0805852212.pdf

Each otherandone anotherdo not mean the same thing; thus, they are not
interchangeable.Each othersignifies two people or things, whereasone an-
othersignifies more than two. Sentence 13 refers to two friends; sentence 14 re-
fers to more than two dogs.

APPLYING KEY IDEAS

Although no strong connection between grammar and writing quality exists, it
is easy to find one for usage. Most writing, for example, is improved when writ-
ers make certain that their indefinite demonstrative pronouns have clear ante-
cedents. For this activity, examine some of your writing, especially papers you
have submitted for classes, and identify any instances of indefinite demonstra-
tive pronouns that lack clear antecedents. In each instance, revise your writing
to provide an antecedent or to eliminate the pronoun. Doing so can help you
avoid this problem in the future. You also may find it interesting to check your
writing to see whether your use of reciprocal pronouns is congruent with the
standard convention. If you can, you should share your revision efforts with
classmates to compare results, which can give you better insight into revising.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns indicate possession, as in sentences 15 and 16:

15.Myson loves baseball.

16. The books aremine.

The possessive pronouns are:

Singular: my, mine, your, yours, her, hers, his, its

Plural: our, ours, your, yours, their, theirs

Teaching Tip

Many students confuse the possessive pronoun “its” with the contraction of “it

is”—it’s. Explaining the difference does not seem to have any effect on stu-

dents’ writing, nor do drills and exercises. An editing activity, however, ap-

pears to lead to some improvement. After students have worked on a paper

and engaged in peer reviews of their drafts, shift the focus of students’ atten-

tion to editing. Have students exchange papers and circle all instances of “its”

and “it’s.” Then, with it’s = it isand its = possessivewritten on the board, have

them check each occurrence to ensure that the usage is correct. They should

point out any errors to their partners, who should make corrections immedi-

ately. Circulate among students to offer assistance, as needed.

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