Pronouns and Antecedents Whats a pronoun There are

Pronouns and Antecedents

What’s a pronoun? • There are 4 common types: subject, object, possessive, and indefinite

Subject and Object pronouns • Subject: “I” and “we” are pronouns that appear in the subject position • “We wrote a hit song. ” • Object: “me, ” “him, ” “her, ” “you, ” “us, ” “them, ” and “it” must be in the object position. • “The batter hit the ball to me. ”

Possessive and Indefinite Pronouns • Possessive: “mine” and “hers” • Indefinite: “anyone” and “somebody”

What’s an Antecedent? • The noun a pronoun replaces • Example: I like bananas because they are healthy and delicious.

More examples • “The driver totaled his car. ” • “The driver totaled the driver’s car. ”

Problem #1: missing or faraway antecedents • “Here at work they expect us to show initiative. ” • “it” and “they” are especially tempting to use without an antecedent. • Our bosses expect us to show initiative.

Problem #1 continued • “Breathe in through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, then breathe out through your mouth. ” • * hold your breath for a few seconds

Problem #2: Anticipatory Reference • Referring to something that is yet to be mentioned OR putting the pronoun before the antecedent. • “If it’s available, be sure to order the champagne. ” • Just switch the noun and the pronoun • “If champagne’s available, be sure to order it. ”

Problem #3: Ambiguous Antecedents • Multiple antecedents = confusing pronouns • “The room contained a chair, a desk, and a lone light bulb. It was twenty-six feet long by seventeen feet wide. ” • “It” could refer to “room, ” “chair, ” “desk, ” or “light bulb. ” • How can we fix this sentence?

Solution(s) • “The room contained a chair, a desk, and a lone light bulb. The room was twenty-six feet long by seventeen feet wide. • The room, twenty-six feet long by seventeen feet wide, contained a chair, a desk, and a long light bulb.

Funny disagreement • “The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind, and they can be seen in the church basement Friday afternoon. ”

Problem #4: agree in number • If a student parks a car on campus, they have to buy a parking sticker. • If a student parks a car on campus, he or she has to buy a parking sticker. • Everybody, anyone, each, neither, nobody, someone, a person are singular and take singular pronouns

Problem #5: agree in person (1 st, 2 nd, or 3 rd) • When a person comes to class, you should always have your homework ready. • When a person comes to class, he or she should have his or her homework ready. • When students come to class, they should have their homework ready.