PRONOUNS

REPORTED BY: MENDOZA, LIZAMHEL &

VERGARA, FERMINA
 ICE
BREAKER
COMPLETE THE
LYRICS.
 BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT ME OFF
MAKE OUT LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED AND THAT WE
WERE NOTHING
AND I DON'T EVEN NEED ____ LOVE
BUT YOU TREAT __ LIKE A STRANGER, AND THAT
FEELS SO ROUGH
...
I GUESS THAT I DON'T NEED THAT, THOUGH
NOW YOU'RE JUST ________ THAT I USED TO
KNOW
 ROMEO, TAKE __ SOMEWHERE WE CAN BE ALONE
I'LL BE WAITING, ___ THERE'S LEFT TO DO IS RUN
YOU'LL BE THE PRINCE AND I'LL BE THE PRINCESS
____ A LOVE STORY, BABY, JUST SAY, "YES"
 I DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS
THERE IS JUST ONE THING I NEED
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PRESENTS UNDERNEATH
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
I JUST WANT __ FOR __ OWN
MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER KNOW
MAKE __ WISH COME TRUE
___ I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS ___
YEAH
 PRONOUNS
TRADITIONAL FORMAL
STRUCTURALLY PRONOUNS ARE
A PRONOUN IS A WORD
EQUIVALENT TO NOUN PHRASES
THAT REPLACES ONE OR
AND CAN FUNCTION AS SUBJECTS
MORE THAN ONE NOUN. OR OBJECTS

“TAKE THE PLACE OF A USUALLY OCCUR ALONE WITHOUT

NOUN” MODIFICATION
 CLASS
CLASSIFICATION OF WORDS (WORD CLASS)
PRONOUNS BELONG TO THE CLOSED WORD CLASS.

CLOSED WORD CLASS - FUNCTION WORDS: PRONOUN,

CONJUNCTION, PREPOSITION, INTERJECTION
OPEN WORD CLASS - FOCUS MORE ON PROVINDING THE
MEANING OR CONTENT IN LANGUAGE: NOUN,
ADJECTIVE, VERB, ADVERB
FUNCTIONS
1. PRONOUNS CAN FUNCTION AS
SUBSTITUTES FOR NOUNS.
EXAMPLE:
MICHELLE WAS OFFERED AN
EXCITING NEW JOB AND SHE
DECIDED TO TAKE IT.
2. PRONOUNS REPLACE NOT
JUST A SINGLE NOUN BUT
ALSO NOUN PHRASES.
EXAMPLE:
ANNETTE LEFT SOME FRESH
JAM DOUGHNUTS ON THE
TABLE AND ASHLEY CAME
IN AND ATE THEM.
 FUNCTIONS
3 4
3. PRONOUNS REPLACING PART OF A 4. SOME PRONOUNS ARE ALSO USED
PHRASE TO REFER TO WHAT IS UNKNOWN.
EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE:
SARAH CHOSE A KENYAN SAFARI SOMEBODY HAS STOLEN MY
BUT MARTIN PREFERRED A SOUTH CHOCOLATE MUFFIN.
AFRICAN ONE.
 PERSONAL PRONOUNS

PRONOUNS THAT ARE USED AS SUBSTITUTE FOR

PROPER OR COMMON NOUNS.
 EXAMPLES
1. CLAIRE WATCHED THE METEOR
SHOWER LAST NIGHT; SHE SAW IT FROM
HER BEDROOM WINDOW.

2. THERE’S A LETTER THANKING US FOR

OUR HOSPITALITY.
 THREE RULES
FOR AGREEMENT
IN NUMBER
1. A SINGULAR PERSONAL PRONOUN IS USED WITH TWO
OR MORE SINGULAR ANTECEDENTS JOINED BY OR OR
NOR.

EXAMPLE:
NEITHER HE NOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL WANTED HIS
MOTHER TO BE THERE.
 EXCEPTION
WHEN JOINT OWNERSHIP IS EXPRESSED

EXAMPLE:
NEITHER HE NOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL WANTED
THEIR MOTHER TO BE THERE.
2. A PLURAL PERSONAL PRONOUN IS USED WITH TWO OR
MORE ANTECEDENTS JOINED BY AND.

