{"id":339,"date":"2025-04-17T16:35:57","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/text-pronoun-cases-and-types\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T02:50:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T02:50:46","slug":"text-pronoun-cases-and-types","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/text-pronoun-cases-and-types\/","title":{"raw":"Nouns and Pronouns: Learn It 3","rendered":"Nouns and Pronouns: Learn It 3"},"content":{"raw":"

What are Pronouns?<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n

pronouns<\/h3>\r\nA pronoun<\/strong> stands in the place of a noun. Like nouns, pronouns can serve as the subject or object of a sentence: they are the things sentences are about.\u00a0Pronouns include words like\u00a0he<\/em>,\u00a0she<\/em>, and\u00a0I<\/em>, but they also include words like this<\/em>, that<\/em>, which<\/em>, who<\/em>, anybody<\/em>, and\u00a0everyone<\/em>.\r\n\r\n<\/section>Before we get into the different\u00a0types of pronouns, let's look at how they work in sentences.\r\n

In a sentence, an antecedent<\/strong> is the noun that a pronoun refers back to.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Identifying the Antecedent<\/strong>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Jason likes it when people look to him for leadership.
    (Here, the pronoun \"him\" refers back to Jason.)<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
  • Trini does her hair and makeup every day\u2014with no exceptions.
    (Here, the pronoun \"her\" refers back to Trini.)<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

    Personal Pronouns<\/h3>\r\n

    Personal pronouns are what most people think of when they hear the word pronoun<\/strong>. These pronouns replace specific nouns and refer to people or things. Common personal pronouns include he, she, and they<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n
      \r\n \t
    • \r\n

      Danny and Sam decided that they didn\u2019t want to go to the zoo on Saturday.
      (Here, \"Danny and Sam\" is the antecedent of \"they.\")<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t

    • \r\n

      Ibrahim thought that he would rather turn in incomplete homework than pull another all-nighter.
      (Here, \"Ibrahim\" is the antecedent of \"he.\")<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

      Reflexive Pronouns<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

      Reflexive pronouns<\/strong> are used when the subject and the object of the sentence are the same. These pronouns reflect back to the subject. Common reflexive pronouns include: myself, ourselves, yourself, yourselves, himself, herself, itself, themselves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n
        \r\n \t
      • Jason hurt himself.<\/strong>
        (Here, \"Jason\" is the antecedent of \"himself.\")<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        This rule applies even when the subject is only implied:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

          \r\n \t
        • \u201cDon\u2019t hurt yourself.\u201d<\/strong>
          (In this sentence, \"you\" is the unstated subject.)<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>
          [embed]https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1290622258049753728[\/embed]\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1290907329753148368[\/embed]\r\n\r\n<\/section>\r\n

          Case<\/h3>\r\nEnglish personal pronouns have two cases<\/strong>: subject and object.\r\n
            \r\n \t
          1. Subject-case<\/strong> pronouns are used when the pronoun is doing the action (I<\/em> like to eat chips, but she<\/em> does not).<\/li>\r\n \t
          2. Object-case<\/strong> pronouns are used when something is being done to the pronoun (John likes me<\/em> but not her<\/em>).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

