The ESL HELP! Desk

Welcome to the ESL Help! Desk.  We are unique because all of the examples in our lessons come from authentic English.  Our students have offered to contribute their writing to this project.  We think you will like what you see!

Welcome to today's lesson, as we continue in our chapter about noun and pronouns. You can obtain earlier lessons from our Grammar HELP! Library.

Before you begin the activities, you may want to study the podcast and grammar lesson, He's Always Talking about Grammar, also in our Library. (This lesson is open to members only but membership is free!)

After you complete the activities and when you are ready to check your answers, go to our "Answer Key" shelf located in "Our Library".  Are you ready?

PRONOUNS in English...

...have characteristics that reflect their position in a sentence and . Let's take a look at some of these types of pronouns.

A SUBJECT PRONOUN occupies the subject position.

AN OBJECT PRONOUN occupies the object position.

A POSSESSIVE PRONOUN indicates possession.

A DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN refers back to an item that was just referred to.

A REFLEXIVE PRONOUN reflects the action or state of being back to the person or thing that has just been mentioned.

 

Pronouns are similar to nouns in that they both have singular and plural forms.

In contrast to nouns, however, pronouns have forms that reflect 1st, 2nd and 3rd person and may also, such as in the case of subject pronouns, object pronouns and reflexive pronouns, have masculine and feminine forms in the 3rd person singular form.

SUBJECT PRONOUNS

Use a subject pronoun to replace a noun in the subject position.

• We had a good time.

• We, my wife and I, had a good time.
  

The SUBJECT PRONOUNS ARE:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
I	WE
YOU	YOU
HE, SHE, IT	THEY

 

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

Use a demonstrative pronoun to refer to an idea that you have just mentioned.  It may be used in the subject position or in the object position.

I have always loved my familyi.  However, this was not enough to keep my marriage together.

In the above sentence, this refers to the fact that he has always loved his family.

The DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS are:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
THIS	THESE
THAT	THOSE

 

Be a Grammar Geek!

 
The adjective some is used in each practice sentence below.  How good are you at distinguishing between a count noun and a noncount noun?

What does the pronoun these refer to in the sentence below?

Some people are poor and wish to be wealthy.  Some are wealthy and wish they were happy, too.  Some people are lonely and wish to have a family.  These are fantasies that help people to aspire to a better life.

Your answer:  ____________________________________________________________

You will find the answers in our "Answer Key". You can access the "Answer Key" by using your Library Card to enter the Library, and then scroll down to find the shelf, "Answer Key" and find the appropriate lesson. 

So thanks for dropping by this week, and remember to email us your questions about English grammar. At the ESL Help Desk, your feedback is our feed.

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