PRONOUNS

PERSONAL PRONOUNS
A. Form Subject Pron. I You He She It We They B. Use After we mention a person or an object once, or if the context makes it clear who or what we are referring to, we usually use pronouns to refer to them. We use subject ronouns inste!d of ! noun !s t"e subject of ! verb: P!ul plans to set up a rock music museum. #e was a founder of Microsoft. We use object ronouns inste!d of ! noun !s ! direct or indirect object$ Direct object: met !ulian yesterday. like "im, don"t you# ndirect object: $hose books belong to !ulian. %an you gi&e them to "im, please# We use ossessive !djectives before ! noun to ex ress %belon&in&'$ Object Pron. Me You Him Her It Us Them Possessive Adj. My Your His Her Its Our Their Possessive Pron. Mine Yours His Hers Ours Theirs Reflexive Pron. Myself Yourself Yourselves Himself Herself Itself Ourselves Themselves

 Adjecti&e: Did the neighbours lea&e that here# t looks like t"eir deckchair. We use ossessive ronouns inste!d of ! ossessive !djective ( noun: 'ronoun: (o, it"s not their deckchair. t"s ours) Don"t you recognise it# ). Omission*inclusion of ronouns En&lis" does not usu!ll+ omit ronouns, es eci!ll+ subject ronouns: *e can expect carol singers+ t"e+ often come at this time of year. But it is incorrect to use ! noun ( ronoun to&et"er !s t"e subject of ! verb$ ,-mails t"e+ ha&e become a real nuisance. ,-mails ha&e become a real nuisance. We do not use object ronouns in infinitive "r!ses or rel!tive cl!uses if t"e object "!s !lre!d+ ! e!red in t"e s!me sentence$ $hose plastic cakes look good enough to eat t"em. $hose plastic cakes look good enough to eat. $hat.s the play told you about it. $hat.s the play told you about. -. Subject !nd object ronouns ."ere !re some c!ses /"ere /e c!n use eit"er !n object ronoun or ! subject ronoun. After !s !nd t"!n in com !r!tive !tterns, /e use t"e subject ronoun onl+ in ver+ form!l En&lis"0 t"e object ronoun is more common$ /ormal: 0$he ski instructor didn"t ski any better than 1.1 nformal: $he instructor didn"t actually ski any better than me. After !s !nd t"!n, /e c!n use ! subject ronoun /it" !n !uxili!r+ or mod!l verb$ $he ski instructor didn"t ski as well as 1 do2did2can.
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We usu!ll+ use t"e object ronoun in s"ort res onses$ %Whos there? Its us. After It is /e use t"e subject ronoun in form!l l!n&u!&e, t"e object in inform!l$ /ormal: 1t is t"e+ who asked for the music to be turned down. nformal: 1t's t"em who asked for the music to be turned down. W"en /e "!ve ! noun !nd ronoun, or t/o ronouns to&et"er, /e tend to ut t"e s e!2er l!st 3 ossibl+ out of oliteness4$ 5ou !nd 1 are both in&ited to the pro-celebrity golf match, if you fancy it. #o/ever, if /e "!ve ! noun !nd ronoun /"ere t"e ronoun does not refer to t"e s e!2er, /e usu!ll+ ut t"e ronoun first$ Don"t you think we should let "im !nd "is /ife decide when to come# 6 We s"ould use object ronouns !fter ! re osition, !lt"ou&" in inform!l En&lis" +ou m!+ "e!r t"e subject ronoun$ $hey.re sending the new consignment o&er for .om !nd 1 to check. $hey.re sending the new consignment o&er for .om !nd me to check. E 7odif+in& ronouns 1n some excl!m!tions /e modif+ object ronouns, usu!ll+ /it" !n !djective$ 4ook what "&e done) Sill+ me6 Luc2+ old "im*"er. We c!n use ! noun !fter ! ronoun to cl!rif+ /"o or /"!t /e !re referrin& to$ want you boys to report to the 5ead after this class) $hen she, Mrs 6incent, got up and asked e&eryone to lea&e at once. F. Uses of he, she !nd it

We use it to refer to !nim!ls, t"in&s, ide!s, or !ctions, !nd not usu!ll+ to eo le unless to refer to !n unborn or +oun& b!b+ 3if t"e sex is un2no/n4 Mary brought her new baby into the shop yesterday 8it"s &ery cute. We use it !s !n %em t+' subject: 9*ho can that be at the door#" 91t"s my neighbour. 5e often calls this late." 1t has been se&eral years since sultry singer :ade was last in the spotlight. We use he !nd she to refer to eo le !nd !lso to !nim!ls, es eci!ll+ domestic ets$ *e had to take our dog, Damon, to the &et yesterday. #e"s got ear mites. $he fact that ,nglish distinguishes gender with he, him, his and she, her, hers can cause difficulty in deciding which form to use after a subject or object not clearly of either gender. He, him or his used to be most common, but many people now object to this. *ays to a&oid using he, him and his include the use of he2she ;him2her, his2her< in writing, or they ;them, their< or plurals in speech or writing: A doctor always makes decisions according to the best of "is*"er*t"eir knowledge. -octors always make decisions according to the best of t"eir knowledge. We often use they 3them, their4 !fter indefinite ronouns: 9:omeone called you from =rant"s =arage." 9>h, did t"e+ lea&e t"eir name#" 8. One We use one or ones to !void re e!tin& count!ble nouns: Do you prefer the dark chocolates or the light ones# We do not use one to re l!ce uncount!ble nouns$ Do you prefer white rice or brown one# Do you prefer white rice or brown#

