Pronouns

Pronouns
1- Case 2- Number 3- Antecedent

1- Case
Reflexive &
Subjective Case Objective Case Possessive case
Intensive pronouns
I me my mine myself

il
we us our ours ourselves
you you your yours yourself / yourselves
they them their theirs themselves
he him his his himself
she
it
ab her
it
her
its
hers
its
herself
itself

Indefinite Pronouns
Singular Plural
N
someone everything all
anyone no one some
everyone one both
somebody each few
anybody neither many
everybody either most
r.

something none several

anything much
M

Demonstrative Pronouns
Singular Plural
this that these those

Relative Pronouns
who whom which that whose
 Pronouns

Subjective Case VS Objective Case

Subjective case VERB Objective case
Examples:

• My sister, my brother and I invited them to the party.

• The article cited Brown and her as the best examples.

Exercises:

1. He / him and his family are looking for a new home.

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2. It is difficult to see how the rule will affect you and I / me.
3. My parents said that my sister had taken both my brother and they / them to the new
ab
restaurant.
4. Ask whether, after all our hard work, Suzie and I / me are adequately prepared for the
competition.
N
SAT Question:
The owners hired my husband and I to manage the inn because we had more experience than the
other applicants.
A) No change
B) my husband and my
C) my husband and me
r.

D) both my husband and I

Than / as + Subjective Case

M

Examples:

• He works harder than she.

• Nader is as fast as I

Exercises:

1. Now that they have won the lottery, they are as rich as we / us.
2. They received the news later than she / her.
3. John is as tall as Susan; she is younger than he / him.
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 Pronouns

SAT Questions:
My grandmother leads a more active life than many other retirees who are younger than her.
(A) No change
(B) them
(C) her or him
(D) she

Preposition + Objective Case

*Prepositions: (by – to – with – from – in – at – about – against – except, etc.)

Examples:

il
• Mother told father about Tom and me.
• I think Joan has an eye on her.
ab
Exercises:

1. Everyone except he / him was well prepared for the test.

2. They received the news from the neighbor before they heard from my girlfriend and I /
me.
N
3. I gave the new book to a friend who promised to deliver it to we / us eager readers.
SAT Question:
By order of the Student Council, the wearing of slacks by we girls in school has been permitted.
(A) No change
(B) us girls
r.

(C) ours girls

(D) most of we girls

Who VS Whom
M

*Both refer to persons

*Who / whoever + verb
*Whom / whomever + subject + verb
Examples:

• They will give the award to whoever deserves it.

• I watched the man whom you defeated yesterday.

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 Pronouns

Exercises:

1. We did not know who / whom would be able to repair the hard drive.
2. They will take the money from whoever / whomever they think most able to afford it.
3. The lawyer who / whom you chose to represent you is doing an excellent job.
SAT Questions:
The novelists who readers choose as their favorites are not always the most skilled writers.
(A) No change
(B) whom are reading
(C) whom readers
(D) who readers may

il
Who VS Which/That
*WHO refers to persons whereas WHICH & THAT refer to things
ab
Examples:
• People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
• Walden Pond, which was written in the mid 1800s, remains a popular book among
romantic and individualistic Americans.
N
Exercises:
1. She prefers to watch movies which / who make her cry.
2. He bought all the books that / who are required for the course.
3. Tashonda Viereck's children, which / who all graduated from college, came home for her
eighteenth birthday.
SAT Questions:
r.

1- The volleyball players which arrived for the team picture in the uniforms that they had worn to
practice were irritable and tired.
M

(A) No change
(B) whom arrived
(C) which arrives
(D) who arrived

2- The advertisement for Neil Simon's play Rumors features three sets of mechanical false teeth who
appear to be talking to each other.
(A) No change
(B) which appear
(C) whom appear
(D) whom they appear
 Pronouns

Its OR It's
*None of the possessive forms of pronouns have apostrophes.

Its  possessive case: My wallet was lost; its color is brown.

