10.210.2 Pronouns I A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun, a group of words acting as a noun, or another pronoun. The word or group of words that a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent. A pronoun must agree in number and gen- der with its antecedent. Poet Lance Henson has published twelve books in which he celebrates the rich heritage of the Cheyenne. [The pronoun he takes the place of the noun Lance Henson.] After Aretha and Ted gathered signatures on the petition, they signed it themselves. [The pronouns they and themselves take the place of the nouns Aretha and Ted; the pronoun it takes the place of petition.] How many in this class have already written their essays? [The pro- noun their takes the place of the pronoun many, which stands for an unspecified number of people in the class.] The approximately seventy-five pronouns in the English language fit into one or more of the following categories: personal and possessive pronouns, reflexive and intensive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, interrogative pro- nouns, relative pronouns, and indefinite pronouns. Personal and Possessive Pronouns of Speech Parts I A personal pronoun refers to a specific person or thing by indicating the person speaking (the first person), the person being addressed (the second person), or any other person or thing being discussed (the third person). Like nouns, personal pronouns can be singular or plural. Personal Pronouns SINGULAR PLURAL FIRST PERSON I, me we, us SECOND PERSON you you THIRD PERSON he, him, she, her, it they, them FIRST PERSON The coach asked me to pitch. [Me refers to the person speaking.] SECOND PERSON Ask Maria to show you where the gym is. [You refers to the person being addressed.] THIRD PERSON She gave them a tour of the school. [She and them refer to the persons being discussed.] 10.2 Pronouns 437 Third-person singular pronouns express gender. He and him are masculine; she and her are feminine; it is neuter (neither masculine nor feminine). The personal pronouns that indicate possession or ownership are called pos- sessive pronouns. They take the place of the possessive forms of nouns. Possessive Pronouns SINGULAR PLURAL FIRST PERSON my, mine our, ours SECOND PERSON your, yours your, yours THIRD PERSON his, her, hers, its their, theirs Some possessive pronouns must be used before nouns; others can stand alone. USED BEFORE A NOUN This is your ticket. USED ALONE This ticket is yours. Exercise 16 Using Personal and Possessive Pronouns Improve the following paragraph by replacing the underlined word or words with per- sonal or possessive pronouns. Write your answers on your paper. Animated Cartoons 1Animated cartoons can reproduce anything that the reader of this passage can imagine in the reader’s mind. 2An animated cartoon achieves the cartoon’s effects through a simple tech- Parts of Speech Parts nique. 3Cartoon artists draw the artists’ pictures on a large board. 4In each picture the figure changes the figure’s position slightly. 5If Bugs Bunny winks Bugs Bunny’s eye, Bugs Bunny would be drawn in the first picture with Bugs Bunny’s eye open. 6In the next picture Bugs Bunny’s eye would be half closed. 7In the following picture Bugs Bunny’s eye would be completely closed. 8The camera operator films these individual pictures in the pictures’ proper sequence. 9When the individual frames are run through a projector,the frames’ rapid projection creates the illusion of movement. 10As the reader of this passage view the animated cartoon,the reader’s eyes seem to see Bugs Bunny’s eye wink. Exercise 17 Forming Possessive Pronouns Write the possessive form(s) of each of the following personal pronouns. Remember that some personal pronouns have more than one possessive form. Also, some personal pro- nouns share the same possessive forms. SAMPLE ANSWER us—our, ours 1. I 3. he 5. it 7. they 9. him 2. you 4. she 6. we 8. me 10. her 438 Unit 10 Parts of Speech Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns The reflexive and intensive pronouns are formed when -self or -selves is added to certain personal and possessive pronouns. Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns SINGULAR PLURAL FIRST PERSON myself ourselves SECOND PERSON yourself yourselves THIRD PERSON himself, herself, itself themselves I A reflexive pronoun refers, or reflects back, to a noun or pronoun earlier in the sentence. I promised myself that I would practice more. She taught herself to play the guitar. The band members organized the parade by themselves. Parts of Speech Parts I An intensive pronoun adds emphasis to another noun or pronoun. You yourself can’t answer that riddle. Juan himself painted his room. I wrote that poem myself. We ourselves are quite well. Exercise 18 Identifying Antecedents of Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns Write the noun or pronoun to which the reflexive or intensive pronoun in each sentence refers. Building Homes for the Homeless 1. Maria herself constructed the two bedrooms in the rear of the Habitat for Humanity house. 