pronoun

(noun)

A word that replaces a noun or group of nouns in a sentence.

Related Terms

  • antecedent
  • demonstrative pronoun

Examples of pronoun in the following topics:

  • Declining Pronouns: Subjects and Objects

  • Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

    • [The pronoun she refers to the antecedent Carolina.]
    • [The pronoun he refers to the antecedent Jim.]
    • [The pronoun their refers to the antecedent twins.]
    • The pronoun he refers to the antecedent Scott.]
    • [The pronoun he refers to the antecedent Franklin.]
  • Pronouns as Subjects and Objects

    • Explanation: "She" is the subject pronoun referring to Janice and "it" is the object pronoun referring to the car.
    • Both "I" and "you" are pronouns.
    • Therefore, they are object pronouns.
    • Possessive pronouns show ownership in relation to the pronoun.
    • Intensive pronouns emphasize the noun.
  • Introduction to Pronouns

    • However, they are only useful if the reader always knows what word the pronoun is replacing—the pronoun's antecedent.
    • The second-person pronoun is "you," and the third-person pronouns are "he," "she," "it."
    • Possessive pronouns show ownership in relation to the pronoun.
    • Interrogative pronouns introduce questions.
    • Indefinite pronouns include:
  • Adjectives

    • Adjectives describe, quantify, or identify pronouns and nouns.
    • add detail about the qualities of the noun or pronoun being described.
    • specify the amount of whatever noun or pronoun you are modifying.
    • Sometimes, pronouns can be used as adjectives.
    • In addition to demonstrative pronouns, possessive pronouns like "his" or "their" can also identify specific objects within a set.
  • Gender-Neutral Language

    • Gender-neutral language is neither masculine nor feminine and avoids using gender specific pronouns such as "he" or "she." 
    • Using gender-neutral pronouns avoids presumptions of male superiority.
    • When possible and contextually appropriate, use nouns and pronouns that are gender-neutral rather than gender-specific.
    • When referring to people in general, use plural pronouns "s/he" or "he or she" instead of gender-linked pronouns.
    • When a singular pronoun is needed, use the "singular they" with a singular antecedent.
  • Introduction to Adjectives and Adverbs

    • Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
    • Adjectives describe, quantify, or identify pronouns and nouns.
    • Pronouns, such as I, me, we, he, she, it, you, and they, take the place of nouns.
    • offer descriptive details about the noun or pronoun.
    • refer to quantity of the noun or pronoun being described by the adjective.
  • Using the First Person in Academic Writing

    • Avoiding the use of first person pronouns in your paper can improve its persuasive power by changing how it is perceived by a reader.
    • While paragraph does employ the first-person plural pronoun "we," it does so to invite the reader into the wider scholastic conversation it means to address.
    • The use of first person pronouns demonstrates how the author's biographical particulars enhance or expose something significant about the topic that they are writing about.
    • Identify two reasons why it is important to avoid using first person pronouns in academic papers
  • Introduction to Inflection

    • Similarly, if you’re changing the pronoun “I” to “me,” or “she” to “her,” the person you’re referring to isn’t changing, but the word you use does, because of context.
  • Components of a Sentence

    • The subject of a sentence is a noun or pronoun (and its article, if it has one).
    • In active-voice sentences, it is the noun or pronoun performing the action in the sentence.
    • In example 2, the subject is a pronoun.
    • The object of a sentence is the noun or pronoun which is being acted upon, or at which the action is directed.
    • Note that in the examples above, we find either a noun or a pronoun that is a subject (italicized) attached to a verb phrase (also italicized).
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
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  • Microbiology
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  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

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