The Following Should Be Copied Or Taped Into Student Notebooks

PRONOUNS AND ANTECEDENTS TN Language Arts Checks for Understanding 0601.1.1 0701.1.1 0801.1.1 The following should be copied or taped into student notebooks. This is information that they will need throughout the year, both in the grammar exercises and in their writing.

 A pronoun is used in place of a noun or another pronoun. The word a pronoun stands for is called the antecedent.

Kelly loves to read. She reads more science fiction than mysteries. (She is the pronoun. She takes the place of Kelly so Kelly is the antecedent.)

 Subject pronouns serve as the subject or predicate noun of a sentence.

I, you, he, she, it, they, we

 Object pronouns serve as objects of prepositions, direct objects, and indirect objects.

me, you, him, her, it, them, us

 Possessive pronouns show possession.

my, mine, his, hers, its, your, yours, our, ours, their, theirs, your, yours

 Reflexive pronouns emphasize the subject and serve a function in the sentence (objects, complements). Note: The words hisself, theirself, and theirselves do NOT exist!

myself, herself, himself, ourselves, themselves

 Intensive pronouns are the same as reflexive, but they serve no use in the sentence.  Indefinite pronouns refer to unidentified person, places, or things.

anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, Singular everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something Plural both, few, many, several

Singular or Plural (depends on the prep phrase all, any, most, none, some that follows the pronoun)

SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT PRONOUNS AND WRITING

 First person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) should almost never be used in expository writing, unless it is a direct quotation.  Second person pronouns (you, your, yours) should be treated like a plague. Pretend you are stranded on a deserted island and you have a stockpile of food that is has to last until the next cruise ship passes in six months. Second person pronouns are rodents that are trying to steal your food. You must rid the island (your writing) of the rats (second person pronouns)!

NOTES FOR THE TEACHER

 Using articles from newspapers and magazines, have students practice finding pronouns and antecedents.  Use these sources to show students clear antecedents.  In their own writing, have students highlight or circle pronouns.  Have students draw arrows from pronouns to their antecedents.  Review with students how to avoid second person pronouns.

EXAMPLE: You should try cliff diving if you ever visit Hawaii.

Revised: A visit to Hawaii would not be complete without a few hours set aside for cliff diving.