Example 1:
Subject Pronouns
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Below are rules to show you how to use pronouns.
Definite Relative Pronouns - Who and Whom
Subject pronouns are followed by the to be verb:
To decide whether to use the subject pronoun or the object pronoun, try removing the distracting parts of the sentence.
Apostrophes are not added to possessive pronouns because they are already in their possessive form.
There is no subject for the infinitive to be.
For this reason, we would use the subject pronoun (he).
Reflexive Pronouns
Make sure that your reflexive pronouns match your subject.
His is an possessive pronoun, not a reflexive pronoun.
Reminder: Singular reflexive pronouns end in self. Plural reflexive pronouns end in selves.
Subject pronouns are used to replace a proper noun in a sentence.
Reminder: Clauses that are enclosed in commas may be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Demonstrative pronouns take the place of nouns.
Relative pronouns, such as who, that, and which are often found confusing.
The easiest of the three who and whom are used to refer to people.
If the pronoun is the subject of the verb, then use who.
The relative pronoun that can refer to people, animals, and things.
The relative pronoun which does not refer to people.
Demonstrative Pronouns
A demonstrative pronoun that comes before a noun is an adjective.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns always take a singular verb.
All, both, most, and some can be singular or plural.
Use a plural verb for things that can be counted.
Use a singular verb for things that cannot be counted.
None is usually plural when used as a plural group.
Bob waved at the girl.
He waved at the girl.
He is replacing the proper noun Bob.
It was she who called.
She was the one who called.
It was they who came to dinner last night.
They are the ones who came to dinner last night.
am
is
are
was
were
The gift was for you and her.
To figure out which pronoun to use, eliminate the words you and.
The gift was for her - correct
(her - object pronoun)The gift was for she - incorrect
(she - subject pronoun)
Object Pronouns
Possessive Pronouns
Incorrect: her's or hers'
correct: hers
Without a subject:
Harold seems to be he who is winning the contest.
If the infinitive to be does not have a subject, use the subject pronoun that agrees with the subject of the sentence.
Keep in mind: Harold is the subject. However, Harold is not the subject of the infinitive to be.
Harold is the subject of the linking verb seems.
With a subject:
His fans considered the favorite television actor to be him.
The subject of the infinitive to be is actor.
To make the sentence less awkward, you could rewrite it as:
His fans considered him to be the favorite television actor.
His fans is the complete subject and considered is the verb.
You will be able to tell where the subject and verb are as well as where the to be infinitive is located.
When the sentence is written as shown above, the object pronoun him will come before the to be infinitive.
Possessive pronouns are used to show who or what owns something.
Remember that a possessive pronoun can replace a possessive adjective and a noun to avoid repeating information that has already been made clear.
Theirs can replace their car.
Hers can replace her brush.
Mary saw her neighbor who just bought a new sports car.
The relative pronoun who is the subject of bought.
The students, four of whom were tardy, participated in the event.
We use whom because it is the object of the preposition of.
Charlie was not sure whom he would offer the part in the play.
Whom can be substituted for the object pronoun him or her.
Charlie would offer him...
Charlie would offer her...
Since both sentences make sense, use the pronoun whom.
Example 2:
Example 3:
Kate made herself a hot fudge sundae with extra chopped pecans.
That book is his.
A possessive adjective appears in front of a noun as in:
That is their car. (possessive adjective their + noun car)
A possesive pronoun replaces a possessive adjective and a noun.
That is theirs. (possessive pronoun)
Reflexive pronouns are not to be confused with possessive pronouns.
Mary saw her neighbor who just bought a new sports car.
If who, whom, or whose introduces an essential or necessary relative clause, then no comma is placed in front of the relative pronoun.
The relative clause who just bought a new sports car is important to the sentence.
This means that Mary did not just see any neighbor in general.
Mary specifically saw the neighbor who just purchased the new sports car.
Since this relative clause is important to the sentence, we do not need a comma.
Example 4:
The students, who happen to be best friends, participated in the event.
The relative clause who happen to be best friends is added information.
Therefore, we do need a comma because that information is not needed.
Definite Relative Pronoun - That
Horses that race get a lot of exercise.
The meaning of our sentence has been changed from a specific group of race horses to horses in general.
Since the relative clause is important to the sentence, no comma is needed as shown again in our example below:
That refers to a specific group of horses.
Since all horses are not race horse, this only refers to the specific group of horses that are race horses.
Horses get a lot of exercise.
Using our rule from earlier, if the relative clause that race is important to the sentence, we do not need a comma.
Let's see what happens when we remove the relative clause from the sentence.
Horses that race get a lot of exercise.
Definite Relative Pronoun - Which
Horses, which can be trained to race, will get lots of exercise.
Horses, which can be trained to race, will get lots of exercise.
Which, in this case, refers to horses in general that are trained.
Those horses will get lots of exericse. Not just the specific group of race horses.
If we remove the relative clause which can be trained to race out of the sentence, we would have:
Horses will get lots of exercise.
The meaning of our sentence has been changed.
However, since our relative clause which refers to a general group of horses, not just horses that are specifically race horses, we would add a comma.
If this sounds confusing, then try replacing the indefinite pronoun with the subject pronoun he or she.
He has his own dog.
Each boy has his own dog.
Most of the cars are dented on the side. (cars can be counted)
Some dirt is spilling from the bag. (dirt cannot be counted)
None were allowed to enter.
None represents a group of individuals, so the plural verb were is used.
Below is an example of when none is used to represent not one single thing or no one person.
None of the students was sorry for the interruption.
Since None is referring to no one person in particular, the singular verb was is used.
This is not going to work.
That is absurd.
They are going to wear these instead.
We plan to buy all of those.
These pants do not fit me.
These refer to pants.
Those movies are exciting.
Those refer to movies.
Language Arts: Rules for Pronouns
