reflexive pronouns are also used as intensives. An intensive pronoun emphasizes or intensifies a noun or pronoun in the same sentence. When reflexive pronouns are used as intensives, they provide no new information; they merely call attention to the noun or pronoun to which they refer.
Consider the following sentence:
Mrs. Welch took the curtains down herself, but she couldn’t see well enough to put them back up again.
The pronoun herself refers to Mrs. Welch and stresses the idea that she and no one else took the curtains down. Omitting the reflexive pronoun would not change the meaning of the sentence; it would merely place less emphasis on the idea that Mrs. Welch performed the action without help.
Closely related to reflexive pronouns are the reciprocals each other and one another. Reciprocals express shared feelings or actions:
Elliott and Olivia love each other.
The neighbors depended on one another when times were hard.
A relative pronoun incorporates one kind of dependent clause, called a relative clause, into a sentence. A relative pronoun always introduces a relative clause. Relative clauses can function in sentences as adjectives or nouns.
If the relative clause functions as an adjective, the relative pronoun links the clause to a noun or pronoun in the main sentence. Look at the relative clause in the following sentence:
Four out of five women who shop for bathing suits give up without buying a suit.
This complex sentence consists of a main clause, “Four out of five women give up without buying a suit,” and a relative clause, “who shop for bathing suits.” The pronoun who refers to the noun women in the main clause. The relative pronoun who is also the subject of shop, the verb in the relative clause. The entire clause functions as an adjective describing women.
This is a list of
the relative pronouns:
Who (whom – objective case, whose – possessive case)
Whoever (whomever – objective case)
That
Which
What
Whatever
Whichever
Who and whoever (along with their object and possessive forms whom, whose, and whomever) refer only to people. That is used for both people and things. However, in writing it is almost always better to use who for people and that for things. A sentence such as “The boy that came in is my brother” is not wrong, but “The boy who came in is my brother” is preferable. Which refers to things, not to people. (For information on how to decide between which and that see conjunction)
What, whatever, and whichever also refer to things. When it is used as a relative pronoun, what means “that which” (I got that which I needed out of the deal”):
I got what I needed out of the deal.
Whatever means “anything or everything that” (“Let them take anything or everything that they want”):
Let them take whatever they want.
Whichever means “any one out of a group that” (“Choose any one out of the group that appeals to you”):
Choose whichever appeals to you.
Sometimes a reflexive pronoun can be omitted without
changing the meaning of the sentence:
The car (that) I want to buy is parked out front.
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions
Who was that masked man?
What are you looking for?
Which of your new shirts will you wear to the party?
Except for that, which is a relative pronoun but not an interrogative one, interrogative pronouns and relative pronouns are identical in form.
There are four demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, and those. They point out people and things. When people who are talking face-to-face use demonstrative pronouns, they can literally point to the people or things they are talking about:
This is my friend Max.
I want that.
The demonstrative pronouns this (singular) and these (plural) refer to people and things nearby. The demonstrative pronouns that (singular) and those (plural) refer to people and things farther away.
In writing, demonstrative pronouns commonly refer to things or ideas mentioned in previous sentences:
The cat got up on the table and started eating the turkey. That [the event mentioned in the previous sentence] made our whole family angry.
Demonstrative pronouns can also appear before things or ideas and help to introduce them:
These are the main things wrong with the house: a leaky roof, a broken staircase, and a flooded basement.
All four of the demonstrative pronouns can also be used as adjectives, as in “these magazines” and “this proposal.” That can also function as a relative pronoun:
Mata liked the tie that I wore.
Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified people or things. They include words that end in –body, -one, and –thing.
Is anybody there?
Someone is responsible for this, and I’d like to know who it is.
Is everything all right?
The indefinite pronouns are mostly singular. That is, they are used with singular verbs and are referred to by singular pronouns, as in the following sentence:
Today, everyone pays for his or her own lunch.
Everyone is a singular indefinite pronoun. It is the subject of the verb pays, which must be singular to agree with its subject. The pronouns his and her refer back to everyone and must be singular also.
Other examples of indefinite pronouns are another, each, few, and some. For more information on which indefinite pronouns are singular and which are plural, see “Making indefinite pronouns agree in number” later on this page.***
Personal, relative, and interrogative pronouns can be classified as subject, object, and possessive case pronouns.
I, you, he, she, it, we, and they are the personal pronouns that can be used as the subjects of verbs. They are therefore in the subject case:
He said ”Hi” to her. She smiled and said, “Hello.”
