business english 2e by mary chapter 04

4
Pronouns

MARY ELLEN GUFFEY AND CAROLYN M. SEEFER

BUSINESS
ENGLISH
12e

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L E A R N I N G

O U T C O M E S

Level 1

▶. Use subjective, objective, and possessive
pronouns correctly.

▶. Choose the correct pronoun in compound
constructions, comparatives, appositives,
reflexives, and following linking verbs.

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2


Guidelines for Using Personal Pronouns



Pronouns fall into three cases:
Singular

Plural

Subjective Case

Objective Case

Possessive Case

I

me

my, mine

you

you

your, yours

he

him

his

she

her

hers

it

it

its

we

us

our, ours

you

you

your, yours

they

them

their, theirs

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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3


Basic Use of the Subjective Case



Subjective-case pronouns are used as subjects of verbs.

He was hired for the position last month.

We asked about the new policy.

They submitted the report on time.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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4


Basic Use of the Objective Case



Objective-case pronouns are used as objects of verbs and
prepositions.

The manager called us.
Object
of verb

We told them our plans.

That delivery is for her.
Object of
preposition

Requests are sent to him.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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5

Basic Use of the Objective Case
TIP



When the words between, but, like, and except are
used as prepositions, be sure to use an objective-case
pronoun for the object of the preposition.

No one but (I or me?) has the combination.
Workers like Brad and (she or her?) are excellent.
Let’s keep this between you and (I or me?).

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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6


Basic Use of the Possessive Case



Possessive pronouns show ownership or special relationship.
They require NO apostrophes: hers, yours, ours, theirs, its.

Hers is the shiny red Jeep.

Our report is here; where is yours?

Its hood makes the machine less noisy.

Theirs is the house with white trim.
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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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7


Basic Use of the Possessive Case
TIP



Don’t confuse contractions with possessive pronouns.
There’s a reason for this. (There’s = There is)
Although it’s late, we must finish. (it’s = it is)
You’re sure to get the job. (You’re = You are)

HINT: Possessive pronouns never
have apostrophes

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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8


Challenges in Using Personal Pronouns



Compound Subjects and Objects



Comparatives



Appositives



Reflexive Pronouns



Subject Complements

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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9


 Compound Subjects and Objects



When pronouns appear as compound subjects or objects, ignore
the extra noun or pronoun and related words.

Only the manager and I (not me) will
attend.

Ms. Kuwata assigned Mike and me (not I)
to the job.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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10


 Comparatives



In statements of comparison, finish the implied comparison in
order to determine pronoun case.

No one works harder than she (not her).
(No one works harder than she works.)

Smoking annoys me as much as him.
(Smoking annoys me as much as it annoys
him.)
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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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11


 Comparatives—Which is Correct?

My husband loves money as much as I.
OR
My husband loves money as much as me.

See the difference?

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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12


 Appositives



Appositives rename or explain
previously mentioned nouns or pronouns.



When pronouns are used in apposition,
temporarily ignore the appositive.

We (not Us) machinists have our
own union.

The lockers are for us (not we) members.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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13


 Reflexive Pronouns



Reflexive Pronouns end in self or
selves. Do not use a reflexive pronoun
unless it refers to a previously stated
noun or pronoun in the same sentence.

I myself placed the order.

My friend and I (not myself) will apply.

The mail is for Lisa and him (not himself).
© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning
© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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14


 Subject Complements



When a pronoun follows a linking verb and renames its
antecedent, that pronoun will be in the subjective case.

It was he who volunteered.

The caller might have been she.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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15


TRY
TRY YOUR
YOUR SKILL
SKILL

Select the correct
pronoun to complete
these sentences.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Please reply to Tyler or (I, me,
myself).
My friend and (I, me, myself) both
applied for the job.
(Yours, Your’s) is the aisle seat.
Everyone plans to attend the
seminar except Sue and (she, her).

© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning
© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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TRY
TRY YOUR
YOUR SKILL
SKILL

Select the correct

5.

Ryan scored lower than
(he, him).

pronoun to complete

^ scored

these sentences.

6.

The movie surprised me as much as (she,

her).
^it surprised

7.

(We, Us) attorneys plan to appeal the
decision.

8.

What shade of red is (its, it’s) exterior?

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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17


Summary of Personal Pronoun Cases

Subjective Case

Objective Case

Subject of verb

Direct or indirect object of verb

Subject complement

Object of preposition

Infinitive to be without subject

Object of an infinitive
Infinitive to be with subject

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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18


L E A R N I N G

O U T C O M E S

Level 2

▶. Make pronoun references clear, and ensure that
personal pronouns agree with their antecedents in
number and gender.

▶. Make personal pronouns agree with subjects joined by
or or nor, indefinite pronouns, collective nouns,
company and organization names, and the adjectives

each and every.

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19


Fundamentals of Pronoun-Antecedent
Agreement



Clear reference



Number agreement



Plural pronouns



Antecedent location



Gender agreement



Gender-biased pronouns

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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20


 Clear Reference



Do not use pronouns unless the person or thing referred to,
the antecedent, is clear.

Don told Andrew that he was eligible. (To whom does he
refer?)
In some restaurants they require coats and ties. (Instead of the
vague pronoun they, use a noun such as the owners or
management.)

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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21


 Number Agreement



Pronouns must agree in number with the nouns they
represent.
One member of the girls’ volleyball team forgot her tennis
shoes. (The singular pronoun her refers to the singular
antecedent member.)
Several candidates were given their tests at once.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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22


 Plural Pronouns



If a pronoun refers to two nouns joined by and, the pronoun
must be plural.
The manager and the supervisor discussed their plans for

improving work flow.

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© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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23


 Antecedent Location



Disregard phrases that come between a pronoun and the
word to which it refers.

Judy Foster, along with several staff members, took her
vacation in August.
One of the male employees had his merit review.

© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning
© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.
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24


 Gender Agreement



Pronouns must agree in gender with their antecedents.

Ms. Cortez gave her approval. (Feminine gender)
Josh parked his truck.
(Masculine gender)
Our office has its own gourmet chef. (Neuter gender)

© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning
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