EXAMPLE:
THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND CURRITO ARE BOTH
DEVOTED TO THEIR PATRON SAINT.
 EXCEPTION
WHEN INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP IS EXPRESSED

EXAMPLE:

THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND CURRITO ARE BOTH

DEVOTED TO HIS PATRON SAINT.
3. FOR COMPOUND ANTECEDENTS WHERE EITHER ONE IS
PLURAL AND JOINED BY OR OR NOR, USE A PLURAL
PERSONAL PRONOUN.

EXAMPLE:
IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER CURRITO OR THE CREW
JUMPED OFF THEIR SHIP.
 NOTE
THE USE OF THEY/THEM AS SINGULAR PRONOUNS TO
PROMOTE THE USE OF GENDER-FAIR LANGUAGE.
EXAMPLE:
A HUMAN BEING IS UNIQUE AMONG MAMMALS IN THAT
HE HAS SPEECH.
A HUMAN BEING IS UNIQUE AMONG MAMMALS IN THAT
THEY HAVE SPEECH.
REFLEXIVE
PRONOUNS PRONOUNS SHOW THAT
THE SUBJECT OF A VERB
IS THE SAME AS ITS
OBJECT. THEY CAN ALSO
BE USED IN OTHER
SITUATIONS TO ADD
EMPHASIS.
 EXAMPLES
1. THE COMPANY DIRECTOR GAVE THE TALK
HIMSELF.
2. THE QUEEN SMILED AT HERSELF IN THE
MIRROR.
3. MARY TOLD JOHN TO HELP HIMSELF TO SOME
DESSERT.
4. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
 GENERAL RULE
THE ANTECEDENT OF A REFLEXIVE PRONOUN IS THE
NEAREST PRECEDING NOUN THAT PLAYS THE ROLE
OF SUBJECT OR OBJECT OF A VERB.
 REMINDER!
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS MUST AGREE WITH THE
CLEARLY STATED ANTECEDENT.
DO NOT USE REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS AS PERSONAL
PRONOUNS.
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS THAT ARE USED TO EXPRESS OWNERSHIP OR
POSSESSION.

I.E., MINE, YOURS, HIS, HERS, ITS, OURS, THEIRS

 EXAMPLES:
1. DO YOU KNOW WHICH TABLE IS OURS?
2. THOSE BOOKS ARE HIS.
3. THE PROBLEM IS HERS TO DEAL WITH; I’M NOT
GETTING INVOLVED.
 REMINDER!
DON’T CONFUSE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS WITH POSSESSIVE
DETERMINERS.
POSSESSIVE DETERMINER ARE USED BEFORE THE NOUN TO
SHOW WHO IT BELONGS TO. (I.E., MY, YOUR, HIS, HER, ITS,
OUR, THEIR).
REMINDER!
THIS IS MY CAR.

VS

THIS CAR IS MINE.

 DEMONSTRATIVE
PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS THAT POINT TO A SPECIFIC NOUN OR NOUN PHRASE
IN A SENTENCE. IT CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR THE NOUN OR NOUN
PHRASE AS LONG AS WHAT IT REPRESENTS IS CLEAR WITHIN
THE CONTEXT.

I.E. THIS/THESE ; THAT/THOSE

 EXAMPLES:
1. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?
2. CAN YOU SEE THOSE?
3. THESE ARE BAD TIMES.
4. THESE ARE BIGGER THAN THOSE.
 ACTIVITY
1. WE WERE NATURALLY VERY SAD TO HEAR
ABOUT ____ LOSS.
2. MY LITTLE GIRL ALWAYS SINGS ______ TO
SLEEP.
3. KENNETH AND CLARA ARE BROTHERS AND
SISTERS. ____ WENT TO THE CITY TO VISIT
_____ RELATIVES.
RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS THAT INDICATE MUTUAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
SUBJECT AND OBJECT.

WE USE THE RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS

EACH OTHER AND ONE ANOTHER
WHEN TWO OR MORE PEOPLE DO THE
SAME THING.
 EXAMPLES
1. PETER AND MARY HELPED EACH OTHER.
2. WE SENT ONE ANOTHER CHRISTMAS CARDS.
3. THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT EACH OTHER.
 TAKE NOTE!
WE DO NOT USE RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS AS THE
SUBJECT OF A CLAUSE.
 TAKE NOTE!
RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS AND PLURAL REFLEXIVE
PRONOUNS (OURSELVES, YOURSELVES,
THEMSELVES) HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS:
JOHN AND FRED TALK TO EACH OTHER
REGULARLY.
 TAKE NOTE!
JOHN TALKS TO FRED AND FRED TALKS TO JOHN.
JOHN AND FRED REGULARLY TALK TO
THEMSELVES.
JOHN TALKS TO HIMSELF AND FRED TALKS TO
HIMSELF.
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS THAT ARE USED IN THE BEGINNING OF A
SENTENCE THAT ASK DIRECT OR INDIRECT QUESTIONS.