2. You can paint the room yourself, or you can work on another project. 3. I gave myself a pat on the back for installing the kitchen plumbing without any help. 4. The oldest worker in the group pulled himself up the ladder and attached the gutters. 5. We ourselves completed the two-bedroom dwelling in less than three days. 10.2 Pronouns 439 Demonstrative Pronouns I A demonstrative pronoun points out specific persons, places, things, or ideas. Demonstrative Pronouns SINGULAR this that PLURAL these those This is the record I want. Play that again. These were left here after last night’s party. My records are newer than those. Exercise 19 Writing with Demonstrative Pronouns Write five sentences describing a sport you enjoy as a participant or as a spectator. Write your sentences as if you are speaking to someone who can see what you are describing. Use a demonstrative pronoun in each sentence. Use each of the four demonstrative pro- nouns at least once. SAMPLE ANSWER That is the pitcher’s mound. Exercise 20 Using Reflexive, Intensive, and Demonstrative Pronouns Supply the appropriate reflexive, intensive, or demonstrative pronoun for each blank. On Parts of Speech Parts your paper write the pronoun, and identify it as reflexive, intensive, or demonstrative. Jackie Robinson, Major Leaguer 1After researching the life of Jack Roosevelt Robinson (1919–1972), I came to feel that ________ who understand the man’s historic importance will consider him a hero. 2I learned, first of all, that Robinson was an all-around athlete; ________ are the sports in which he excelled in college: baseball, football, and basketball. 3Following three years of serv- ice in the U.S. Army, Robinson was signed by Branch Rickey ________, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, to play baseball for Rickey’s team. 4Thus, Robinson found ________ in a position to break the “color line” in the major leagues. 5On April 11, 1947, when Robinson played his first game for the Dodgers, his teammates ________ did not unanimously support his presence. 6 ________ was the first time in the twentieth century that an African American had played major league baseball. 7By enduring intense scrutiny and abuse, Robinson proved ________ a courageous leader. 8During a ten- year career that included six World Series, he earned for ________ the respect of his peers and the public. 9In 1962 we witnessed his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame; ________ alone is a great accomplishment. 10Yet I believe Robinson’s importance transcends sports: American society ________ became fairer and more open because of Robinson’s courage. 440 Unit 10 Parts of Speech Interrogative and Relative Pronouns I An interrogative pronoun is used to form questions. who? whom? whose? what? which? Who are the captains? Whom should I ask to help me? Whose did you use? What did you find? Which of these models did you build? To add emphasis, you can use the intensive forms of the interrogative pro- nouns: whoever, whomever, whosoever, whatever, and whichever. Whoever could have done this? I A relative pronoun is used to begin a special subject-verb word group called a subordinate clause (see Unit 13). who whose whomever that what whom whoever which whichever whatever Dolley Payne, the woman who married James Madison, was born in North Carolina. [The relative pronoun who begins the subordinate clause who married James Madison.] Parts of Speech Parts Dolley Madison rescued a portrait of George Washington from the White House, which the British burned in 1814. [The relative pronoun which begins the subordinate clause which the British burned in 1814.] The first personal message that was sent over Morse’s telegraph was from Dolley Madison. [The relative pronoun that begins the subordi- nate clause that was sent over Morse’s telegraph.] Exercise 21 Distinguishing Between Interrogative and Relative Pronouns On your paper, list the interrogative and relative pronouns that appear in the following sentences, and label each of them as interrogative or relative. Yo-Yo Ma, Celebrated Cellist 1. Yo-Yo Ma is the name of a cellist whose performances have won critical acclaim and prestigious awards. 2. What other cellist of this generation has so delighted lovers of chamber music? 3. Born in France in 1955, Yo-Yo Ma is an international celebrity whose father was also a musician. 4. Who among us can claim to have made a musical debut at Carnegie Hall at age nine? 5. Leonard Rose was the teacher who instructed Ma at the Juilliard School in New York City. 10.2 Pronouns 441 Indefinite Pronouns I An indefinite pronoun refers to persons, places, or things in a more general way than a noun does.