ENGLISH IIAGREEMENT OF PRONOUNS AND

ANTECEDENTS

ESTERLITA J. SANCHEZ

A CALL FOR A KIND HEART

Many want to believe that our problems are rooted in ignorance, diet and government. But Jesus pointed to sin in the heart. In times of crises it is always helpful to manifest equanimity or calmness. This helps you to stay calm so that you can manage whatever problems may come your way. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

This topic offers a lot of ideas about responding to day-to- day challenges. I hope that you will get the most of it.

God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God .

Every one of them has turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no not one

(Psalm 53:2-3)

After working on the activities/exercises in this topic, you will be able to:

1. make inferences and predictions

2. point out how one’s attitudes contribute to the person’s values

3. use a pronoun that agrees with its antecedents

4. make pronouns agree with their antecedents when used in the sentence

READING ADVENTUREPre-reading

Show the difference in these movements:

a. Strolling

b. Climbing

c. Squirming

d. Creeping

e. Slipping down

While Reading

Read the following story and pause to make predictions.

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Have you heard of Buddha? If you have, share your information with your classmates. If not, read up on him.

ESTERLITA J. SANCHEZlJIMENEZ NATIONAL CHS

Corrales, Jimenez, Mis.Occ0

THE SPIDER’S THREAD

Ryunosuke Akutagawa

One day the Buddha was strolling alone on the brink of the lotus pond of Paradise. His eyes fell on a man named Kandata who was squirming with the other sinners in the bottom of the hell. This Kandata has done many evil things in his lifetime but he had to his credit one good action. Once, while on his way through a deep forest, he had noticed a little spider creeping along beside the road. He was about to trample it to death when he suddenly changed his mind and spared the spider’ life.

Now, as he looked down into hell, the Buddha remembered this good deed and thought he would like to deliver Kandata out of hell. Looking around he saw a spider of Paradise spinning a beautiful silver thread on the lotus leaves.

Stop and answer this question:

What do you suppose Buddha will do with the spider’s thread?

The Buddha took up the spider’s thread in his hand and let it straight down to the bottom of hell which held Kandata securely with the other sinners in the Pool of Blood on the floor of hell. On this day, Kandata lifted his head by chance and saw a silver spider‘s thread slipping down toward him from the high heavens.

Kandata grasped the thread tightly in his two hands and began to climb up and up with all his might.After climbing for a while, he was finally exhausted and could not ascend an inch higher. He stopped to rest and looked below him. What he saw filled him with fear. For, below, on the thread, countless sinners were climbing eagerly after him, up and up, like a procession of ants.

Kandata blinked his eyes at them with his big mouth hanging foolishly open in surprise and terror. How could that slender spider’s thread which seemed as if it must break with him alone, ever support the weight of all those people? If it would break in mid air, even himself would have to fall headlong back to Hell.

Stop once more and answer this question:

How do you think Kandata will react upon seeing the thread?

Stop again and answer this question:

Why should Kandata be terrified to see others climbing up the thread offered him?

So Kandata cried out in a loud voice. “Hey, you sinners! This thread is mine. Who gave you permission to come up it? Get down! Get down!”

At that moment, the spider’s thread broke with a snap at the point where Kandata was hanging. Without even time to utter a cry, Kandata shot down and fell headlong into the darkness, spinning swiftly around and around like a top.

Post Reading

1. Cite incidents that reveal the kind of heart of Buddha.2. Which incident shows a redeeming trait of Kandata?

What proved to be his undoing? What is ironic about Kandata’s attitude towards the spider in comparison to his attitude towards people?

3. Where lies the conflict in this story? How is it resolved?

Stop again to process the new information you got and answer these questions:

1. What do you think Kandata will say to those climbing after him?

2. What can you say about his reaction?

WRITE THING

Skills EnhancerI. Making Inferences

Very often you hear the sentence “Read between the lines.” This is making inferences. Literary writers stimulate your mind by leaving much to your imagination to make reading more exciting and pleasurable.

Making inferences you may have to determine a) who is speaking or referred to; b) places or situations described; c) time, season or age talked about. d) objects described or incidents taking place, e) type of person, feeling, reaction or character traits.

Here is an exercise to hone your skills in making inferences. Read each passage and write the letter of the correct answer to each question.

1. The sun had long set in the west before we reached the settlement. What time is referred to?

A. Sunrise B. Noon C. Sunset D. Night2. A slow soft rumble beyond the roots of the woods of the forest answered her… Slowly, like the coming of a great storm, stones from the peak began to roll down, and the summit moved like a living creature, like a mighty tentacle racing downward… What is going on?

A. A landslide C. A volcanic eruptionB. A typhoon D. An earthquake

In your reflective journal, write a paragraph telling what lesson about life you learned from The Spider’s Thread.