WHAT
WHICH
WHO
WHOM
WHOSE
 EXAMPLES
DIRECT QUESTION: WHAT IS HE UP TO?
INDIRECT QUESTION: ANA WANTED TO KNOW WHO
THIS MAN WAS.
 LET’S TRY!
___ IS YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER TODAY?
____ DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS?
I HAVE MANGOES, APPLES, AND BANANAS. _____
DO YOU LIKE?
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS THAT RELATE A SUBORDINATE CLAUSE TO
ANOTHER WORD IN THE SAME SENTENCE
1. RELATIVE WH-PRONOUN
A. THIS IS THE CAR WHICH I WANT TO BUY.
2. NOMINAL RELATIVE WH-PRONOUN
A. WHO TO ASK WAS SOMETHING OF A PROBLEM.
3. CONDITIONAL WH-PRONOUN
A. WHATEVER HAPPENS, I’M LEAVING.
‘
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
USED IN SENTENCES MUCH LIKE A NOUN SO THEY
DON’T NEED ANTECEDENTS.
USED TO REFER TO PERSONS, PLACES, OR THINGS
BUT NO SPECIFICICATIONS.
 EXAMPLES
ALL, ANOTHER, ANY, ANYBODY/ANYONE,
ANYTHING, EACH, EVERYBODY/EVERYONE,
EVERYTHING, FEW, MANY, NOBODY, NONE, ONE,
SEVERAL, SOME, SOMEBODY/SOMEONE
 ANTECEDENTS
NO SPECIFIC ANT. SPECIFIC ANT.

NOBODY KNEW WHERE HE THE TOWNSFOLK DESPISED

CAME FROM ALTHOUGH HIM SO MUCH AND MANY
SOME CLAIMED TO HAVE TREATED HIM LIKE A
SEEN HIM BEFORE. LEPER.
 REMEMBER
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THESE PRONOUNS DO
NOT HAVE AN IDENTIFIABLE REFERENT AND
ARE NOT THEREFORE FUNCTIONING AS NOUN OR
NOUN PHRASE SUBSTITUTES AS SUCH.
 RULES
A PLURAL PERSONAL PRONOUN IS USED WHEN
THE ANTECEDENT IS A PLURAL INDEFINITE
PRONOUN.
ALL OF THE PEOPLE TURNED THEIR BACKS ON
HIM.
 RULES
A SINGULAR PERSONAL PRONOUN IS USED WHEN
THE ANTECEDENT IS A SINGULAR INDEFINITE
PRONOUN.
ONE OF THE ELDERLY WOMEN TOOK OUT HER
ROSARY AND BEGAN TO PRAY.
 RULES
ALL, ANY, MORE, MOST, NONE, AND SOME CAN
EITHER BE SINGULAR OR PLURAL, SO THE
AGREEMENT IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF
ANTECEDENT OF THE INDEFINITE PRONOUN.
ANY PERSON IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD
AGREE.
 RULES
ALL, ANY, MORE, MOST, NONE, AND SOME CAN
EITHER BE SINGULAR OR PLURAL, SO THE
AGREEMENT IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF
ANTECEDENT OF THE INDEFINITE PRONOUN.
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY
WANT IN LIFE.
 RULES
EVERYONE AND EVERYBODY TAKE THE GENERIC
PRONOUN HIS IN FORMAL WRITING.
NUMERAL PRONOUNS
NUMERALS ARE SUBDIVIDED INTO CARDINALS (ONE, TWO,
ETC.), ORDINALS (FIRST, SECOND, ETC.), AND FRACTIONS (A
QUARTER, FIVE-EIGHTS, ETC).

TERRY WANTED A NEW PIANO AND CLIVE WANTED ONE TOO.

