Unit 50: PERSONAL PRONOUNS

We can use a personal pronoun instead of a noun phrase (Unit 45) when we can already understand who or what.

Form

[S]:SUBJECT,[O]:OBJECT,[G]:GENITIVE,[R]:REFLEXIVE

[S] I [O] me [G] my [G] mine [R] myself

[S] You [O] you [G] your [G] yours [R] yourself

[S] He [O] him [G] his [G] his [R] himself

[S] She [O] her [G] hers [G] hers [R] herself

[S] It [O] it [G] its [R] itself

[S] We [O] us [G] our [G] ours [R] ourselves

[S] You [O] you [G] your [G] yours [R] yourselves

[S] They [O] them [G] their [G] theirs [R] themselves

Subject pronouns

When the pronoun is the subject of the sentence (Unit 1) or the subject of a clause.

Mila cut all of the vegetables. Then she cooked burgers on the grill.

Zach said that he had to leave early.

Mila had done the prep already so it was easy for her.

These grills are very old. They don't heat evenly.

Reflexive pronouns

WHEN THE NOUN AFTER THE VERB IS THE SAME AS THE SUBJECT

Mila had asked herself whether she was prepared to start cooking on the grill. = Mila asked Mila.

Zach cut himself. = Zach cut Zach.

Give yourselves a lunch break! (The subject is you.)

TO POINT STRONGLY TO THE SUBJECT.

I made it myself. (Nobody made it for me.)

NOTICE: He lives by himself. = He lives alone.

Genitive pronouns

When we are talking about who things belong to.

WITH A NOUN

I've lost my apron.
Is that your cutting board?
Reed has eaten his lunch.
Reed and Mila are selling their cookbook.

WITHOUT A NOUN

This is Marcia's order. Where's mine?
Marcia is talking to an old customer of hers.
That's my table. Yours is over there.

NOTICE: She's cut her finger. NOT she's cut the finger

Object pronouns

When we cannot use any of the other pronouns.

Marcia had to go because Neal was waiting for her.
Marcia had taken the order before so she found it easy.
The customers sat with the menus in front of them.
Could you help us please?
Who's serving that table? It's me.

Special uses of pronouns

it

FOR THE WEATHER
It's very hot.
It was raining.

FOR THE TIME

It's half past two.
It was very early.

FOR DISTANCE

It's two kilometres to the centre.

FOR IDENTIFYING PEOPLE

Who's that at the door? It's me.

you

FOR ANYONE OR EVERYONE (USUALLY IN SPEAKING)

The buses here are so full that you often have to stand.
You mustn't smoke in a non-smoking area.

they

FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO YOU DO NOT KNOW PERSONALLY

They say it's going to be a good summer.
They're putting up the price of gasoline.

WITH A SINGULAR MEANING (BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HIM OR HER)

If anyone has finished, they can go.
Someone hasn't eaten their food.

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Exercise 50.1