We c!n use one*ones !fter t"e !nd !djectives, but not immedi!tel+ !fter a*an$ .d like a loaf of bread. %an you pass me ! one from the top shelf# .d like a loaf or bread. %an you pass me one from the top shelf# $hese are interesting fossil specimens. $his is !n !m!9in& one. We do not use one ones /"en /e refer to !n item t"!t "!s reviousl+ been defined. )om !re$ need a drink, a large one. ;@ any drink< *here"s my drink# >h, there it is. ;@ my drink 8 a defined drink<

REFLE:1;E AN- RE)1PRO)AL PRONOUNS

A Reflexive ronouns Reflexive ronouns !re formed /it" self*selves . We usu!ll+ use reflexive ronouns /"en t"e subject !nd object !re t"e s!me erson or t"in&$ Auick) $he baby.s burnt "er. Auick) $he baby.s burnt "erself) )om !re: Ben treated "im to an ice cream. ;him @ someone else, not Ben< Ben treated "imself to an ice cream. ;himself @ Ben< After re ositions /e use !n object ronoun to refer to t"e subject /"en it is cle!r /"o or /"!t it refers to0 ot"er/ise /e use ! reflexive ronoun. )om !re$ !im emerged from the underground station and looked around "im. ;him @ !im< !ane was upset. Alexa was really annoyed with "er. ;her @ !ane< !ane was upset. Alexa was really annoyed with "erself. ;herself @ Alexa< We use reflexive ronouns to refer to t"e subject !fter verbs /it" de endent re ositions$ 'oliticians ha&e to believe in t"emselves if they expect the people to belie&e in them. ;*e use them here as the subject of to belie&e in them is the people and not politicians.<

We c!n use eit"er t"e object ronoun or t"e reflexive to refer to t"e subject !fter as !for", li#e, $ut !for" !nd e%&e't !for"( 5oward made sure that e&eryone except "im*"imself had a drink, as he was dri&ing. B 1diom!tic use of reflexive nouns Some verbs t!2e t"e reflexive in En&lis" /"ere it m!+ not seem lo&ic!l, !nd /"ere simil!r verbs in ot"er l!n&u!&es m!+ not t!2e t"e reflexive, e.g. enjoy yourself, help yourself, acDuaint yourself ;with<, beha&e yourself: Did the children be"!ve t"emselves while we were out# ;@ beha&e well< #el +ourself to the food, won"t you# ;@ take as much food as you want< ."e "r!se b+ +ourself*"imself, etc. me!ns %!lone' or %/it"out "el ': *e"&e decided to go on holiday b+ ourselves next year. 6 ."ere !re m!n+ verbs /"ic" t!2e ! reflexive in ot"er l!n&u!&es but do not usu!ll+ do so in En&lis", e.&. /!s", dress, feel, remember, "urr+$ don.t feel m+self &ery well today. don.t feel &ery well today. ) Em "!tic use of reflexive ronouns We c!n use reflexive ronouns to em "!sise t"e subject or object of ! sentence. ."e ronoun c!n come !fter t"e subject, !fter t"e !uxili!r+ 3if t"ere is one4 or verb, !fter t"e object or !t t"e end of t"e sentence$ ha&e used this techniDue on a number of occasions. We c!n use t"e reflexive ronoun eit"er !t t"e be&innin& or t"e end of ! sentence !nd se !r!ted b+ ! comm! to me!n %!s f!r !s 1'm concerned'$ 7+self, don"t like the new fashion for flared trousers. don"t like the new fashion for flared trousers, m+self.

We use 3all" !$y" myself yourself, etc. to em "!sise %/it"out !n+ "el ' or %com letel+ !lone'$ $he garden looks amaFing. Did you do it ;!ll4 3b+4 +ourself# - Reci roc!l ronouns )om !re t"e use of reci roc!l ronouns 3ea&h other one another4 !nd reflexive ronouns$ :te&e and ,laine blamed only t"emselves for the break-up of their marriage. ;$hey both blamed the two of them and nobody else.< :te&e and ,laine blamed e!c" ot"er for the break-up of their marriage. ;:te&e blamed ,laine and ,laine blamed :te&e.< )a&h other usu!ll+ refers to t/o subjects, one !not"er to more t"!n t/o, t"ou&" /e tend to use t"e t/o forms interc"!n&e!bl+ in inform!l En&lis"$ 5e spoke fast and his words tumbled out, tripping o&er e!c" ot"er*one !not"er. 6 -on't use ! reflexive or !n object ronoun /"ere ! reci roc!l ronoun is needed$ :o, we.ll see ourselves*us at the fountain at half past one tomorrow. :o, we.ll see e!c" ot"er at the fountain at half past one tomorrow.