Me, you, him, her, it, us, and them are the personal pronouns that can be used as direct and indirect objects of verbs and as objects of prepositions. They are therefore in the object case. In the following sentence, her is the direct object of the verb see:
The doctor can see her now.
In this sentence, me is the indirect object of the verb told:
He told me the truth.
And in the sentence below, us is the object of the preposition with:
The children want to go with us.
The pronouns you and it can be either subjects or objects:
Don’t you remember me?
subject
I remember you.
object
It was clear and cold last night.
subject
I lost my wallet, but Hugh found it for me.
object
Choosing the right
case for relative pronouns
Who is one of the relative pronouns used as subjects in relative clauses:
The woman who was here left a message for Martha.
This sentence consists of a main clause, “The woman left a message for Martha,” and a relative clause, “who was here.” The pronoun who in the relative clause refers to the noun woman in the main clause. Who is the subject of the verb was, so it is in the subject case.
Whoever means “anyone that.” Like who, it is used when a relative clause begins with its subject:
Please ask whoever is in the corridor to come in and help us move this desk.
Note that the case of a relative pronoun is determined by its role in the relative clause. Here, whoever is the subject of is. The entire relative clause is the object of the verb ask. The function of the whole clause in the sentence does not affect the case of the relative pronoun.
Whom is one of the relative pronouns used when relative clauses begin with objects:
The man whom I saw didn’t leave any messages.
This sentence consists of a main clause, “The man didn’t leave any messages,” and a relative clause, “whom I saw.” The entire relative clause refers to the noun man, which is the subject of the main clause. Whom is the object of the verb saw within the relative clause. (The pronoun I is the subject of saw – “I saw whom.”)
Whom is also used as the object of a preposition:
The man to whom I gave money has disappeared.
Whomever is the object form of whoever (“anyone that”). Like whom, whomever is used when a relative clause begins with an object:
Go into the corridor and ask whomever you see to come in and help us move this desk.
The relative pronouns which, that, what, whichever, and whatever can be either subjects or objects:
subject of a relative clause: The book which is on the table is mine.
object of a relative clause: The book which you wanted is on the table.
Choosing the right
case for interrogative pronouns
The interrogative pronouns who and whoever are in the subject case in the following questions because they are the subjects of verbs:
Who wants to come?
subject
Whoever can be telephoning at this time of the night?
subject
Whom and whomever are used when questions begin with their objects:
Whom did you see at the meeting last night?
object
subject
Whomever can he be telephoning at this time of the night?
object
subject
These interrogative pronouns are also used as objects of prepositions:
To whom did you
deliver the message?
The personal pronouns my, mine, your, yours, his, her, its, our, ours, their, and theirs indicates possession. Notice that none of these possessive pronouns includes an apostrophe. They are exceptions to the general rule which requires apostrophes in words that show possession:
This is Jim’s car.
When a sentence contains a pronoun in the possessive case rather than a noun, no apostrophe is used:
This is his car.
Forms such as your’s or yours’, his’, her’s or hers’, our’s or ours’, its’ and their’s or theirs’ are not acceptable.
Choosing the right possessive pronoun
Whether to use my or mine, your or yours, her or hers, our or ours, and their or theirs is determined by whether or not the possessive pronoun is followed by a noun naming the thing possessed. The possessive pronouns my, your, her, its, our, and their are immediately followed by nouns. The possessive pronouns mine, yours, hers, ours, and theirs are not followed by nouns. The possessive pronoun his is used with or without a following noun. Compare the following sentences:
That’s my dog.
That dog is mine.
In the first sentence, the noun dog immediately follows the possessive pronoun. In the second sentence, the pronoun is not followed by a noun but refers to the noun dog mentioned earlier in the sentence.
Choosing between contractions and possessive pronouns
Whose is a relative pronoun in the possessive case:
The man whose cap is on the chair will be back shortly.
This sentence consists of a main clause, “The man will be back shortly,” and a relative clause, “whose cap is on the chair.” Whose refers to the noun man, and it also indicates possession. Cap is the subject of the verb is in the relative clause.
When whose is used as an interrogative pronoun, it also indicates possession:
Whose cap is that?
Who’s means “who is”:
Who’s the new bus driver?
A few possessive pronouns resemble contractions of subject pronouns and verbs. The following list compares possessive pronouns in the left-hand column and contractions easily confused with them on the right:
Possessive pronouns Contractions
its it’s
their there
whose who’s
your you’re
To avoid confusion, remember that contractions are combinations of two words: it’s stands for it is, they’re for they are, who’s for who is or who has, and you’re for you are. When in doubt, expand the contraction to see if the sentence makes sense:
The dog lost (its, it’s) bone.
