Pronoun Basics
What is a pronoun?
🔹 Answer: A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence.
🔹 Explanation: Pronouns help avoid repetition. Example: Instead of saying "John went to John's house," we say "John went to his house."
Choose the correct pronoun: "Each student must bring (his/their) book."
🔹 Answer: his
🔹 Explanation: Each is singular, so it must match with a singular pronoun (his or her).
What pronoun should be used with "somebody"?
🔹 Answer: he or she
🔹 Explanation: Somebody is singular, so it requires a singular pronoun.
Find the mistake: "Every student should bring their pencil."
🔹 Answer: Every student should bring his or her pencil.
🔹 Explanation: Every student is singular, so we use his or her.
Fill in the blank: "To ___ should I address the letter?"
🔹 Answer: whom
🔹 Explanation: Use whom after a preposition (to, with, for, etc.).
Identify the pronoun: "She went to the store."
🔹 Answer: She
🔹 Explanation: A pronoun replaces a noun. In this case, She is taking the place of a person’s name.
Is "they" singular or plural?
🔹 Answer: Traditionally plural, but it can also be singular for gender-neutral use.
🔹 Explanation: They refers to more than one person but is also used as a singular pronoun when gender is unknown (e.g., Each person should bring their book).
True or False: "None of the cookies are left, so they must have been eaten."
🔹 Answer: True
🔹 Explanation: None can be singular or plural, depending on the meaning. Since cookies are countable, they works here.
Fix this sentence: "Each of the dogs have their own bed."
🔹 Answer: Each of the dogs has its own bed.
🔹 Explanation: Each is singular, so we use has and its.
Who or whom? "She is the one ___ won the race."
🔹 Answer: who
🔹 Explanation: Who is the subject (the one doing the action).
What is the antecedent in this sentence? "John lost his book."
🔹 Answer: John
🔹 Explanation: The antecedent is the noun that the pronoun refers to. Here, his refers to John.
Correct this sentence: "Everyone should do their best on the test."
🔹 Answer: Everyone should do his or her best on the test.
🔹 Explanation: Everyone is singular, so it should be followed by his or her, not their.
Fill in the blank: "Neither of the boys remembered ___ lines."
🔹 Answer: his
🔹 Explanation: Neither is singular, so it must be followed by his, not their.
What’s wrong with this sentence? "If a person wants to succeed, they should work hard."
🔹 Answer: If a person wants to succeed, he or she should work hard.
🔹 Explanation: A person is singular, so they should be replaced with he or she.
Correct this sentence: "Whom is calling me?"
🔹 Answer: Who is calling me?
🔹 Explanation: Who is the subject of the sentence, not the object.
Give three examples of personal pronouns.
🔹 Answer: He, she, they (or other personal pronouns like I, me, we, us, him, her, them).
🔹 Explanation: Personal pronouns refer to people or things in different points of view (first, second, or third person).
Fill in the blank: "Neither of the girls brought ___ backpack."
🔹 Answer: her
🔹 Explanation: Neither is singular, so we use the singular pronoun her.
What pronoun should replace "the committee" in this sentence: "The committee finished ___ report."
🔹 Answer: its
🔹 Explanation: Committee is a collective noun, treated as singular.
Correct this sentence: "Neither the teacher nor the students remembered his homework."
🔹 Answer: Neither the teacher nor the students remembered their homework.
🔹 Explanation: The pronoun should match the closer subject (students).
Who or whom? "___ do you believe?"
🔹 Answer: whom
🔹 Explanation: Whom is the object of believe (you believe him/her, so use whom).
What is an indefinite pronoun? Give an example.
🔹 Answer: An indefinite pronoun refers to an unspecified person or thing. Example: someone, everyone, nobody, each.
🔹 Explanation: These pronouns do not refer to a specific noun and often require singular pronouns (e.g., Everyone should bring his or her book).
Identify the error: "The team won their game easily."
🔹 Answer: The team won its game easily.
🔹 Explanation: Team is a collective noun, so it takes a singular pronoun (its instead of their).
Identify the error: "One of the girls forgot their jacket."
🔹 Answer: One of the girls forgot her jacket.
🔹 Explanation: One is singular, so we must use her, not their.
Find the mistake: "The jury gave their verdict quickly."
🔹 Answer: The jury gave its verdict quickly.
🔹 Explanation: Jury is singular, so we use its, not their.
Explain the rule for choosing "who" vs. "whom."
🔹 Answer: Use who when it’s the subject, and whom when it’s the object.
🔹 Explanation: Try replacing it with he/she (use who) or him/her (use whom).