It's  it is: It will rain because it's cloudy.

Exercises:

1. Its / it’s my birthday today.

2. The cat carried it's / its kitten in it's / its mouth.

il
3. It's / its one of the hardest courses in it's / its history
SAT Questions:
1- The Watergate scandal may be a thing of the past but the Republicans will feel it's effects for a long
ab
time to come.
(A) No change
(B) its effects
(C) their effects
(D) there effects
N
Their OR They're OR There
Their  possessive case:
The students are very worried waiting to know their score.
r.

They're  They are + Adj / Gerund / Noun

The students are very worried because they're waiting to know their scores.
M

There  Adverb Or Pronoun

*Adverb: You cannot park your car here, but it is better to park it there.
*Pronoun: It may rain today because there is much fog.
SAT Question
Perhaps the most extra ordinary feature of the African elephants is there amazingly versatile trunk.
(A) No change
(B) their
(C) they're
(D) theirs

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 Pronouns

2- Number
• Pronoun/noun and pronoun/noun (plural)
EX: Ahmed and Ali are coming now.
• Pronoun/noun or pronoun/noun (singular)
EX: Ahmed or Ali is coming now.
• None of / no one / everyone / anyone / each,etc. (singular)

Exercises:
- Although Yara and Sara were sick, (she–they) came to work yesterday.
- The students jumped from (her or his–their) places after they had known the scores.

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- Each of the applicants presented (his or her–their) required certificates.
SAT Questions: ab
1- I sincerely believe that a person intelligent enough to be in business by themselves should have the
ability to recognize a dangerous investment.
(A) No change
(B) by them
(C) by himself
N
(D) with his own skills

2- The survey indicated that workers in the United States hope that his or her wages will
keep pace with the rising cost of living.
(A) No change
(B) one's
r.

(C) there
(D) their
M

• This / that + singular (This book–that dog, etc.)

• These / those + plural (These flowers / those boys, etc.)

SAT Questions:
Most students like to read these kind of books during their spare time.
(A) No change
(B) these kind of book
(C) this kind of books
(D) this kinds of books
 Pronouns

3- Antecedent
(Ambiguous pronoun – Confusing pronoun – pronoun shifting)

Ambiguous Pronoun
Examples:
- They went to Alex in the previous vacation.
They this is a pronoun without clear reference
*To solve the AMBIGUITY remove the pronoun OR name it

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SAT Questions:
1- The Socialist Party is now powerful enough to worry the governing Christian Democrats, and they
may win fifty seats in the next election.
(A) No change
(B) and they might win
ab
(C) and the Socialists may win
(D) and the party
2- In the Trenton News, they report that there are as many as 10,000 homeless people in Washington
N
DC.
(A) No change
(B) In the Trenton News, they issued the report that
(C) The Trenton News reports that
(D) The Trenton News makes the report that

Confusing pronoun
r.

• Singular noun, singular noun ……………. Singular pronoun ×

M

Example:
- Khaled waited for Sam in his car. ×

SAT Questions:
Neither Ms. Perez nor Ms. Tanaka believes that watching as much television as her son Sam does
will lead to anything productive.
(A) No change
(B) hers
(C) their son Sam
(D) Tanaka's son Sam

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 Pronouns

• Plural noun, plural noun ……………. plural pronoun ×

Example:

- I think bananas are better than apples because they have much Potassium. ×
SAT Questions:
Bears, mountain lions, beavers, dear, squirrels and coyotes inhabit Sequoia Park, and they may be
dangerous to campers.
(A) No change
(B) and it
(C) mountain lions

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(D) and them

• Singular noun, Singular noun …………….

ab plural pronoun √
Examples:
- My cousin invited my brother to go on picnic, but they didn't ask me to come with
them. √

SAT Questions:
N
Neither Roger nor his sister was able to understand what the conductor was saying because they did
not know how to speak French.
(A) No change
(B) them
(C) one
(D) him
r.

