using pronouns language network using pronouns pronoun cases here’s the idea why it matters

Using Pronouns

Language Network

Using Pronouns

Pronoun Cases

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Why It Matters

Personal pronouns take on different forms depending on how they are used in sentences. These forms are called cases.

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There are three pronoun cases:

nominative case

objective case

possessive case

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The most common errors in writing concern pronouns. Be sure to check your writing for pronoun errors and correct any you find.

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Using Pronouns

Using Who and Whom

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Why It Matters

Practice and Apply

Forms of Who and Whoever

The case of the pronoun who is determined by the pronoun’s function in a sentence.

Nominative who, whoever

Objective whom, whomever

Possessive whose, whosever

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Who is the nominative form. In a question, who is used as a subject or as a predicate pronoun.

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Who knows the story of Mulan, a

heroine of ancient China?

The heroine was who?PREDICATE PRONOUN

SUBJECT

Who

who?

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Whom is the objective form. In a question, whom is used as a direct or indirect object of a verb or as the object of a preposition.

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Whom did Mulan fool?

She told whom the secret of her identity?

INDIRECT OBJECT

DIRECT OBJECT

Whom

whom

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Who and whom are also used to introduce subordinate clauses. To choose the correct form, you must figure out how the pronoun is used in the clause.

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It’s the rebel chief who is threatening the borders.SUBJECT

Who should be used when the pronoun functions as the subject of a subordinate clause.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

who is threatening the borders.

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The chief whom we all fear most is a rebel.DIRECT OBJECT

Whom should be used when the pronoun functions as a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

whom we all fear most

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You will be expected to use who and whom correctly in formal writing, such as application letters, term papers, and reports. Don’t assume that whom is just a more formal version of who. Choose the form that fits the way the pronoun is used.

Why It Matters

Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.

The Ramayana was written by the poet Valmiki, (who, whom) lived in India during the 200s B.C.

1.

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The king, (who, whom) is Rama’s father, makes Rama leave the country.

2.

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Sita is the beautiful woman (who, whom) Rama marries.

3.

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The Ramayana is delightful for (whoever, whomever) hears it.

4.

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Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Using Pronouns

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Why It Matters

Practice and Apply

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, gender, and person. An antecedent is the word—a noun or another pronoun—that a pronoun replaces or refers to.

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Most of the time, making a pronoun agree in number with its antecedent is easy: a plural antecedent takes a plural pronoun, and a singular antecedent takes a singular pronoun.

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The gender of a pronoun must be the same as the gender of its antecedent.

Hanuman, the monkey chief, brings his

troops to the battle.

Hanuman, his

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Pronoun Gender

Feminine

she, her, hers

Neuter

it, its

Masculine

he, him, his

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The person of a pronoun must match the person of its antecedent.

All you fans should buy your tickets for the

latest Rama movie.

youryou

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Using the correct pronoun when a collective noun is the antecedent will give your readers information about whether the group is behaving as one unit or as individuals.

The family gives its support to Rama.

family its

Why It Matters


Ellis Marsalis, a musician, shared a love of jazz with (his, their) children.

5.

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Like (his, their) father, Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis are jazz musicians.

6.

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These musicians understood that (they, you) had to work hard to succeed.

7.

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New Orleans, a city famous for (their, its) jazz, is the Marsalis’s hometown.

8.

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Using Pronouns

Pronoun Reference

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Why It Matters

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If a pronoun’s antecedent is unclear, or if there is more than one antecedent, readers will be confused.

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Indefinite-reference problems occur when a pronoun’s antecedents are not expressed. Writers often make the mistake of using the pronouns it, they, and you without a clear reference.

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Indefinite Reference

Awkward

In the “Superheroes” article, it discussed only three women.

Revised

The “Superheroes” article discussed only three women.

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General-reference problems occur when the pronouns it, this, that, which, and such are used to refer to general ideas rather than to specific noun antecedents.

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General Reference

Awkward

The sidekick is weak and vulnerable, which makes the character appealing.

Revised

The sidekick’s weakness and vulnerability make the character appealing.

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Ambiguous means “having more than one possible meaning.” An ambiguous-reference problem occurs whenever more than one word might be a pronoun’s antecedent.

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Ambiguous Reference

Awkward

Princess Xena and Gabrielle were featured in a 1990s TV show. She inspired a series of books as well.

Revised

Princess Xena and Gabrielle were featured in a 1990s TV show. Xena inspired a series of books as well.

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Readers will be confused and frustrated by cases of general, indefinite, or ambiguous reference in your writing. Make your writing as clear as possible by eliminating these problems.

Why It Matters

Rewrite the sentence to correct indefinite, ambiguous, or general pronoun references.

In this article, it explains that Reggae Sunsplash is a music festival in Jamaica.

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They say that the festival now tours Europe and the United States.

10.

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Music is important at the festival, but you also have Jamaican crafts and food.

11.

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When the band began playing for the fans, they started dancing.

12.

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using pronouns language network using pronouns pronoun cases here’s the idea why it matters

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