            Possessive Pronouns<\/h3>\r\nPossessive pronouns<\/strong> are used to indicate possession (in a broad sense). Some must be accompanied by a noun: e.g.,\u00a0my<\/em> or\u00a0your<\/em>, as in \"I lost my<\/strong> wallet.\" This category of pronouns behaves similarly to adjectives.\u00a0Others occur as independent phrases: e.g.,\u00a0mine <\/em>or yours<\/em>. For example, \"Those clothes are mine<\/strong>.\"\r\n\r\n
            [embed]https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1290622261414615658[\/embed]\r\n\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"436221\"]Explain Answers[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"436221\"]\r\n
              \r\n \t
            1. The context of the sentence gives hints that Andr\u00e9 thinks the box of cereal belongs to the speaker of the sentence. The correct sentence would be \"Andr\u00e9\u00a0told me that it was my<\/strong>\u00a0box of cereal, but I couldn't remember having bought it<\/strong>.\"\r\n
                \r\n \t
              • My<\/em>\u00a0is a possessive, singular, first-person pronoun. It is followed by the noun\u00a0box of cereal<\/em>, so it appears in its\u00a0adjective form, rather than as mine<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
              • It<\/em>\u00a0is a subject-case, singular, neutral\u00a0third-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
              • There are two sentence that make sense here: \"Amelia and Ajani still haven\u2019t arrived. I should check to see if\u00a0I<\/strong>\u00a0texted them,<\/strong>\" or \"Amelia and Ajani still haven\u2019t arrived. I should check to see if\u00a0they<\/strong> texted me<\/strong>.\" The correct sentence depends on who did (or didn't do) the texting.\r\n
                  \r\n \t
                • I<\/em> is a subject-case, singular, first-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n \t
                • Them<\/em>\u00a0is an object-case, plural, third-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n \t
                • They<\/em>\u00a0is a subject-case, plural, third-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n \t
                • Me<\/em>\u00a0is an object-case, singular, first-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                • You shouldn't be so worried about what other people think.\u00a0The only person you<\/strong> need to please is you<\/strong>.\r\n
                    \r\n \t
                  • You<\/em> is a subject-case, singular, second-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • You<\/em> is an object-case, singular, second-person pronoun.\u00a0Yourself\u00a0<\/em>would also be okay here, since the subject and object of the sentence are the same.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • George Washington was the first president of the United States. He<\/strong> set the standard of serving only two terms of office. However, it<\/strong> wasn't illegal to serve more than two terms until 1951.\r\n
                      \r\n \t
                    • He<\/em>\u00a0is a subject-case, singular, masculine\u00a0third-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n \t
                    • It<\/em>\u00a0is a subject-case, singular, neutral\u00a0third-person pronoun.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/section>\r\n

                      Demonstrative Pronouns<\/h3>\r\n\"TwoDemonstrative pronouns substitute for things being pointed out. They\u00a0include\u00a0this<\/em>,\u00a0that<\/em>, these<\/em>, and those<\/em>. This<\/em>\u00a0and that<\/em>\u00a0are singular;\u00a0these\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0those<\/em> are plural.\r\n\r\nThe difference between this<\/em> and\u00a0that<\/em> and between\u00a0these<\/em> and\u00a0those<\/em> is a little more subtle.\u00a0This<\/em> and\u00a0these<\/em> refer to something that is \"close\" to the speaker, whether this closeness is physical, emotional, or temporal.\u00a0That<\/em> and\u00a0those<\/em> are the opposite: they refer to something that is \"far.\"\r\n\r\n
                      \r\n