Pronoun shifting
M

Examples:

- Even after you have endured a cold winter in subzero weather, you find it possible to
become acclimated to tropical temperatures in the summer.
- If Tom wins the lottery jackpot, he will have enough money to pay off his debt.
- You will be able to get into the cinema even if you arrive before the film starts.
- The Ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens, and
they shaped them in many different styles.
 Pronouns

Exercises: Find the mistake and correct it

- If we linked our ideas, you / we would get good results. ……………….
- Even though Bob studied very hard, we / he still failed in French tests. ……………

SAT Questions:
If we plan carefully and waste no time on irrelevant topics, you should be able to
finish the essay in twenty minutes.
(A) No change
(B) you
(C) he
(D) one

il
Walking on coral from their earliest years, the Kitawans develop soles as tough as
leather, and they find the tender feet of westerners very odd.
(A) No change
(B) them
(C) it
ab
(D) one
N
NB:

 , Which √ , that ×
 Where & in which & in that refer to places.
- I went to The United States where I enjoyed my time.
r.

 When refers to time.

- She wrote the first novel when she was twelve.
M
 Pronouns

Practices
1- Therefore, I admire organizations that speak up
for fairness and democratic principles, even if it
is motivated by selfishness.
(A) No change
(B) even when their motives are selfish.
(C) even when the motive is to be for its own
selfish aims.
(D) whether or not it's for their own selfish
aims.
2- Encouraged by the success of its weekly
6- If westerners acknowledge that the eastern
United States has wilderness areas, one probably
thinks of the Blue Ridge Mountains or perhaps
Maine.
(A) No change
(B) one may think
(C) you probably think
(D) they probably think
7- Many of the compounds that can be produced
from the leaves of this plant are dangerous, but

il
Spanish-language programs, MTV will launch a the plant themselves cannot be called toxic.
twenty-four hour Spanish language cable (A) No change
network. (B) the plant itself
(A) No change ab (C) the plant oneself
(B) it's (D) the plant himself
(C) their
(D) them 8- If one digs beneath the snow in the garden, you
may find the scarlet flowers of the hardy
3- When the new ambassador first arrived cyclamen.
in the capital, though late in May, they found
(A) No change
N
that the large lakes were still frozen.
(B) you may come upon
(A) No change
(C) one may find
(B) them found
(D) we may find
(C) him found
(D) he found
9- Everywhere you look in New York City,
4- That Naomi, the book's main character and one sees the white brick apartment buildings
possibly its hero, is a mere child during the that sprang up after the war like mushrooms.
r.

Revolution makes the story even more appealing (A) No change

to young readers. (B) one will see
(A) No change (C) they saw
(B) it's (D) you see
M

(C) their
(D) them 10- In English literature James Boswell is the prime
example of a biographer who, by ensuring the
5- If the election results are as Harris predicts, the immortality of another author, has achieved
new senator will be the man which the people immortality for himself.
believed made the better showing in the (A) No change
televised debate. (B) oneself
(A) No change (C) yourself
(B) whom people (D) themselves
(C) who people
(D) which is
Chapter 1 Pronouns

11- In Hawaii, they are emphasizing the Hawaiian
language as a part of a renaissance in the native
culture, including music and dance.
(A) No change
(B) the emphasis on the Hawaiian language is
part of
(C) they are putting emphasis on Hawaiian as a
language as a part of
(D) the emphasis on the Hawaiian language is to
them a part of
12- Zookeepers have expanded one's definition of
care to include concern for the animal's mental
state as well as for its physical well-being.
16- Psychologists advise that before making any
major changes in your life, a person needs to
focus on one's goals.
(A) No change
(B) their life, a person needs to focus on their
goals.
(C) one's life, you should focus on your goals.
(D) their lives, people should focus on their
goals.
17- As the mayor was evaluating the proposed tax,
he was less interested in the revenue it
would generate than in whether they would
disproportionately affect certain income groups.
(A) No change

il
(A) No change (B) whether them would
(B) their (C) whether it would
(C) there (D) whether this would
(D) our
ab
13- Last summer, when Mary's aunt and uncle
flew from Turkey to visit their relatives and tour
the United States, Mary invited Sandhya and I to
18- Ethel Payne, the tough investigative reporter
which is well known for her coverage of the
Civil Rights movement, first received critical
acclaim for a diary she kept while living in
her house to meet them. Japan after the Second World War.
(A) No change (A) No change
N
(B) and my (B) which are
(C) and me (C) who is
(D) and mine (D) whom are

