Pronouns - 6th Grade Grammar
Pronouns and Antecedents
A pronoun takes the place of one or more nouns in a sentence. A personal pronoun refers to a person or thing.
Singular pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, me, him, and her.
Plural pronouns are we, you, they, us, and them.
An antecedent is the word or words that a pronoun refers to.
Examples:
Sasha goes to a coding club after school. She learns how to create games.
Eliza and Haley said they were hungry after the movie.
Haley’s dad asked Eliza if she would like to stay for dinner.
Mr. Lawrence asked the girls to help him make a pizza.
Haley cut the pizza and brought it to the table.
Agreement of Pronouns and Antecedents
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number.
Stella moved the chair and desk because they were blocking the door.
Spanish and Mandarin are both good choices because many people speak them.
Elizabeth thinks Italian and Portuguese sound beautiful, so she wants to study them.
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in gender.
Juan says he enjoys reading the assigned books.
My sister Elizabeth says she wants to learn a foreign language.
Elizabeth asked Mr. Stokes to help her choose a language.
Avoiding Vague References
Avoid using pronouns that refer to either of two antecedents.
Jen went to the store with her grandmother after she got home from work. (incorrect)
Jen went to the store with her grandmother after she got home from work. (incorrect)
After her grandmother got home from work, Jen went with her to the store. (correct)
My sister Amber helped our mother fill the aquarium after she got home. (incorrect)
After our mother got home, my sister Amber helped her fill the aquarium. (correct)
Avoid referring to a hidden antecedent.
To fix a vague pronoun reference, rephrase the sentence or replace the pronoun with a noun.
Amber dropped the light in the tank, but it was not broken. (incorrect)
Amber dropped the light in the tank, but the light was not broken. (correct)