PERSONAL PRONOUNS / AGREEMENT WITH NOUNS.
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(a) A student walked into the room. She was looking for the teacher. (b) A student walked into the room. He was looking for the teacher. (c) Some students
walked into the room. They were looking for the teacher |
A singular
pronoun is used to refer to a singular noun, as in (a) and (b) A plural pronoun is used to refer to a plural noun
as in (c). |
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(d) A student
should always do his assignments. (e)
A student should
always do his / her assignments. A student should always do his or her assignments. |
With a “generic noun”* (e.g., in (d): a student = anyone who is a student) a
singular masculine pronoun has been used traditionally, but many English
speakers now use both masculine and feminine pronouns, as in (e). |
* A generic noun does not refer to any person or thing in particular;
rather, it represents a whole group. (See Appendix 1, Chart D-1, Basic
Article Usage.)
II) AGREEMENT WITH INDEFINITE PRONOUNS .
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The following are indefinite
pronouns: everyone someone anyone no one everybody somebody anybody no body everything something anything no thing |
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(a) Somebody left his
book on the disk. (b) Everyone has
his or her own ideas. (c) INFORMAL: Somebody left their
books on the disk. Everyone has their own ideas. |
A singular personal pronoun is used in formal English to
refer to an indefinite pronoun, as in (a) and (b). In
everyday informal English, a plural personal pronoun is often used to refer
to an indefinite pronoun, as in (c). |
III)
AGREEMENT WITH COLLECTIVE NOUNS .
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The
following are examples of collective nouns: audience couple family public class crowd government staff committee faculty group team |
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(a) My family
is large. It is composed of nine members |
When
a collective noun refers to a single impersonal unit, a singular pronoun (it, its) is used, as in (a). |
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(b) My family
is loving and supportive. They
are always ready to help me. |
When a collective noun refers to a collection of various
individuals, a plural pronoun (they, them, their)
is used as in (b).* |
* NOTE :
When the collective noun
refers to a collection of individuals, the verb may be either singular or
plural: My family is OR are
loving and supportive.
A singular verb is generally preferred in American English.
A plural verb is used more frequently in British English,
especially with the words government and public.
(American:
The
government is planning many changes.)
(British: The
government are planning many changes.)
* If the sex of a particular animal is known, usually she or
he is used instead of it.
IV) USING REFLEXIVE
PRONOUNS :
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The following are
reflexive pronouns: myself ourselves yourself
yourselves himself, herself, itself themselves |
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(a) He looked at himself in the mirror. |
A reflexive pronoun usually refers to the subject of a
sentence. In (a):
he and himself refer to the
same parson. |
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(b) He himself
answered the phone, not his secretary. (c) He answered the phone himself. |
Sometimes reflexive pronouns are used for emphasis, as in
(b) and (c). |
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(d) She lives by herself. |
The expression by + a reflexive pronoun usually means “alone,” as
in (d). |
V ) USING YOU
AND ONE AS IMPERSONAL PRONOUNS :
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(a) One should always be polite. (b) How does one get to |
In (a) and (b): one
means “any person, people in general.” In (c) and (d): you
means “any person, people in general.” One is
more formal than you. Impersonal you,
rather than one,
is used more frequently in everyday English. |
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(c) You should always be polite. (d) How do you get to |
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(e) One should take care of one's health. One should take care of his health. One should take care of his or her health. |
In (e): Notice the pronouns that may be used in the same
sentence to refer back to one. |