B. Everywhere you looked, the tall, golden-brown stalks swaying with the wind, filled your eyes. Suddenly, a man with a long stick came by. The stooping, gray-haired man used his stick to probe the ground. Nearby was a green eyed “baby” coiled on the ground. The man continued tapping on the ground with his stick.

3. What place is described?A. Zoo B. Forest C. Rice field D. Park4. Which word best describes the man?A. Old B. Poor C. Shabby D. Cruel5. What is the disability of the man?A. Deaf B. Blind C. Lame D. Retarded6. What does the man used to find his way?A. Crutch B. Stick C. Binoculars D. Eyeglasses7. Which of the following is correct?A. The old man ignored the green-eyed “baby.”B. The old man was unaware of the green-eyed “baby.”C. The old man struck the green-eyed “baby.”D. The old man stepped on the green-eyed “baby.”

C. The band paraded along the crowded streets and the sky rockets filled the evening with golden showers. The air was filled with excitement and the church bells proclaimed to the rest of the world that the dreamy little town is alive with laughter and music and friendly chatter.

8. What occasion is described?A. Wedding B. Town Fiesta C. Birthday D. Election Day9. What made the streets crowded?A. Cars B. Rockets C. People D. Bands10. What mood is described?A. Gaiety B. Grief C. Fear D. Peace

Language Focus

Read the following sentences and study the italicized words

1. His eyes fell on a man named Kandata who was squirming with the other sinners in the bottom of the hell. 2. This Kandata has done many evil things in his lifetime but he had to his credit one good action.3. He was about to trample it to death when he suddenly changed his mind and spared the spider’ life.

The italicized words are called antecedents. The word that the pronoun refers to is called antecedents.

The following are the rules regarding pronoun-antecedent agreement. The pronoun is underlined once and its antecedents, twice.

1. Pronouns agree with their antecedents in gender, number and person.

The most striking feature of the people of India is their diversity in culture, race and religion.

2. When two or more antecedents are connected by and, a pronoun referring to them is plural.

Marie and I have contributed our share for the success of the affair.

3. When the antecedent is each, either, or neither followed by a plural modifier, a singular pronoun is preferred.

Each of the boys in the team is confident he is going to bring home the bacon.

Neither of the men would admit his mistake.

4. When the antecedent is everybody, each, either, neither, everyone, a person, a singular pronoun is preferred.

Everybody has her alibi ready.

A person often finds himself or herself in a crunch during elections.

5. The relative pronoun who is used when the antecedent is a person, which is used when the antecedent is a thing; that is used to refer to persons, animals or things.

How could that slender spider’s thread which seemed as if it must break with him alone, ever support the weight of all those people?

Now do the following exercises.

Exercise 1: Choose the correct pronoun. Cite the particular rule that supports your choice.

1. He (who, which) perseveres will succeed.

2. Is this the picture (who, which) you need?

3. Leo is taking logic, a subject (you, he) should have in preparation for a law course.

4. Each of the boys is willing to do (his, their) share.

5. Delia and I are sure of (my, our) answers.

6. Everybody wanted to have (his or her, their) vacation in Baguio.

7. Neither Cris nor Marco has written (his, their) essay.

8. The man (who, which) I thought was my friend, deceived me.

9. In the end, the coach and the manager kept (his, their) word.

10.Everyone should learn to take care of (himself or herself, themselves).

Exercise 2: Write C if the pronoun agrees with its antecedent. If it does not, revise the underlined pronoun to make it correct.

1. Everyone wanted their money back.

2. As each entered the room they became silent.

3. Neither of the girls expected to have their request granted.

4. Everybody wanted their views to be heard.

5. If anybody wishes to leave they may do so.

6. Every person should be careful of their manner.

7. Either of the two will come to give their side of the issue.

8. Everybody wanted their views to be heard.

9. The widow gave her word that she would treat the mother-less boy as his own.

10.Everyone is expected to bring their own bedding.

Exercise 3: Write a paragraph recognizing our Philippine leaders. Use the pronoun- antecedent agreement.

Rubrics:

Criteria Grammar & Spelling Neatness (Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement 5 Correct grammar Word processed & spelling clean & neatly presented

4Only one or two errors Word processed

in grammar & spelling clean & neatly presented

3 More than 2 errors in Legible writing, spelling & grammar well-formed characters2 Frequent grammar Legible writing,

& spelling errorssome well-formed characters

1 very frequent errors Illegible writing, in grammar & spelling print too small or too large

Before you put aside this lesson, spend some time reflecting on what you have learned from it. Use this format

in your reflective journal. Check the column that best describes your feeling about the activities you did. For the last column give your reasons.

What I think of the activities in this lesson

How I liked them

Things I Did

What I liked best

References:

1. Tayao, Ma. Lourdes G. Meeting my Needs II. 1st ed. Rex Book Store, Inc. c2002.

2. Reyes, Linda D. English Arts II. SEMP., c.2000.