AIDAN MADE THREE WISHES ON HIS BIRTHDAY: THE FIRST WAS
FOR HIS BROTHER.
 VAGUE PRONOUN
PROBLEMS WITH
REFERENCES
1. FOR ANTECEDENTS
PRONOUN AGREEMENTS
USING WHICH,, THIS,
THAT, AND THESE,
ADD A NOUN
CURRITO SHOWED VERY LITTLE
PHRASE TO THE CHARACTER, WHICH MADE PEOPLE
PRONOUN TO REVISE MISUNDERSTAND HIM.
THE SENTENCE. CURRITO SHOWED VERY LITTLE
CHARACTER, A TRAIT WHICH MADE
PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND HIM.
 VAGUE PRONOUN
PROBLEMS WITH
REFERENCES
2. FOR ANTECEDENTS
PRONOUN AGREEMENTS
USING IT, THEY, AND
YOU, REPLACE THE
PRONOUN WITH A
SPECIFIC NOUN OR WHEN THE SHIP SAILED TO THE SEA,
REWRITE THE IT MADE A THUNDEROUS NOISE.
SENTENCE. THE SHIP MADE A THUNDEROUS NOISE
WHEN IT SAILED TO THE SEA.
AMBIGUOUS PRONOUN
PROBLEMS WITH
REFERENCES
1. THE ANTECEDENT
PRONOUN AGREEMENTS
OF A PERSONAL
PRONOUN SHOULD
ALWAYS BE
OBVIOUS. AMBIGUOUS: MR. SILVA GAVE MR.
VERA HIS APPOINTMENT PAPERS.
(WHOSE APPOINTMENT PAPER?)
CORRECT: MR. VERA’S APPOINTMENT
PAPERS WERE GIVEN BY MR. SILVA.
 AMBIGUOUS PRONOUN
PROBLEMS WITH
REFERENCES
2. DO NOT USE A
PRONOUN AGREEMENTS
PERSONAL PRONOUN
REPEATEDLY IN A
SENTENCE WHEN IT AMBIGUOUS: MRS. ANA THOUGHT SHE
CAN REFER TO COULD BE A MOTHER TO CURRITO
DIFFERENT BECAUSE SHE LIVED FAR AWAY.
ANTECEDENTS. CORRECT: MRS. ANA THOUGHT SHE
COULD BE A MOTHER TO CURRITO
BECAUSE HIS MOTHER LIVED FAR
AWAY.
 AVOIDING DISTANT
PROBLEMS WITH
PRONOUNS PRONOUN AGREEMENTS
A PRONOUN SHOULD
ALWAYS BE NEAR ITS
ANTECEDENT TO AVOID
CONFUSION.
 DURING THE ZE PRONOUN
REGISTRATION PROCESS
AT HARVARD
UNIVERSITY, STUDENTS
ARE NOW ALLOWED TO
INDICATE WHICH
A PERSONAL PRONOUN
PRONOUNS THEY USE,
SOMETIMES USED INSTEAD OF
WITH SUGGESTED
"HE" OR "SHE" BECAUSE IT
GENDER-NEUTRAL DOES NOT SHOW A PARTICULAR
OPTIONS LIKE “ZE” OR GENDER (CAMBRIDGE
“THEY” (POON, 2015). DICTIONARY, N.D.)
 EXAMPLES
MY FRIEND DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THE PARTY,
BUT ZE GOT UP AND DANCED WHEN ZIR
FAVORITE SONG CAME ON!
ZE IS A WRITER AND WROTE THAT BOOK ZIRSELF.
THOSE IDEAS ARE ZIRS. I LIKE BOTH ZIR AND ZIR
IDEAS.
 SO WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE
ZE PRONOUN?
CHECK THIS OUT!
LET’S ASSESS!
 References
Ballard, K. (2013). The frameworks of English: Introducing language
structures. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Berry, R. (2018). English grammar: A resource book for students. New York:
Routledge.
Dalisay, A.M., Luzada, M.G., Ong, M.R., & Santos, J.R. (2013). Grammar and
composition in our changing world. Manadulyong: Anvill Publishing.
Delos Reyes, M.C., Loureiro, E.S., Joson, L.R., Lacerna, J.G., Sison, E.M., & Cruz,
M.B. (2015). Basic grammar skills for freshmen. Malabon: Jimczyville
Publications.
Hall, D., & Barduhn, S. (2016). English for everyone: English grammar guide.
Lester, M. (2009). English grammar drills. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc..
Poon, L. (2015, September 28). 'Ze' or 'They'? A Guide to Using Gender-Neutral
Pronouns. Bloomberg.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-
28/-ze-or-they-a-guide-to-using-nonbinary-gender-neutral-
pronouns.
THANK
YOU
SEE YOU NEXT TIME