Nouns and pronouns. first person I we second person you you third person he, she, it they

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 14 Nouns and pronouns There are several sets of pronouns in English: four types of personal pronouns (the subject pronouns, the object pronouns, the possessive pronouns, and the reflexive pronouns) the indefinite pronouns, the demonstrative pronouns, and the relative pronouns (discussed in Chapter 14). Personal pronouns (=Definite) The personal pronouns are normally thought of in terms of a speech situation. In a conversation, the speaker is the first person, the person being spoken to is the second person, and anybody outside the speaker and hearer interaction is the third person. In addition, the first, second, and third person pronouns can also be or. Subject pronouns. Listed in the chart are the forms that the personal pronouns have when used in the subject slot in a sentence. first person I we second person you you third person he, she, it they Object pronouns. Listed in the chart are the forms that the personal pronouns have when used either in the object slot in a sentence or as the main noun in a preposition phrase. first person me us second person you you third person him, her, it them

2 Chapter 12: Personal pronouns (=Definite) Possessive pronouns. Listed in the chart are the forms that the personal pronouns have when used adjectivally, that is, as a possessive pronoun. first person my, mine our, ours second person your, yours your, yours third person his, hers, its 1 their, theirs The possessive pronouns have two forms except in the third person. As the chart indicates and the examples below show, the first form occurs when the possessive pronouns occurs before a noun, and the second form occurs when the possessive pronoun occurs as a subject complement. He stole my book. The book was mine. Reflexive pronouns. Listed in the chart are the reflexive pronouns. first person myself ourselves second person yourself yourselves third person himself themselves herself itself 1. The possessive pronoun its never has an apostrophe; the form it's is always a shortened form of it is. Practical English Grammar 215

3 Chapter 12: Indefinite pronouns Indefinite pronouns Indefinite pronouns. Listed in the chart are the indefinite pronouns. somebody anybody nobody everybody someone anyone no one everyone something anything nothing everything The indefinite pronouns contrast in meaning with the definite pronouns the various personal pronouns listed above. If the speaker assumes that the listener can identify whatever the pronoun refers to, a definite pronoun is used. If the speaker assumes that the listener cannot identify whatever the pronoun refers to, one of the indefinite pronouns is used. Definite versus indefinite pronouns In a way quite parallel to the distinction between the definite and the indefinite articles, the pronouns are definite and indefinite from the viewpoint of the listener (or, reader). Definite pronouns are identifiable from the listener's viewpoint; indefinite pronouns are not. Consider the following sequence: Jane has wanted to get a new car for some time now. Last night she finally bought one. It was bright, it was new, and it was expensive. Obviously one refers to a specific car, that is, not just to any car but to a specific car so the reason that one is being used is that the car is indefinite to the listener. However, once the pronoun one has introduced the car to the listener, the car becomes definite. Subsequent references to the same car must be definite; hence, the definite pronoun it is used. SAMPLE TEST QUESTION: Explain how the meaning changes depending upon whether someone or her is used in this sentence: Sylvester asked someone/her to marry him. 216 Practical English Grammar

4 Chapter 12: Demonstrative pronouns Demonstrative pronouns Demonstrative pronouns not only point to but indicate something about the relative closeness of whatever they refer to. If they point at something close, one set of forms is used the proximals; if they point at something distant another set of forms is used the distals. proximal "close" distal "far' Terms this that these those To check yourself, see if you can briefly describe each of the following terms and illustrate it in a phrase or sentence (underlining the relevant part). definite pronouns: personal pronouns: subject pronouns object pronouns possessive pronouns reflexive pronouns demonstrative pronouns indefinite pronouns Practical English Grammar 217

5 Chapter 12: Terms 218 Practical English Grammar