To see which word is correct, try expanding the contraction:
NOT: The dog lost it is bone.
If expanding the contraction results in a nonsencical sentence, then the possessive pronoun is correct:
The dog lost its bone.
Choosing
pronouns linked by and
Sometimes either a noun and a pronoun or two pronouns are the subjects, objects or compliments of the same verb. When this occurs, the pronoun or pronouns must be chosen carefully:
Both he and I are eligible for the same award.
subjects
In this sentence, both pronouns are the subjects of the verb are, so they are both in the subject case.
Dan told Helen and me to get the fishing tackle.
In this sentence, both the noun Helen and the pronoun me are objects of the verb told. Therefore, the pronoun is in the object case. When a pronoun is in the object of a preposition, it is also in the object case:
The new orders were a pleasant surprise for Al and me.
preposition
objects of for
Choosing
between we and us before nouns
Sometimes the pronouns we and us stand immediately before nouns that refer to the same people as the pronouns do. Which pronoun to choose depends on whether it functions in the sentence as a subject or an object:
We youngsters admired our grandmother very much.
In this sentence, the pronoun we is immediately followed by the noun youngsters, which is an appositive. (An appositive immediately follows a noun or nounlike element and renames or identifies the same person or thing.) We is the subject of the verb admired, so it is in the subject case.
Us is used when the pronoun is an object of a verb or preposition:
Grandmother told us youngsters always to tell the truth.
object
In this sentence the pronoun us is the indirect object of the verb told and therefore must be in the object case. You can determine which form of the pronoun to use in this type of sentence by temporarily eliminating the noun:
We youngsters admired our grandmother very much.
Grandmother told us youngsters always to tell the
truth.
Choosing
pronouns after than or as
Sometimes a sentence compares one person with another, using the words than or as to express the comparison. The second of the two people being compared is often referred to by a pronoun. In such sentences, subject pronouns are used when expanding the sentences would make the pronouns subjects:
Shane is taller than I (am).
Elizabeth is not as rich as he (is).
In some sentences object pronouns are correct after than or as:
Jane likes Richard more than me.
Here the expanded sentence would be “Jane likes Richard more than (she likes) me.” However, the subject pronoun would be correct if the writer’s meaning is “Jane likes Richard more than I (do).”
The word a pronoun refers to is the pronoun’s antecedent. In the following sentences, the pronouns and their antecedents are italicized.
Cheryl said she was not responsible for scratching the car.
antecedent
pronoun
The boys want to make their own breakfast.
antecedent pronoun
Pronouns that have antecedents must agree with them in gender and number. That is, masculine pronouns must refer to nouns naming males, and feminine pronouns must refer to nouns naming females. Likewise, singular pronouns must refer to singular nouns and plural pronouns to plural nouns.
Sometimes a pronoun appears to have a proper antecedent. However, a closer look reveals that there is really no noun in the sentence to which the pronoun can logically refer. The sentence therefore needs to be revised to provide an antecedent for the pronoun:
NOT: Barbara is interested in geology, but she doesn’t want to become one.
pronoun
The antecedent of the pronoun one is strongly implied “Barbara doesn’t want to become a geologist.” In the conversation, this sentence would probably cause no problem, but in writing, the situation must be clarified. The easiest way to do this is to replace the pronoun with a noun:
Barbara is interested in geology, but she doesn’t want to become a geologist.
noun
Making vague antecedents specific
Sometimes a pronoun is used casually, as if the writer expects his or her readers to decide for themselves what its antecedent might be. The pronoun they is often abused in this way:
NOT: If they made cashing checks easier for customers at this store, I would shop here more often.
Some person or group of people is responsible for the store’s check-cashing policy. However, the pronoun they is vague. Replacing it with a specific noun solves the problem:
If the management made cashing checks easier for customers at this store, I would shop here more often.
Clarifying ambiguous and unclear antecedents
Occasionally a reader cannot decide which of two or more nouns is a pronoun’s antecedent:
NOT: Heidi and Sylvia went out to lunch to celebrate her promotion.
pronoun
From this sentence alone, there is no way to tell who was
promoted, Heidi or Sylvia. Once again, replacing the pronoun with a noun
clarifies the situation:
Heidi and Sylvia went out to lunch to celebrate Heidi’s promotion.
noun
Sometimes a reader must choose among several possible antecedents of a pronoun. The pronouns it, they, this, that, these, those, and which are often misused in this way:
NOT: Some frozen meat pies contain spongy cubes of restructured meat, soft vegetables, and too much salt; this makes them a poor choice for health-conscious buyers.
