1. An LSCC Learning Center Self-Paced Tutorial
PARTS OF
SPEECH:
NOUNS and
Pronouns
An LSCC Learning Center
Self-Paced Tutorial

2. What are the Parts of Speech?
Let’s review the various categories of words that make up the English language.
They are:
Nouns Verbs
Pronouns Adverbs
Adjectives Articles
Prepositions Conjunctions
Interjections
The good news is – this is the entire list!
The bad news is - many of these categories
have multiple subgroups.

3. Nouns and Pronouns
Today we are going to focus on these two grammar elements.
FACT
Nouns and pronouns are the
only two parts of speech that
can be used as the subject of
a sentence.

4. Nouns Nouns name a person, place or thing: JAMES (person)
SLIDE (thing)
PLAYGROUND
(place)

5. Types of Nouns Proper Noun Common Noun Abstract Noun Collective Noun
James
Common Noun
slide
Abstract Noun
love
Collective Noun
team

6. Plural Forms of Nouns
Some nouns add “S” or “ES” to form the plural. These are called regular nouns.
car / cars match / matches
Some nouns change completely. These are called irregular nouns.
goose / geese mouse / mice
Some nouns are singular but seem to be plural.
These are called collective nouns.
team jury group
My favorite team is playing tonight.

7. Pronouns Pronouns Kinds of Pronouns Subjective Relative Objective
Pro means “for” so a pronoun is a word that is used in place of or stands for a noun.
Kinds of Pronouns
Subjective
Relative
Objective
Interrogative
Possessive
Demonstrative
Reflexive
Intensive

8. Pronouns
FACT
The noun that a pronoun replaces is called the antecedent. This term combines two Latin words that mean “comes before.” The noun always comes before the pronoun.
James is my little brother. He loves to play video games.

9. Kinds of Pronouns I * My You Your He His She Her It Its We Our
Subjective case pronouns replace a subject.
I * My
You Your
He His
She Her
It Its
We Our
You Your
They Their
*Possessive forms accompany the noun they represent in a sentence:
My car is parked on the corner.

10. Kinds of Pronouns Me *Mine You Yours Him His Her Hers It Its Us Ours
Objective case pronouns replace a noun used as an object.
Me *Mine
You Yours
Him His
Her Hers
It Its
Us Ours
Them Theirs
*These possessive forms may stand alone in a sentence:
The car that is parked on the corner is mine.

11. Kinds of Pronouns Reflexive Relative Interrogative Demonstrative
Myself That Who This
Yourself Which Whose That
Himself Who What These
Herself Whom Whom Those
Itself Whose Which
Ourselves
Yourselves
Themselves

12. Kinds of Pronouns Reflexive Looks back to an earlier noun or pronoun:
James completed the project by himself.
Relative Helps define properties of a noun or pronoun:
The house that was built in burned down.

13. Kinds of Pronouns Who called you after class today?
Interrogative Asks a question:
Who called you after class today?
Demonstrative Points out something or someone:
That is a really good picture of you.

14. Kinds of Pronouns Indefinite Singular Plural
All Another Anything Anybody Few None Something Everybody
Some One Everything Somebody
Both Everyone Nothing Nobody
Most Someone Much Either
Many No one Such Neither
More Anyone Each Other
Several

15. Kinds of Pronouns
Plural Indefinite – means some undetermined number: Some of the students were interested in taking a biology course.
Singular Indefinite – means one of a group of people or things, but not one specifically:
Anyone could have taken that course.

16. Kinds of Pronouns Singular Indefinite
Clues that the pronoun is singular:
Begins with any or every
Ends in one or body

17. Pronouns
Either and neither are singular. The logical meaning is that you are examining the antecedents one at a time:
Two dogs live on my street. Antecedent = dogs Neither dog likes cats.

18. Pronouns Some final thoughts: Pronouns must agree with antecedents.
A student must be careful to record his or her scores. (student is singular, needs singular his and her)
Students can turn in their papers any time today.
(students is
plural, therefore
their is correct)

19. Pronouns Some more final thoughts: Who or whom? When to use which one:
The easy way to test for who and whom is to replace them with he/she or him/her.
If he is correct, use who
If him is correct, use whom.

20. PRONOUNS Even more final thoughts:
Don’t let compounds confuse your use of I and me:
Eliminate the extra words to check:
My dad took James and I to the game. (?)
My dad took --- I to the game. (NO!)
My dad took James and me to the game. (YES!)

21. Nouns and Pronouns If you want more information about this topic:
Meet with your instructor
Visit the Learning Center
Go online to the Purdue OWL