Vocabulary Workshop Level C Review Units 13-15 Answers

Pronouns

Introduction: 

Effective communication is crucial in today's world, and mastering the use of pronouns can significantly enhance clarity and efficiency in both spoken and written language. For language learners, writers, and educators, understanding the different types of pronouns and their uses is essential for conveying meaning without confusion. This article provides a comprehensive guide to pronouns, covering their definitions, examples, and uses, as well as tips on how to use them correctly. Whether you're a language learner seeking to improve your grammar skills or a writer looking to enhance your writing, this guide is designed to help you unlock the power of pronouns and communicate more effectively.

Pronouns

What is a pronoun, and what is an antecedent?

A pronoun takes the place of one or more nouns or pronouns.

An antecedent is the word or word group to which a pronoun refers.

EXAMPLES

• The plate is chipped. I accidentally dropped it in the sink. [The pronoun it takes the place of plate. Plate is the antecedent of it.]
• When Stephanie and Monica go hiking, they always follow the trails. [The pronoun they takes the place of the proper nouns Stephanie and Monica. Stephanie and Monica are the antecedents of they.]

Personal Pronouns

What is a personal pronoun?

A personal pronoun is a pronoun that refers to the one(s) speaking (first person), the one(s) spoken to (second person), or the one(s) spoken about (third person).

FIRST PERSON I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours

SECOND PERSON you, your, yours

THIRD PERSON he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

What are reflexive and intensive pronouns?

A reflexive pronoun refers to the subject of a verb. A reflexive pronoun completes the meaning of the verb or acts as an object of a preposition.

An intensive pronoun emphasizes its antecedent (the noun or pronoun to which the pronoun refers). Reflexive and intensive pronouns end in –self or –selves.

REFLEXIVE

• Clara let herself in through the front door. [Herself refers to the subject Clara and completes the meaning of the verb let.]
• The raccoon kept the fish for itself. [Itself refers to the subject raccoon and is the object of the preposition for.]

INTENSIVE

• The manager himself made the delivery. [Himself emphasizes the antecedent manager.]

How to differentiate between reflexive and intensive pronouns?

To determine whether a pronoun is reflexive or intensive, read the sentence aloud without the pronoun.
Does the meaning of the sentence change without the pronoun?
If the meaning of the sentence changes without the pronoun, the pronoun is reflexive.
If the meaning of the sentence stays the same, the pronoun is intensive.

EXAMPLES

• He prepared the salad himself. [Without himself, the meaning of the sentence does not change. Himself is intensive.]
• He prepared the salad for himself. [The sentence doesn’t make sense without the pronoun. Himself is reflexive.]

Demonstrative Pronouns

What is a demonstrative pronoun?

A demonstrative pronoun points out a noun or another pronoun.
Demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those.
This and that point out singular nouns and pronouns.
These and those refer to plural nouns and pronouns.

EXAMPLES

• Are these the only flavors available? [These points out a plural noun, flavors.]
• This is the one that I built. [This points out a singular pronoun, one.]

The same words that are used as demonstrative pronouns can also be used as adjectives. When these words describe nouns or pronouns, they are called demonstrative adjectives.

PRONOUN

• This is my favorite song. [This is a pronoun referring to song.]

ADJECTIVE

• This song is my favorite. [This is an adjective describing which song.]

Interrogative Pronouns

What is an interrogative pronoun?

An interrogative pronoun introduces a question.
Interrogative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which, and what.

EXAMPLES

• Whose are these sandals?
• What is the name of your company?
• To whom should I address this letter?

NOTE

Some of the words used as interrogative pronouns can also function as adjectives.
Remember that a pronoun takes the place of a noun or another pronoun.
An adjective makes the meaning of a noun or a pronoun more specific.

PRONOUN

• Which of these handbags belongs to her? [Which is an interrogative pronoun that refers to handbags, the object of the preposition of.]

ADJECTIVE

• Which handbag belongs to her? [Which is an adjective describing handbag.]

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Relative Pronouns

What is a relative pronoun?

A relative pronoun introduces a subordinate clause.
Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, and whose.

EXAMPLES

• The person who scores the most points wins the game. [The relative pronoun who introduces the subordinate clause who scores the most points.]
• The milk that is in the refrigerator is fresh. [The relative pronoun that introduces the subordinate clause that is in the refrigerator.]
• Brie, which is a type of cheese, is made in France. [The relative pronoun which introduces the subordinate clause which is a type of cheese.]

