OVERVIEW

Pronouns take the place of nouns. They help us avoid using the same words over and over. For example, without pronouns, we would have to write this sentence: Ms. Ramone stopped by yesterday, and Ms. Ramone took us for a ride in Ms. Ramone’s new car.

Pronouns are useful because they can fit into almost any sentence. But the adaptability of pronouns also creates problems. Because they can refer to so many things, writers must take care to make the use of each pronoun clear.

WATCH EXAMPLES

The video illustrates the three most common problems with pronouns: pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun case, and pronoun reference. Each topic is also addressed by other videos included in this unit.

Download transcript.

READ EXAMPLES

Pronouns replace nouns. Instead of constantly naming Ms. Ramone, we can use the pronouns she and her in this sentence: Ms. Ramone stopped by yesterday, and she took us for a ride in her new car.

Substituting a pronoun for a noun is risky, though, since there are many types of pronouns. Although pronouns simplify sentences, choosing the correct pronoun can be complex. A pronoun must:

CONTINUE THROUGH THE UNIT

The study pages offer additional videos and instructional material on each of the three common problems with pronouns. Read through all the study pages before practicing with LearningCurve. Like the pre/post-tests (if assigned), this LearningCurve activity covers pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun case, and pronoun reference.

Don’t forget to work smartly!