14- Because the American Indian rodeo includes 19- The plans proposed by the students for the
games and exhibitations developed as early as home-combing celebration are perfectly clear
the seventeenth century, they predate by a few and it is well within our budget; however, the
r.

hundred years the form of rodeo now seen on plans are not likely to be approved by the
television. administration.
(A) No change (A) No change
(B) them predate (B) and they are
M

(C) this predate (C) and them are

(D) it predates (D) and one is

15- Hearing the unexpected loud noise, Cindy, 20- During rehearsals, the director praised the actors
Leroy, and me were so startled that we almost which had supporting roles more often than
jumped out of our seats. those with the most demanding roles.
(A) No change (A) No change
(B) Cindy, Leroy, and me was (B) whom had
(C) Cindy, Leroy, and I were (C) which have
(D) Cindy, Leroy; and I was (D) who had
 Pronouns

21- Our modern solar calendar, established in 1582, 26- The governor favored the new laws because
is based on the Julian calendar, Julius Caesar it would allow the state to save more than
introduced it in 46 B.C. ten million dollars.
(A) No change (A) No change
(B) calendar; then Julius Caesar introduced it (B) its
(C) calendar, with an introduction by Julius (C) they
Caesar (D) them
(D) calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar 27- The success of the governor in attracting
new industry to the rural area can be
22- The African violet is among the most popular attributed to their low cost of living.
houseplants because their flowers bloom (A) No change
throughout the year and come in a wide array of (B) them
colors. (C) it

il
(A) No change (D) its
(B) it's flowers 28- It is believed that small fish cluster together
(C) its flowers when confronted by a predator in order to
(D) there flowers
ab
23- Though delightful to the adult palate, the flavors
of the dishes are pungent and spicy, so Nadia
confuse them and thereby protect themselves
from harm.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) they
takes care not to feed it to very young children. (C) it
(A) No change
N
(D) it's
(B) it's 29- Recently adapted as emblem of humanitarian
(C) they aid, the Red Crystal is, unlike its
(D) them counterparts the Red Cross and the Red
24- Biologists fear that if the northern snakehead Crescent, entirely devoid of religious
fish establishes itself in the United States, they connotation.
will join other introduced species that threaten (A) NO CHANGE
r.

native plants and animals in and around water. (B) it's

(A) No change (C) their
(B) them (D) there
M

(C) it 30- France is well-known throughout the world

(D) this for their numerous mountain ranges, which
25- Perhaps the most extra ordinary feature of the include the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the
African elephant is their amazingly versatile Vosges.
trunk. (A) NO CHANGE
(E) No change (B) there
(F) there (C) its
(G) its (D) it's
(H) it's
 Pronouns

Homework
1. Ocean currents that start in the warm waters of 5. Since it opened in 1956, The Zelinski restaurant
the Pacific and Indian Oceans are initially low in has become famous for their unusual fare and its
salt content but become more saline as it flows elaborately decorated dining room.
northward into colder regions. (A) No change
(A) No change (B) them
(B) it is flowing (C) it's
(C) they flow (D) its

il
(D) them flow 6. The codfish inhabits the shallow waters of the
2. In addition to having a theoretical understanding ocean; they are especially plentiful in such areas
of disease, medical students must have
ab as the North American continental shelf, where
experience in treating patients if he or she is the depth is rarely greater than 200 or 300 feet.
to learn to diagnose illnesses accurately. (A) No change
(A) No change (B) them are
(B) them are (C) it is
N
(C) they are (D) its
(D) each are 7. Though I am acquainted with Mr. Bartholomew
3. Professor Corey, a man genuinely interested in and have long known of his interest in the
others ideas, told the students in his government painting that he has gone to such lengths
class that they were free to voice all of their to obtain it astonishes me.
r.