A reader could probably guess that the pronoun this refers to “too much salt” and that the rest of the meat pies’ contents are merely unappetizing rather than unhealthy. But rewriting the sentence makes it much clearer:
Some frozen meat pies contain spongy cubes of reconstructed meat and soft vegetables; in addition, their high salt content makes them a poor choice for health-conscious buyers.
A pronoun may be so far from its antecedent that the sentence becomes unclear:
NOT: Corn is one of the crops from which ethanol, a high octane fuel, can be made, which is a renewable resource.
The pronoun which refers to Corn, which is indeed a renewable resource. But the sentence is difficult to read because too many words come between the pronoun and its antecedent. Revision clarifies matters:
Corn, which is a renewable resource, is one of the crops from which ethanol, a high-octane fuel, can be made.
Making pronouns agree in number
If a pronoun’s antecedent is singular, the pronoun must be singular as well. If the antecedent is plural, the pronoun must be plural. When pronouns and antecedents correspond in this way, they are said to be in agreement.
Making personal pronouns agree in number
Sometimes a writer is distracted by words that come between a pronoun and its antecedent. The result may be an agreement error, as in the following sentence:
antecedent
pronoun
NOT: Some American movies make more money abroad that it does in the United States.
Since the antecedent movies is plural, the pronoun must be plural also. When revising to
eliminate an error of this sort, be sure to change all the words that need to be
changed:
antecedent pronoun
Some American movies make more money abroad than they do in the United States.
Notice that changing the pronoun to they
requires a change in the verb from does
to do.
Making indefinite pronouns agree in number
Some indefinite pronouns are always singular. Others are always plural. Still others are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on how they are used. The following sentence contains an agreement error:
NOT: Tell everybody not to forget their tickets.
A correct version of this sentence is “Tell everybody not to forget his or her ticket.” Two pronouns separated by or are still singular, so his and her now agree with their singular antecedent, everybody.
If you are unsure of whether a pronoun is singular or plural, check to see whether a singular or plural verb is correct with it. For example, using everybody as the subject of a plural verb will convince you that it is a singular pronoun:
NOT: Everybody agree that Joseph did the right thing in returning the money.
The sentence should be “Everybody agrees that Joseph did the right thing in returning the money.” Like everybody, all other pronouns ending in –body, -one, or –thing are always singular.
The following chart contains the most common indefinite pronouns and indicates whether they are always singular, always plural r sometimes singular and sometimes plural:
always singular
anybody
anyone
anything
another
one
everybody
everyone
everything
each
nobody
no one
nothing
either
somebody
someone
something
neither
Always plural
both
few
many
others
several
Either singular or plural
all
any
more
most
some
none (none is occasionally treated as a plural, but it is usually regarded as singular)
Compare the following sentences, each of which begins with an indefinite pronoun;
Each of the girls tucked her pants into her socks to protect against ticks.
Both of the girls tucked their pants into their socks to protect against ticks.
Notice that all the pronoun in the first sentence are singular but that all the pronouns in the second sentence are plural.
All, any, more, most, and some are singular when used with mass nouns and plural when used with count nouns:
All the sugar is needed for the cake recipe.
mass
singular
noun verb
All my friends are going to the movies.
count
plural
noun verb
Note that indefinite pronouns that are always plural or sometimes plural can function in sentences as adjectives:
All the money is in the safe.
adjective
Few people carry large amount of cash.
adjective
These words are pronouns only when they do not immediately precede nouns.
Using collective nouns as antecedents
When the antecedent of a pronoun is a collective noun, the pronoun is usually singular. Collective nouns, such as audience, class, and family, usually refer to groups as a whole. Using a singular pronoun to refer to a collective noun emphasizes the unity of the group:
After three days of deliberation, the jury reached its verdict.
collective noun
pronoun
On the other hand, when a writer wants to emphasize that the people who make up the group are acting individually, a plural pronoun is used;
After the trial was over, the jury went back to their jobs and families.
collective noun pronoun
However, many writers would be more comfortable changing the antecedent to “the members of the jury” to avoid referring to a collective noun by a plural pronoun:
plural noun plural pronoun
After the trial was over the members of the jury went back to their jobs and families.