REMINDER

A subordinate clause is a group of words that contains a subject and its verb but does not express a complete thought.
A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

• that darted under the board [The group of words contains a subject, that, and a verb, darted, but does not express a complete thought.]

SENTENCE

• Did you see the salamander that darted under the board? [The subordinate clause is introduced by the relative pronoun that and is part of a complete sentence.]

Indefinite Pronouns

What is an indefinite pronoun?

An indefinite pronoun refers to a person, a place, a thing, or an idea that may or may not be specifically named.
An indefinite pronoun may not have a specific antecedent.

COMMON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

1. all
2. both
3. few
4. nobody
5. several
6. another
7. each
8. many
9. none
10. some
11. any
12. either
13. more
14. no one
15. somebody
16. anybody
17. everybody
18. most
19. nothing
20. someone
21. anyone
22. everyone
23. much
24. one
25. something
26. anything
27. everything
28. neither
29. other
30. such

EXAMPLES

• Several of our neighbors signed the petition. [The indefinite pronoun Several refers to neighbors.] 
• Does anyone have a question? [Anyone has no specific antecedent.] 
• I have received replies from some of the people I invited. [Some refers to people.]

Reciprocal Pronouns 

What are reciprocal pronouns?

Reciprocal pronouns are used to refer to two or more people who are or were the subject of the same verb, with both or all parties mutually receiving or benefiting from that action in the same way. Reciprocal pronouns always function as the objects of verbs, referring back to the two or more people who are or were the subject(s).

The two reciprocal pronouns in English are each other and one another. In more traditional grammar, each other is used to identify only two people who are engaged in the mutual action, while one another describes more than two people. However, this supposed “rule” is less commonly applied in modern English, with each other and one another often being used interchangeably.

Reciprocal Pronouns vs. Reflexive Pronouns

Because the subjects of the sentence are also the objects of the same verb, it might seem logical to use one of the reflexive pronouns to represent them instead, as in: 

✖ “We call ourselves every day.” 

However, this is incorrect. Reflexive pronouns are used with “one-way” actions, so saying “we call ourselves” means each person is calling him- or herself individually—i.e., person A calls person A every day, person B calls person B every day, and so on. 

Because we are describing a reciprocal action of the verb (meaning the action is mutually given and received between the parties involved), we must therefore use a reciprocal pronoun. The correct expression would thus be: 

• “We call each other every day.” 

or 

• “We call one another every day.” 

Now the sentence means that person A calls person B every day, and person B calls person A every day.

Dummy Pronouns

Dummy pronouns are words that function grammatically as pronouns, but which do not have antecedents like normal pronouns do. This means that, unlike normal pronouns, dummy pronouns do not replace a noun, phrase, or clause. They refer to nothing in particular, but instead help the sentence to function properly in a grammatical context. Dummy pronouns are also commonly referred to as expletive pronouns. 

There are two dummy pronouns, there and it.

EXAMPLES

• There is a ship in the harbor.
• There is a bowl on the table.
• There were flowers in the meadow.
• There is a river that passes through the mountain.
• There are many reasons to go to Jamaica.
• It looks like it may snow tonight.
• It is very far from North America to Europe.
• It was earlier than he expected.
• It was assumed that the tour guide knew exactly how to get there.

Pronouns Quizizz Quiz

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, pronouns play a vital role in making our language more efficient and clear. By understanding the different types of pronouns and their uses, we can improve our communication and avoid confusion. Whether you're a language learner, writer, or educator, mastering the art of pronouns is an essential skill that will enhance your communication and help you convey meaning more effectively.

FAQs:

Q: What is a pronoun?

A: A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence. Pronouns refer to either a noun that has already been mentioned or to a noun that does not need to be named specifically.

Q: What are the different types of pronouns?

A: The main types of pronouns are personal pronouns, reflexive pronouns, intensive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, dummy pronouns, and reciprocal pronouns.

Q: When do you use "who" vs. "whom"?

A: Use "who" when it is the subject of a clause. Use "whom" when it is the object of a verb or preposition.

Resources

1. Merriam-Webster's Guide to Punctuation and Style, 1st edition, by Merriam-Webster (2001)
2. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, 11th edition, by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern (2014)
3. The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, University of Chicago Press (2017)
4. Garner's Modern English Usage, 4th edition, by Bryan Garner (2016)
5. The Elements of Style, 4th edition, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White (2000)