What are pronouns? Why are they important?
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Grammar and Language is very important in a person's daily life. In school, at the office, and even if you are just with your friends. The correct usage of words and the correct structure of sentences for describing a person, an object or a thing are very important. That is why there are PRONOUNS. Pronouns will help you in making describing persons or things much easier.
Generally (but not always) pronouns stand for (pro + noun) or refer to a noun, an individual or individuals or thing or things (the pronoun's antecedent) whose identity is made clear earlier in the text.
The Task
Task: Through exploration of online sites, it is your job to discover what a pronoun is, learn the different types, and apply what you’ve learned in writing.
Assessment: Use a sheet of paper to write all answers to the questions and activities located under the Process page of this web quest. You will turn it in.
Table of Contents for the Webquest
PART 1: So, what are pronouns?
PART 2: What are the different types of pronouns?
PART 3: Using Pronouns Clearly
PART 4: Antecedents
PART 5: People Versus Things
PART 6: Quiz Time
PART 7: Show What You Know
PART 8: Game Practice
Part 1: So, What are Pronouns?
Write the definition of pronouns by using one or both of these links.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/pronoun OR http://ardictionary.com/Pronoun/12754
(WRITE "PART 1" AND THEN THE DEFINITION ON YOUR WEBQUEST PAPER)
Part 2: Different Types of Pronouns
What are the different kinds or types of pronouns? Write down all 10 types and some examples (you don't have to write down all of the examples).
http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/pronoun.html
(WRITE "PART 2" AND THEN THE ANSWERS ON YOUR WEBQUEST PAPER)
Part 3: Using Pronouns Clearly
(WRITE "PART 3" AND THEN THE ANSWERS ON YOUR WEBQUEST PAPER)
Read this short piece on using pronouns clearly.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/595/01/
Look for the BOLD subtitles on the page.
In order to use pronouns clearly, your pronouns must:
(Fill in the blanks)
Part 4: Antecedents---dun dun dun!!!
What is an antecedent? Answer: The word the pronoun is referring to
Example: Joe put his coat on the hook. his= pronoun Joe= antecedent
What is the rule in pronoun-antecedent agreement? ______________________ (fill in the blank using the following website)
(Hint: look for the words “basic principle” on site) http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/pronouns.htm
(WRITE THE ANSWER ON YOUR WEBQUEST PACKET SHEET)
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Use the website above to help you with the following word problems:
1. The pronouns “everyone” and “everybody” are… singular OR plural (CIRCLE/WRITE THE RIGHT ONE)
If you used “everyone” or “everybody” in a sentence, you would use which pronoun to refer to “everyone” or “everybody”…
it OR they OR he/she (CIRCLE/WRITE THE RIGHT ONE)
2. If you don’t know whether the “student” or “teacher” or “pet” in a sentence is a girl or a boy, what can you write to show that it could be either one, but you just don’t know right now.
(Hint: having trouble? look at #2 on the webpage) _______________ or _____________
Example (Pick the pronouns and put them in the blanks): The stray dog ran to ______ or ______ secret hideaway.
Go to this website and take this short quiz. Write down your score here: ____________________
http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/agreement_pa_ex2.htm
(WRITE THE ANSWERS AND ON YOUR WEBQUEST PACKET SHEET)
Part 5: People versus Things
***Make sure you know the difference between people and things.
Example: a “team” and “teammates”
Which one is a thing? Which one refers to people?
Sports team refer(s) to _________________
Teammates refer(s) to ______________________
Try these examples to get ready for the online quiz below!
*If it is a thing, put “it” *If it is a person/people, put “he” or “she” or "they".
My Company __________ Our Group ____________ Those Ballerinas ______________
His Parents __________ Your People ____________ A Class _____________________
Pronoun agreement can be the toughest part of learning pronouns. Try these on your own.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/quiz/en27pron-e3-quiz
How did you do on this activity? Write your score here: _____________
(WRITE THE ANSWERS AND YOUR QUIZ SCORE ON YOUR WEBQUEST PAPER)
Part 6: Quiz Time
Now is the time to demonstrate (which means show) what you have learned.
Take this quiz and see how well you understood the lesson.
http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/67.html
Write your score here: _________________
Want to take the quiz again for a better score? You can do that! New score: ________________
(WRITE THE SCORE FOR PART 6 ON YOUR WEBQUEST PAPER)
Part 7: Write A Yearbook Message
Show me what you can do!
Your task: Pretend that it is the end of the year and you are about to write a message in one of your friend’s yearbooks. You must come up with your own creative message, but you must use at least three pronouns in your message.
HIGHLIGHT OR UNDERLINE THE PRONOUNS THAT YOU USE.
