1. Language Network
Using Pronouns

2. Using Pronouns
Pronoun Cases
Here’s the Idea
Why It Matters

3. Here’s the Idea
Personal pronouns take on different forms depending on how they are used in sentences. These forms are called cases.

4. There are three pronoun cases:
Here’s the Idea
There are three pronoun cases:
nominative case
objective case
possessive case

5. Here’s the Idea
The most common errors in writing concern pronouns. Be sure to check your writing for pronoun errors and correct any you find.

6. Using Who and Whom Here’s the Idea Why It Matters Practice and Apply
Using Pronouns
Using Who and Whom
Here’s the Idea
Why It Matters
Practice and Apply

7. Here’s the Idea
The case of the pronoun who is determined by the pronoun’s function in a sentence.
Forms of Who and Whoever
Nominative who, whoever
Objective whom, whomever
Possessive whose, whosever

8. Here’s the Idea
Who is the nominative form. In a question, who is used as a subject or as a predicate pronoun.

9. Who knows the story of Mulan, a heroine of ancient China? Who
Here’s the Idea
Who knows the story of Mulan, a heroine of ancient China?
Who
SUBJECT
The heroine was who?
who?
PREDICATE PRONOUN

10. Here’s the Idea
Whom is the objective form. In a question, whom is used as a direct or indirect object of a verb or as the object of a preposition.

11. She told whom the secret of her identity? whom
Here’s the Idea
Whom did Mulan fool?
Whom
DIRECT OBJECT
INDIRECT OBJECT
She told whom the secret of her identity?
whom

12. Here’s the Idea
Who and whom are also used to introduce subordinate clauses. To choose the correct form, you must figure out how the pronoun is used in the clause.

13. It’s the rebel chief who is threatening the borders.
Here’s the Idea
Who should be used when the pronoun functions as the subject of a subordinate clause.
It’s the rebel chief who is threatening the borders.
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
who is threatening the borders.
SUBJECT

14. The chief whom we all fear most is a rebel. whom we all fear most
Here’s the Idea
Whom should be used when the pronoun functions as a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition.
The chief whom we all fear most is a rebel.
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
whom we all fear most
DIRECT OBJECT

15. Why It Matters
You will be expected to use who and whom correctly in formal writing, such as application letters, term papers, and reports. Don’t assume that whom is just a more formal version of who. Choose the form that fits the way the pronoun is used.

16. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
The Ramayana was written by the poet Valmiki, (who, whom) lived in India during the 200s B.C. 1.

17. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
The king, (who, whom) is Rama’s father, makes Rama leave the country. 2.

18. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Sita is the beautiful woman (who, whom) Rama marries. 3.

19. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
The Ramayana is delightful for (whoever, whomever) hears it. 4.

20. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Using Pronouns
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Here’s the Idea
Why It Matters
Practice and Apply

21. Here’s the Idea
A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, gender, and person. An antecedent is the word—a noun or another pronoun—that a pronoun replaces or refers to.

22. Here’s the Idea
Most of the time, making a pronoun agree in number with its antecedent is easy: a plural antecedent takes a plural pronoun, and a singular antecedent takes a singular pronoun.

23. Hanuman, the monkey chief, brings his troops to the battle. Hanuman,
Here’s the Idea
The gender of a pronoun must be the same as the gender of its antecedent.
Hanuman, the monkey chief, brings his troops to the battle.
Hanuman,
his

24. Pronoun Gender Feminine she, her, hers Masculine he, him, his Neuter
Here’s the Idea
Pronoun Gender
Feminine
she, her, hers
Masculine
he, him, his
Neuter
it, its

25. The person of a pronoun must match the person of its antecedent.
Here’s the Idea
The person of a pronoun must match the person of its antecedent.
REFERS TO
All you fans should buy your tickets for the latest Rama movie.
you
your

26. The family gives its support to Rama. family its
Why It Matters
Using the correct pronoun when a collective noun is the antecedent will give your readers information about whether the group is behaving as one unit or as individuals.
SINGULAR
The family gives its support
to Rama.
family
its

27. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Ellis Marsalis, a musician, shared a love of jazz with (his, their) children. 5.

28. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Like (his, their) father, Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis are jazz musicians. 6.

29. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
These musicians understood that (they, you) had to work hard to succeed. 7.

30. Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
Practice and Apply
Choose the correct pronoun from the pair in parentheses.
New Orleans, a city famous for (their, its) jazz, is the Marsalis’s hometown. 8.

31. Pronoun Reference Here’s the Idea Why It Matters Practice and Apply
Using Pronouns
Pronoun Reference
Here’s the Idea
Why It Matters
Practice and Apply

32. Here’s the Idea
If a pronoun’s antecedent is unclear, or if there is more than one antecedent, readers will be confused.

33. Here’s the Idea
Indefinite-reference problems occur when a pronoun’s antecedents are not expressed. Writers often make the mistake of using the pronouns it, they, and you without a clear reference.

34. In the “Superheroes” article, it discussed only three women. Revised
Here’s the Idea
Indefinite Reference
Awkward
In the “Superheroes” article, it discussed only three women.
Revised
The “Superheroes” article discussed only three women.

35. Here’s the Idea
General-reference problems occur when the pronouns it, this, that, which, and such are used to refer to general ideas rather than to specific noun antecedents.

36. General Reference Awkward
Here’s the Idea
General Reference
Awkward
The sidekick is weak and vulnerable, which makes the character appealing.
Revised
The sidekick’s weakness and vulnerability make the character appealing.

37. Here’s the Idea
Ambiguous means “having more than one possible meaning.” An ambiguous-reference problem occurs whenever more than one word might be a pronoun’s antecedent.

38. Ambiguous Reference Awkward
Here’s the Idea
Ambiguous Reference
Awkward
Princess Xena and Gabrielle were featured in a 1990s TV show. She inspired a series of books as well.
Revised
Princess Xena and Gabrielle were featured in a 1990s TV show. Xena inspired a series of books as well.

39. Why It Matters
Readers will be confused and frustrated by cases of general, indefinite, or ambiguous reference in your writing. Make your writing as clear as possible by eliminating these problems.

40. Practice and Apply
Rewrite the sentence to correct indefinite, ambiguous, or general pronoun references.
In this article, it explains that Reggae Sunsplash is a music festival in Jamaica. 9.

41. They say that the festival now tours Europe and the United States. 10.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the sentence to correct indefinite, ambiguous, or general pronoun references.
They say that the festival now tours Europe and the United States.
10.

42. Practice and Apply
Rewrite the sentence to correct indefinite, ambiguous, or general pronoun references.
Music is important at the festival, but you also have Jamaican crafts and food.
11.

43. When the band began playing for the fans, they started dancing. 12.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the sentence to correct indefinite, ambiguous, or general pronoun references.
When the band began playing for the fans, they started dancing.
12.