Writing Better English for ESL Learners

17.MMMMMMMMMMMM_____________M, because his father is very ill

right now.

18. This is the old house where MMMM_MMMMMMMM____M.

19.MMMMMMMMMMMM__________Mwhy no one told him that Laura

had returned.

20.MMMMMMMMMMMM__________M, but I quickly got up and closed

the windows.

Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that can replace a noun in a sentence. English has four

basic pronouns that can replace a noun. A noun referring to males (man, boy,

gentleman) is replaced by he. A noun referring to females (girl, mother, lady)

is replaced by she. A noun referring to an inanimate object (house, rock, win-

dow) is replaced by it. And all plural nouns (boys, children, rocks) are replaced

by they. The pronoun weis the replacement for a noun plus I: Tom and I we,

the girls and I we.

But the pronouns just given (he, she, it, they, we) are used only as the sub-

ject of a sentence. Pronouns have other forms, which are used as objects or

possessives.

SUBJECT OBJECT POSSESSIVE INDEPENDENT POSSESSIVE

he him his his

she her her hers

it it its its

they them their theirs

we us our ours

An independent possessive pronoun is one that replaces a possessive pro-

noun and a noun. It is independent. It can stand alone.

This one is his book.This one is his.

Her dressis rather dirty. Hersis rather dirty.

Its right fenderhas a dent. Itshas a dent.

Where is their tent?Where is theirs?

Our brotherworks in Chicago. Oursworks in Chicago.

44 Writing Better English