                      This & That, These and Those<\/h3>\r\n
                        \r\n \t
                      • Do I really have to read all of this<\/em>?\r\n
                          \r\n \t
                        • By using \"this,\" the speaker is indicating a text that is close to her.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                        • That<\/em>\u00a0is not coming anywhere near me.\r\n
                            \r\n \t
                          • The speaker is distancing himself from the object in question, which he doesn't want to get any closer. The far pronoun helps indicate that.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                          • You're telling me you sewed all of these<\/em>?\r\n
                              \r\n \t
                            • The speaker and her audience are likely looking directly at the clothes in question, so the close pronoun is appropriate.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                            • Those\u00a0<\/em>are all gross.\r\n
                                \r\n \t
                              • The speaker wants to remain away from the gross items in question, by using the far \"those.\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nNote:<\/strong> These pronouns are often combined with a noun.\r\n
                                  \r\n \t
                                • Do I really have to read all of this\u00a0<\/em>contract?<\/li>\r\n \t
                                • That<\/em> thing is not coming anywhere near me.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                • You're telling me you sewed all of these<\/em> dresses?<\/li>\r\n \t
                                • Those<\/em> recipes are all gross.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>The antecedents of\u00a0demonstrative\u00a0pronouns (and sometimes the pronoun it<\/em>) can be more complex than those of personal pronouns.\r\n
                                    \r\n \t
                                  • Animal Planet's\u00a0puppy cam has been taken down for maintenance.<\/strong> I never wanted this<\/em> to happen.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                  • I love Animal Planet's panda cam. I watched a panda eat bamboo for half an hour.<\/strong>\u00a0It<\/em>\u00a0was amazing.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nIn the first example, the antecedent for\u00a0this<\/em> is the entire idea of the puppy cam being taken down. In the second example, the antecedent for\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>is the experience of watching the panda. In both cases, the antecedents aren't explicitly stated and must be inferred by the reader.\r\n\r\n
                                    [ohm2_question hide_question_numbers=1]40723[\/ohm2_question]\r\n\r\n[ohm2_question hide_question_numbers=1]40724[\/ohm2_question]\r\n\r\n[ohm2_question hide_question_numbers=1]40725[\/ohm2_question]\r\n\r\n<\/section> \r\n

                                    Indefinite Pronouns<\/h3>\r\n

                                    Indefinite pronouns, the largest group of pronouns, refer to one or more unspecified persons or things. These pronouns can be used in several ways:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

                                    \r\n
                                      \r\n \t
                                    • \"ATo refer to an unspecified person.\r\n
                                        \r\n \t
                                      • Anyone<\/strong> can do that.<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                                      • To refer to members of a group separately rather than collectively.\r\n
                                          \r\n \t
                                        • To each<\/strong> his own.<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                                        • To indicate the nonexistence of people or things.\r\n
                                            \r\n \t
                                          • Nobody<\/strong> thinks that.<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                                          • To refer to a person without specifying first, second, or third person, unlike personal pronouns.\r\n
                                              \r\n \t
                                            • One<\/strong> does not clean one's own windows.<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

                                              Relative Pronouns<\/h3>\r\nThere are five relative pronouns in English:\u00a0who,\u00a0whom,\u00a0whose, that, and\u00a0which.\r\n\r\nFirst, don\u2019t confuse who and that. We use who for people and that for things.\r\n\r\n
                                              \r\n

                                              Who vs. That<\/h3>\r\n
                                                \r\n \t
                                              • Belen, who had starred in six plays before she turned seventeen, knew that she wanted to act on Broadway someday.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                              • My daughter wants to adopt the dog that\u00a0doesn\u2019t have a tail.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nNote:<\/strong> Some people consider animals to be almost like people, so the following sentence might be considered correct:\r\n
                                                  \r\n \t
                                                • I love my dog, who sleeps in my bed the same way a child might. (You can see why who<\/em> works better than that<\/em> here.)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>Two\u00a0of the biggest confusions with relative pronouns are\u00a0that<\/em> vs.\u00a0which<\/em> and\u00a0who<\/em> vs.\u00a0whom<\/em>. The two following videos will help you keep them straight.\r\n\r\n
                                                  \r\n

                                                  That vs. Which<\/h4>\r\nAs the video below explains, the rules for that and which are somewhat in flux and debatable. But there is a simple rule of thumb, as explained in the video below, that helps.\r\n\r\nWhich is bad with people.\r\n
                                                    \r\n \t
                                                  • Correct: The lady who runs every morning is my aunt.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                  • Incorrect: The lady which runs every morning is my aunt.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                  • Incorrect: The lady that runs every morning is my aunt.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThat doesn\u2019t like commas.\r\n
                                                      \r\n \t
                                                    • Correct:<\/strong> The carrot that is tasty is in the salad.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                    • Correct:<\/strong> The carrot, which is tasty, is in the salad.<\/li>\r\n \t
                                                    • Incorrect:<\/strong> The carrot, that is tasty, is in the salad.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n