Pronouns stand in for nouns in a sentence. When replacing any noun (Matt, the cheerleader, the chair) with a pronoun (he, she, it), the pronoun must match the noun it is replacing, or the antecedent.
The first step in tackling a pronoun question is to locate and identify the pronouns in the sentence. Study the chart below, which includes some common English pronouns.
Subject/Object Pronouns
Possessives
Subject
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
everyone
Object
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
everyone
Adjective
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
everyone’s
Pronoun
mine
yours
his
hers
its
ours
their’s
everyone’s
This chapter will help you to become more familiar with the different pronoun types and will show you how to use them. Review the following examples.
1. She bought the rights to the film last week, hoping to make lots of money off it.
First pronoun: She (antecedent: unspecified female)
Second pronoun: it (antecedent: “the film”)2. On the way to her meeting, the executive bought a cup of coffee and proceeded to spill it all over her coat.
First pronoun: her (antecedent: “the executive”)
Second pronoun: it (antecedent: “a cup of coffee”)3. Everyone gathered at the meeting spot, anxiously awaiting their assignments.
Note: their (antecedent: the same unspecified group of people) functions as an adjective.
4. Running towards the building, he hoped to catch a glimpse of them somewhere inside it.
First pronoun: he (antecedent: unspecified male)
Second pronoun: them (antecedent: unspecified group of people)
Third pronoun: it (antecedent: “the building”)