opinions, no matter how controversial it was. (A) No change

(A) No change (B) them astonishes me
M

(B) it is (C) it astonishes I

(C) its was (D) them astonishes I
(D) they were 8. My mother always gave my sister and I the same
4. The United States Supreme Court is the treats when we were little so that neither of us
final interpreter of the constitution, and they have would be jealous of the other.
the power to declare a state law unconstitutional. (A) No change
(A) No change (B) my sister and me
(B) it has (C) my sister and they
(C) them have (D) my sister and my
(D) those have
Chapter 1 Pronouns

9. Everyone who attends a concert at the sports 14. The Governor asked the attorney to head the
arena Knows that they will be searched for drugs committee because he was convinced that the
committee needed to start work immediately.
before entering.
(A) No change
(A) No change
(B) because he is
(B) they are
(C) because the attorney was
(C) he or she will be
(D) because of them
(D) you will be
15. As an incentive to attend the local college, our
10. Most gardeners like to cultivate these kind of father told my brother and I that we could use
flowers in the early spring. his company car for transportation.
(A) No change
(A) No change

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(B) my brother and me
(B) these kind of flower
(C) both my brother and I
(C) those kind of flower
(D) we
(D) this kind of flowers
ab
11. Its my opinion that learning the correct
pronunciation should precede attempt to learn
16. All the aspiring young writers submitted their
stories, each hoping that they would win first
prize.
the correct spelling of a word. (A) No change
N
(A) No change (B) their
(B) It's (C) them
(C) Those are (D) he or she
(D) They are 17. Since we first started high school, there has been
12. Every typist in the office except she was out sick great competition for grades between him and I.
r.

at least one day during the past month. (A) No change

(A) No change (B) between he and I
(B) except her
M

(C) between him and me

(C) but not her (D) between he and me
(D) apart from she 18. The man who Mexican authorities believe to be
13. I appreciate you offering to help me with my the country's number I drug trafficker
research project, but the honor system prevents has been arrested in a Pacific resort area.
students from giving and receiving assistance. (A) No change
(A) No change (B) whose
(B) yours (C) whom
(C) your (D) which
(D) you are
 Pronouns

19. If you still due west from the city of Perth in
Australia, one will not encounter land until the
coast of Africa is reached.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) you
(C) we
(D) they
20. Scientists and researchers which are respected in
their fields have conducted studies indicating
that the good feelings produced by eating
23. For much of the last century, the building
industry relied heavily on the availability of
timber, but now that forest resources are being
depleted rapidly, builders must decide what to
do about it.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) its
(C) them
(D) they
24. The conscientious board of directors has done

il
chocolate may be attributed to its effect on a everything it can to address the issues raised by
brain chemical called an andamide. their critics.
(A) NO CHANGE (A) NO CHANGE
(B) whom are
(C) who are
(D) who is
ab (B) your
(C) one's
(D) its
21. Although she knew that the seat was reserved
N
25. John and Bob had been friends since
for someone, Mary interrupted the conversation kindergarten because he was good at soccer
between John and I to ask if she could sit with
and ready to laugh at any joke.
us.
(A) NO CHANGE
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) between John and me
(B) he or she
r.