Instructions and Examples:
---Your format of the message should look like this: -------------------------------------------------
Yearbook Owner’s Name,
*Your message must be at least three lines long. Highlight at least three correctly used pronouns in your writing. Feel free to use more pronouns.
Salutation (this means the letter's goodbye),
Your name
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Examples (YOU MAY NOT USE ANY OF THE PHRASES/SENTENCES IN THE EXAMPLES. BE ORIGINAL.)
Jessie,
I have had a great time getting to know you. Chorus class was soooooo fun! We will be friends forever.
Love, Katie
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Dante,
You Da Bomb! I Luv You!
Love, Tanya
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(WRITE THE YEARBOOK MESSAGE ON YOUR WEBQUEST PAPER)
Part 8: Game Practice
When you are finished with the parts above and only when you are finished with them, you may play some of the pronoun games located below.
Balloon Game: http://www.softschools.com/language_arts/grammar/pronoun/balloon_game/
Treasure Hunt Game: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en27pron-game-personal-pronouns-treasure-hunt
Create a House Game: http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/pronoun_clubhouse/index_pre.html
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Congratulations! You are done!
A pronoun is a word that substitutes a noun or noun phrase. There are a number of different kinds of pronouns in English.
TYPES OF PRONOUN:
1 Demonstrative Pronoun - this, that, these, those
2 Personal Pronoun - I, you, he, she, etc..
3 Possessive Pronoun - mine, yours, his, etc..
4 Reflexive Pronoun - myself, yourself, etc..
5 Interrogative Pronoun - who, what, where, etc..
6 Negative Pronoun - nothing, no, nobody, etc..
7 Reciprocal pronoun - each other, etc..
8 Relative Clause - who, whose, which, that, etc..
9 Quantifier - some, any, something, much, many, little, etc.
Using Pronouns Clearly
Because a pronoun REFERS BACK to a noun or TAKES THE PLACE OF that noun, you have to use the correct pronoun so that your reader clearly understands which noun your pronoun is referring to.
Therefore, pronouns should:
If the pronoun takes the place of a singular noun, you have to use a singular pronoun.
If a student parks a car on campus, he or she has to buy a parking sticker.
(NOT: If a student parks a car on campus, they have to buy a parking sticker.)
REMEMBER: The words EVERYBODY, ANYBODY, ANYONE, EACH, NEITHER, NOBODY, SOMEONE, A PERSON, etc. are singular and take singular pronouns.
Everybody ought to do his or her best. (NOT: their best)
Neither of the girls brought her umbrella. (NOT: their umbrellas)
NOTE: Many people find the construction "his or her" wordy, so if it is possible to use a plural noun as your antecedent so that you can use "they" as your pronoun, it may be wise to do so. If you do use a singular noun and the context makes the gender clear, then it is permissible to use just "his" or "her" rather than "his or her." See our handout on Non-sexist Language for more information.
2. AGREE in PERSON
If you are writing in the "first person" ( I), don't confuse your reader by switching to the "second person" ( you) or "third person" (he, she, they, it, etc.). Similarly, if you are using the "second person," don't switch to "first" or "third."
When a person comes to class, he or she should have his or her homework ready.
(NOT: When a person comes to class, you should have your homework ready.)
3. REFER CLEARLY to a specific noun.
Don't be vague or ambiguous.
NOT: Although the motorcycle hit the tree, it was not damaged. (Is "it" the motorcycle or the tree?)
NOT: I don't think they should show violence on TV. (Who are "they"?)
NOT: Vacation is coming soon, which is nice. (What is nice, the vacation or the fact that it is coming soon?)
NOT: George worked in a national forest last summer. This may be his life's work. (What word does "this" refer to?)
NOT: If you put this sheet in your notebook, you can refer to it. (What does "it" refer to, the sheet or your notebook?)
Basic Principle: A pronoun usually refers to something earlier in the text (its antecedent) and must agree in number — singular/plural — with the thing to which it refers.
1. The indefinite pronouns anyone, anybody, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, no one, and nobody are always singular. This is sometimes perplexing to writers who feel that everyone and everybody (especially) are referring to more than one person. The same is true of either and neither, which are always singular even though they seem to be referring to two things.
2. The need for pronoun-antecedent agreement can create gender problems. If one were to write, for instance, "A student must see his counselor before the end of the semester," when there are female students about, nothing but grief will follow. One can pluralize, in this situation, to avoid the problem:
Too many his's and her's eventually become annoying, however, and the reader becomes more aware of the writer trying to be conscious of good form than he or she is of the matter at hand.
Resources Utilized:
Common Core Standards Met:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.1a Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective, objective, possessive).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.1b Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.1c Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.1d Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).