Pronouns

• Pronouns are words that stand in the place of (replace) nouns

• Why we would use a pronoun instead of a noun?

• Pronouns are used as performers/subjects or as words which receive action.

• Think of it as “A professional hired to take the place of the noun (person, place, or thing)”

• Examples:

Noun Pronoun
Heidi She
Toni He
Ben and Suzanne They
Niagara Falls It
Pencil It

Types of Pronouns
• Personal Pronoun
• Reflective Pronoun
• Demonstrative Pronoun
• Indefinite Pronoun

Page | 1 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

Personal Pronouns

• Subject Pronoun Performer or doer of the action

• Object Pronoun Receiver of the action

Subject Object
Pronouns Pronouns
I Me
You You
He Him
She Her
It It
We Us
They Them
Who Whom

• Think of the subject pronoun as the person who is throwing a baseball.

• Think of the object pronoun as the person who is catching a baseball

Page | 2 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

Reflective Pronoun

• Reflects back on the subject

o I did it myself.
o We taped ourselves.
o She handled it herself.

Myself
Yourself
Himself
Herself
Itself
Ourselves
Themselves

o no such thing as theirself or theirselves

Page | 3 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

Demonstrative Pronoun

• The Demonstrative Article replaces the subject, now becoming a Demonstrative Pronoun.

Demonstrative Article: Demonstrative Pronoun:

This coat is smelly. This is smelly.
That school is wonderful. That is wonderful.
These students are amazing! These are amazing!
I ate those sandwiches. I ate those.

Page | 4 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

Indefinite Pronoun

• The Quantifying/Cardinal/Ordinal Article replaces the subject, now becoming an Indefinite

Pronoun.

Quantifying Article: Indefinite Pronoun:

Any coat is blue. Any is blue.
Either boy is welcome to attend. Either is welcome to attend.
Both parents were proud. Both were proud.
I tried several drinks. I tried several.
Many teachers are learned. Many are learned.
Few boats are good. Few are good.
Some boys are rude. Some are rude.

Page | 5 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

Pronoun Tips

Tip 1: Hide the Partner (Subject)

• People get confused when there is more than one Subject Pronoun.
• Tip: Take each subject individually, instead of as partners, and it becomes clear:

The Petersons and them/they are fishing.

The Petersons are fishing.
They are fishing.
Correct: The Petersons and they are fishing.

Angela and she/her and I/me are shopping.

Angela is shopping.
She is shopping.
I am shopping.
Correct: Angela and she and I are shopping.

Tom and we/us enjoy lunch.

Tom enjoys lunch.
We enjoy lunch.
Correct: Tom and we enjoy lunch.

Tip 2: Hide the Partner (Object)

• People get confused when there is more than one Object Pronoun.
• Tip: Take each object individually, instead of as partners, and it becomes clear:

I’m shopping with Bill and he/him.

I’m shopping with Bill.
I’m shopping with him.
Correct: I’m shopping with Bill and him.

The school promoted Susan and I/me.

The school promoted Susan.
The school promoted me.
Correct: The school promoted Susan and me.

The 2010 Canadian Olympic Committee chose the song, “The Power of You and I/me.”
The power of you.
The power of me.
Correct: The Power of You and Me.

Reminder: Look for prepositions: of, with, for… always use the Object Pronoun

Page | 6 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

Tip 3: Finish the Sentence
Elmer runs faster than me/I.
Finish the sentence: Elmer runs faster than I (do).

Karen sews better than me/I.

Finish the sentence: Karen sews better than I (can).

Tommy knows as much as us/we.

Finish the sentence: Tommy knows as much as we (know).

Warning Flag: These are comparative sentences (between two subjects).

Watch out for words like taller than, faster than, better than, as good as, etc.)

Page | 7 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

TIP 4: Reverse the Link

My boss is him/he.

• IS is a linking verb
• You can turn it around, and it should work:

Him is my boss.
He is my boss.

Correct: My boss is he.

The winners were us/we.

• WERE is a linking verb

• You can turn it around, and it should work:

Us were the winners.

We were the winners.

Correct: The winners were we.

Rhyme Time: The link may stink, or so you’ll think,

But turn it around, and you’re in sync.

Warning Flag: The pronoun is the last word.

Page | 8 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

TIP 5: Me Oh My
He does not like my hat.

• HAT is a noun.
• We would not say: He does not like me hat.

So why do you say, “He does not like me smoking”?

• This is wrong.
• SMOKING is a noun. (gerund, actually)

Correct: He does not like my smoking.

I love you/your calling me at work. I love your calling me at work.

I like him/his learning karate. I like his learning karate.

Warning Flag: The noun/gerund always ends in ING. Replace it with “hat,” and it will be easy.

Page | 9 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

TIP 6: Replace With With

• Some prepositions are confusing to work with.

• Remember that you use an object pronoun after a preposition
• If you replace them with a preposition you understand better, like “with”, it will make it
easier for you to understand the sentence.

Just between you and me/I, I’m not sure about this answer.

Just with you and me …..

Correct: Just between you and me, now I’m sure.

Everyone, except she/her, is attending.

Everyone, with her, is attending.

Correct: Everyone, except her, is attending. (except is a preposition)

Page | 10 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved

TIP 7: Try to Agree

• The subject and the pronoun must agree.

If you have a plural subject, you must use a plural pronoun when referring to it.

All members brought their spouses.

If you have a singular subject, you must use a singular pronoun when referring to it.

That member brought her spouse.

• Remember that certain words are surprisingly singular:

Each member brought his or her spouse.

Everyone must decide for himself or herself/themselves.

• Remember that Everyone is singular

Correct: Everyone must decide for himself or herself.

• For the pronouns Who and Whom, see the separate lesson

Page | 11 © Copyright 2022 CIMT College All rights Reserved