LAURA FINEBERG COOPER
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Spoonful #44: PERSONAL PRONOUNS

1/5/2020

6 Comments

 
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I'm kicking off the first spoonful of 2020 with PERSONAL PRONOUNS, tiny words that deserve respect. Just try to write or speak without them, and you'll understand how much we rely on them. Clearly, I couldn't manage it, as this introduction is laced with pronouns!

PERSONAL PRONOUNS refer to specific people, places, and things (NOUNS). Here's the list:

SUBJECT: I, YOU, HE, SHE, THEY, WE, IT
OBJECT: ME, YOU, HIM, HER, THEM, US, IT
POSSESSIVE: MY/MINE, YOUR/YOURS, HIS, HER/HERS, THEIR/THEIRS, OUR/OURS, ITS
REFLEXIVE: MYSELF, YOURSELF/YOURSELVES, HERSELF, HIMSELF, OURSELVES, THEMSELVES, ITSELF

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Special note: MY, YOUR, HIS, HER, and THEIR act as possessive adjectives because they precede and modify nouns. Here's an example: "Let go of MY cookie!" 

Consider the following repetitive, pronoun-less passage:

"Brandy loved to paint portraits. Brandy entered a painting in a city-wide art competition. Brandy was overjoyed when Brandy won 2nd place."

Did you notice how many times Brandy was repeated? Now let's tighten up that passage and add the pronoun SHE. 

​"Brandy entered a portrait painting in a city-wide art competition. She was overjoyed when she won 2nd place."

I hope you'll agree that the revised version is preferable. Here's a tip for the SAT and ACT: they value concise language. They also agree that all pronouns should be properly introduced. In the above example, Brandy's name must be listed before any pronouns are used.  

I covered INDEFINITE PRONOUNS in Spoonfuls #5 and #6  and how to use ME, MYSELF, & I in Spoonful #31. The all-important topic of SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT (covered in Spoonful #4) applies to subject pronouns too! Stay tuned next week to learn how the SUBJECT PERSONAL PRONOUNS can help to decode POINT OF VIEW!

Sincerely,
​Laura Fineberg Cooper


6 Comments
Kirstine Call link
1/5/2020 02:00:38 pm

Thank you, Laura! Love each of these posts and the clever way you approach grammar!

Reply
Gerald A. Gould
1/5/2020 06:52:50 pm

Thankfully you are not one of the supercilious “Wolk” group that has all these weird pronouns for all those confused about their gender.

Reply
Laura Fineberg Cooper link
1/5/2020 07:32:20 pm

Dear Gerald,
This blog is not in any way political. I aim for clarity of the written word!

Laura Fineberg Cooper link
1/5/2020 07:30:15 pm

Thank you so much, Kirsti! Your support (and appreciation of my humor) means more to me than I can possibly express. If you have any particular topics you'd like me to cover, please let me know.

Reply
Marcia Strykowski link
1/20/2020 07:05:43 am

Nice example. Pronouns are so handy!

Reply
Adaela McLaughlin
1/27/2020 12:42:21 pm

Hi Laura,
Just curious as to whether you think most middle grade books are written in 3rd person limited. I guess I had been assuming they all were! I will have to look at a Harry Potter book to see how 3rd person omniscient works without being confusing.
Adaela

Reply



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    Welcome to
    ​A Spoonful of Grammar!

    Swallowing too many grammar rules at once can be hazardous to one's health. That's why my goal is to deliver one spoonful at a time - in the most delightful way.
    ​

    Sincerely,
    Laura Fineberg Cooper

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