(C) between John and myself (C) each

(D) between both John and I
(D) they
22. France is well-known throughout the world for
M

26. Although polls showed that many voters felt

their numerous mountain ranges, which include sympathetic toward the embattled politician, he
the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the Vosges. or she voted him out of office in the next
(A) NO CHANGE election.
(B) there (A) NO CHANGE
(C) its (B) them
(D) it's (C) they
(D) he
 Pronouns

27. African grey parrots particularly noted for their
cognitive abilities, which are believed to have
evolved as a consequence of it's history of
cooperative feeding on the ground.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) it
(C) their
(D) one's
28. Before the election, there was a long period of
disagreement among my friends and me,
30. Users of advanced software often think that the
initial sections of their support manuals provide
them with all the information you will ever
need.
(A) NO CHANGE
(B) I
(C) they
(D) he or she
31. The tour guide warned us to lower their heads
when entering the old castle, since the old

il
because we all had conflicting opinions from doorway was very low.
which we would not be swayed. (A) No changes
(A) NO CHANGE (B) one's heads

(B) they
(C) he
(D) it
ab (C) your head
(D) our heads

29. The first public buildings to have air-

N
conditioning were often movie theaters and
restaurants, whose owners tried to attract
customers by promising that you would be
cooler inside.
(A) NO CHANGE
r.

(B) your
(C) they
M

(D) he or she
 Pronouns
Mini Exam
. 1 .. .
Dying Woman Seeks Home For Dogs
(A) NO CHANGE
This is What's Trending Today: (B) there
(C) their
Wednesday was National Puppy Day. Lots of (D) it's
people used social media to post adorable photos
. 2 .. .
of . 1 . our furry companions. Americans
(A) NO CHANGE
definitely love . 2 . there dogs. But what happens (B) their
(C) they
when dogs outlive . 3 . its owners? (D) them
That is going to happen to Kathleen
. 3 .. .

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Zuidema, a dog-lover from the U.S. state of
(A) NO CHANGE
Washington. Zuidema has lung cancer and does (B) their
(C) it's
not expect to live much longer. . 4 . She has three
ab (D) they
dogs, Australian shepherds. Zuidema is making
. 4 .. .
plans for the end of . 5 . their life, and . 6 . they
(A) NO CHANGE
wrote . 7 . these post on Facebook in March:"My (B) her
(C) they
heart is breaking and I'm sobbing as . 8 . me write (D) hers
N
this …. "
. 5 .. .

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) her
(C) our
(D) your

. 6 .. .
r.

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) her
(C) she
M

(D) them

. 7 .. .

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) they
(C) this
(D) those

. 8 .. .

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) I
(C) my
(D) you
 Pronouns

Zuidema said . 9 . they needs someone to take

. 9 .. .
all three dogs, and not break .10. they up. The new
(A) NO CHANGE
owner must have a large yard for the dogs to run, (B) he or she
jump and play. The yard must have a fence so the (C) one
(D) she
dogs are safe and cannot get loose. But Zuidema
.10.. .
lives on a small island in the cold waters off the
(A) NO CHANGE
coast of Washington state. (B) her
There are few people on San Juan Island .11. (C) they
(D) them
who would be able to take in three full-grown
.11.. .
dogs together. For about three weeks, Zuidema′s

il
(A) NO CHANGE
post was passed from person to person. It was (B) which
shared more than 30,000 times. Neighbors being (C) that
(D) Delete the underlined portion.
neighbors, another islander, Danielle Cochran,
ab
walked over to Zuidema′s home and asked if she
could help. She did not know Zuidema, but .12.
.12..

(A)
(B)
(C)
NO CHANGE
her
she
.

they knew her dogs from seeing .13. them around

(D) hers
N
town.
.13.. .
Zuidema′s last wishes will not go
(A) NO CHANGE
unanswered. A local television station says (B) their
Cochran and .14. their husband will take the two (C) our
(D) your
younger dogs soon. But the third, and oldest, will
.14.. .
r.

stay at .15. their side on .16. her deathbed until

(A) NO CHANGE
Zuidema dies. "I got everything I wanted ... except (B) her
for the dying part," Zuidema says. And that′s (C) they
M

(D) them
what′s trending today.
.15.. .

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) they
(C) these
(D) her

.16.. .

(A) NO CHANGE
(B) me
(C) my
(D) you