Parts of Speech: What is a PRONOUN? English 7 Mr. Holes.

Parts of Speech:What is a PRONOUN?

English 7Mr. Holes

So, what is aPRONOUN ?

A PRONOUN is a word used in place of a NOUN.

You use PRONOUNS to make your writing less cumbersome and less repetitive.

A PRONOUN is one of the 8 parts of speech.

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

So, what kinds ofPronouns are there ?

Remember, a PRONOUN is a word used in the place of a noun

PERSONAL PRONOUNS refer to a specific person or thing and changes their form to indicate person, number,

gender, and case.

Examples: you, she, he, I, we, they, myself, yourself, ourselves

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

So, what kinds ofPronouns are there ?

Remember, a PRONOUN is a word used in the place of a noun.

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS shows or defines ownership of an object.

Examples: mine, your, his, her, its, ours, theirs

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

How do we know what word the

Pronoun is replacing?Remember, PRONOUN is a word used in the place of a noun.

The ANTECEDENT is the Noun that the Pronoun is referring to.An Antecedent should come before the pronoun in the sentence.

Examples: Jim drove his car to the store.

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

Can there be problems with the

antecedent?OH YES! Sometimes it is not clear who or what the pronoun is

referring to in the sentence.

Examples: Jim called Mike three times on his cell phone.

Problem: Was it Jim’s cell phone or Mike’s cell phone?

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

Can there be problems with the

antecedent?OH YES! Sometimes it is not clear who or what the pronoun is

referring to in the sentence.

Examples: Sally told Kim that she would go with Ron to the homecoming dance.

Problem: Is Sally or Kim going with Ron?

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

Can there be problems with the

antecedent?OH YES! Sometimes it is not clear who or what the pronoun is

referring to in the sentence.

Examples: Ashley found a bracelet in the pants which she wore.

Problem: Did Ashley wear the bracelet or the pants?

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

Can there be problems with the

antecedent?OH YES! Sometimes it is not clear who or what the pronoun is

referring to in the sentence.

Examples: In the restaurant, they gave me someone else’s spaghetti.

Problem: who is THEY – the cooks, waiters, owners?

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

Can there be problems with the

antecedent?OH YES! Using the same Pronoun more than once in a sentence

makes it awkward and even misleading.

Examples: When it is my birthday, I hope to get a dog and I will walk it often.

Problem: Don’t use IT more than once in a sentence

Parts of Speech: What is a Pronoun?

Why should we use PRONONS in our writing?

– which sounds better:

“When Sue met Ted, she noticed that he was carrying several books. She offered to help him. Ted thanked her.”

“When Sue met Ted, Sue noticed that Ted was carrying several books. Sue offered to help Ted. Ted thanked Sue.”

- or -

Why should we use Pronouns in our writing?

Customize this editing technique to your writing. If you find yourself using the same nouns often—choose a Pronoun instead.

The first example’s is repetitive, isn’t it? That’s why it’s important to substitute a Pronoun in the sentence. It adds variety.

How can using Pronouns help you?

• Communicating your ideas clearly• Demonstrating you have control

over your writing• Making your writing

more exciting &fun to read

What do we think of authors or writers who don’t use Pronouns?

• They do not proofread.• They are lazy

(and probably boring).• They do not take the time

to re-read their work.• They don’t care if the

reader enjoys their writing

Knowing the Parts of Speech IS Important!!!

•For knowledge•For a job•For education•For clarity•For communication