Understanding
antecedents joined by Or or Nor
When a singular antecedent and a plural antecedent are linked by or or nor, the pronoun that refers to them should agree with the closer of the two antecedents:
antecedent
antecedent
pronoun
Today, either the governor or the state senators will eat their lunches in the cafeteria with the high school students.
The pronoun there is plural because the closer of the two antecedents, senators, is plural. If the order of the antecedents were reversed, the pronoun would be singular to agree with the nearer antecedent:
antecedent antecedent pronoun
Today, either the state senators or the governor will eat her lunch in the cafeteria with the high school students.
Since this sounds somewhat awkward, probably most writers would prefer the first version.
A singular pronoun is used when two singular antecedents are linked by either . . . or or neither . . .nor:
Either Constance or Lucinda left her coffee cup in the lounge.
Neither my brother nor my cousin has saved any of his old baseball cards.
Making pronouns agree in gender
Ordinarily, gender agreement causes few problems. Male antecedents are referred to by masculine pronouns, female antecedents by feminine pronouns, and neuter antecedents by neuter pronouns. But using only masculine or only feminine pronouns to refer to antecedents that in real life may be either male or female should be avoided in order not to imply that only men or only women are qualified to do certain jobs or fill certain positions:
antecedent
NOT: A doctor must always put his or her patients’ welfare before his own convenience.
This sentence implies that only men become doctors.
antecedent
NOT: Any president who wants to be reelected must maintain his popularity during his first term in office.
This sentence suggests that only men are eligible to be elected president. One way to avoid sexist language is to use two singular pronouns, he or she, him or her, or his or hers, instead of a single masculine pronoun:
antecedent
A doctor must always put hid or her patients’ welfare before his or her own convenience.
Because this seems wordy, it is better to rewrite the sentence in the plural:
antecedent
Doctors must always put their patients’ welfare before their own convenience.
When a sentence is rewritten in the plural, not only pronouns and their antecedents but also other words may need to be changed as well:
Presidents who want to be reelected must maintain their popularity during their first terms in office.
Avoiding illogical pronoun shifts
If a writer begins a sentence or a longer passage in the first person, he or she should not switch into the second or third person without a good reason. Similarly, a writer beginning in the second or third person should not suddenly switch into one of the other persons. Switching without a specific purpose can be confusing:
NOT: When people eat lunch with Sally, they usually end up talking about sports.
Readers may wonder why the writer begins in the third person with people and then switches into the second person by using the pronoun you. Revising sentences to eliminate sudden switches in person helps to keep readers’ minds where they belong, on what the sentences are communicating:
antecedent pronoun
When people eat lunch with Sally, they usually end up talking about sports.
How well do you use pronouns? One way to find out is to analyze some of your writing to see whether you’ve provided antecedents for the pronouns that need them/
Choose something you have written that is at least one page long. Underline the following pronouns wherever you find them; he, him, his, she, her, it, they, them. Their. This, that, these, and those. Circle the antecedent of each pronoun, and draw an arrow connecting the pronoun with its antecedent. Check to make sure each pair of words agrees in number and gender.
If you find few pronouns in your writing, consider adding some. Using the right pronouns can help you avoid unnecessary repetition of nouns. Pronouns can also provide smooth, logical links between ideas.
Most pronouns replace nouns in sentences.
Some pronouns have different forms to indicate differences in person, number, gender, and case.
Pronouns can be classified as personal, reflexive, relative, interrogative, demonstrative, and indefinite.
Personal pronouns in the subject case are used as subjects, and personal pronouns in the object case are used as objects of verbs and prepositions. Personal pronouns in the possessive case show ownership or some other kind of possession.
Who and whoever are used as subjects, and whom and whomever are used as objects of verbs and prepositions.
Personal pronouns do not use apostrophes to show possession.
To choose between a contraction and a pronoun I the possessive case, write out the contraction in full and check to see that it makes sense in your sentence.
The word a pronoun refers to is its antecedent.
Missing antecedents should be provided; vague, ambiguous, unclear, and remote antecedents should be clarified.
Pronouns should agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
Most indefinite pronouns are singular.
Collective nouns are usually referred to by singular pronouns.
When antecedents are joined by or or nor, a pronoun that refers to them agrees with the closer of the two antecedents.
Sexist pronoun use can be avoided by using paired masculine and feminine singular pronouns or by rewriting whole sentences to make them plural.
Illogical shifts from one person to another should be avoided.