BASIC GRAMMAR 1

1.     Pronoun

1.1  Subject pronoun

Remember that personal pronoun used as the object of a sentence or clause should be subject case pronoun.

	Pronoun	Verb
If the weather is good,	Ellen and I	Will go	To the beach.

Remember that the following pronoun are subject pronoun:

I, You, We, They, He. She. It.

Example:

I  : After Sandy talked them into buying bikes, she and them never drove to   school.

C : After Sandy talked them into buying bikes, she and they never drove to school.

I  : When they have enough money, Pat and her will probably go back to school.

C : When they have enough money, Pat and she will probably go back to school.

I  : When he comes back from vacation, Bob and me plan to look for another apartment.

C : When he comes back from vacation, Bob and I plan to look for another apartment.

Exercise: We know that in 1.000 A.D. Leif Erikson landed on the North American

                                              A

 coast, and that him and his Norwegian companions were the first white men to see the New

                            B                                                       C                                      D

World. (B)

1.2  Subject pronoun in complement position

Remember that in copmlement position after the verb BE, a subject pronoun must be used.

It	Be	Pronoun
It	Is	He	Whom the committe has named.

Avoid using an object pronoun instead of a subject pronoun after BE.

Examples:

I  : It was her whom everyone wanted to win.

C:  It was she whom everyone wanted to win.

I  : Is it them at the door again?

C : Is it they at the door again?

I  : This is him speaking.

C : This is he speaking.

Exercise : It was her, Elizabeth I, not her father, King Henry, who led into the Age

                             A                                B                                  C     D

 of Empire. (A)

1.3  Object pronoun

Remember that personal pronouns used as the complement of a sentence or clause should be object case pronoun.

S	V	Pronoun (object)
They	Asked	Us, Jane and me,	Whether we were satisfied.

Remember that the following pronouns are object pronouns: me, you, her, him, it, us, you, them.

Examples:

I  : The bus leaves Ted and she at the corner.

C : The bus leaves Ted and her at the corner.

I  : He always helps my wife and I with our tax return.

C : He always helps my wife and me with our tax return.

I  : Do you realy believe that she has blamed us for the accident, especially you and I?

C : Do you realy believe that she has blamed us for the accident, especially you and me?

Exercise : According to legend, because the Native American princess Pocahantos

                     A                                B

 said that she loved he, Captain John Smith was set free. (C)

                                 C                                    D

1.4  Object pronouns after preposition

Remember that personal pronouns used as the object of a preposition should be object case pronouns.

	Preposition	Pronoun (object)
I would be glad to take a message	For	her.

Remember that the following preposition are commonly used with object pronouns: among, between, for, from, of, to, with.

Avoid using a subject pronoun instead of an object pronoun after a preposition.

Examples:

I  : Among we men, it was he who always acted as interpreter.

C : Among us men, it was he who always acted as interpreter.

I  : The cake is from Jane, and the flowers are from Larry and we.

C : The cake is from Jane, and the flowers are from Larry and us.

I  : Just between you and I, this is not a very good price.

C : Just between you and me, this is not a very good price.

Exercise: According to Amazon legend, men were forced to do all of the

                                                                               A               B

household tasks for the women warriors who governed and protected the cities for

                                                                   C

 they. (D)

  D

1.5  Possesive pronoun before –ing forms

Remember that possesive pronouns are used before –ing nouns. The following are possesive are possesive pronouns: my, your, her, his, its, our, your, their.

S	V	Pronoun(possesive)	-ing form (noun)
He	Regretted	Their	misunderstanding	him

Avoid using subject and object pronouns between the verb and –ing form.

Examples:

I  : We dont understand why you object to him coming with us.

C : We dont understand why you object to his coming with us.

I  : The doctor insisted on she taking a leave absence.

C : The doctor insisted on her taking a leave absence.

I  : I would appreciate you letting me know as soon as possible.

C : I would appreciate your letting me know as soon as possible.

Exercise:

Although Barney Clark lived only a few months with the artificial heart, doctor

                                                                   A

were able to learn a great from him having used it. (C)

                    B                             C                   D

1.6  Possesive pronoun before parts of body

Remember that possesive pronoun are used before nouns that identify a part of body.

		Pronoun(possesive)	Noun (part of body)
He	Hurts	his	Arm.

Avoid using the instead of possesive pronoun.

Examples:

I  : How did you twist the ankle?

C : How did you twist your  ankle?

I  : Does Alice colour the hair?

C : Does Alice colour her hair?

I  : She broke the wrist in the accident.

C : She broke her wrist in the accident.

Exercise :

1.    Sports medicine experts agree that ice should be applied immediately when the athlete suffers an injury to.....................leg.

A.    Its

B.     An

C.     The

D.    His

(D)

1.7  Relative pronoun that refer to person and things

Remember that who is used for person, which is used refer to things.

	Someone	Who
She is	The secretary	who	Works in the international office.

Avoid using which instead of who in reference to a person.

	something	Which
This is	The new typewriter	Which	You ordered.

Examples:

I  : Who is the man which asked the question?

C : Who is the man who asked the question?

I  : There is someone on line two which would like to speak with you.

C : There is someone on line two who would like to speak with you.

I  : The students which receives the highest score will be awarded a scholarship.

C : The students who receives the highest score will be awarded a scholarship.

Exercise:  Charlie Chaplin was a comedian...........was best known for his work in silent movies.

A.    Who

B.    Which

C.    Whose

D.    What

(A)

1.8  Relative pronoun that refer to person

Both who and whom are used to refer to persons. Who is used the subject of a sentence. Whom is used asthe complement of a sentence. Whom is often used after a preposition as the object of the preposition.

	who	V
everyone	who	took	The tour was impressed by the painting.

Avoid using whom as the subject of a verb.

	Whom	S	V
He was only American	whom	I	Saw	At the conference.

Avoid using who instead of whom before a subject and a verb.

Examples:

I  : I asked him who he was calling.

C :I asked him whom he was calling.

I  : I know the candidate whom was elected.

C : I know the candidate who was elected.

I  : He didnt know who he would take to the party.

C : He didnt know whom he would take to the party.

Exercise: In a parliamentary system, it is not the monarch but the prime minister......

A.    Whom the real power

B.    Who has the real power

C.    Whom he has the real power

D.    Who the real power

(B)

1.9  Reflexive pronouns

Reflexive pronoun may be used when both the subject and the complement refer to the same person or thing. Reflexive pronouns are used as complement of a sentence or a clause or as the object of preposition. The following are reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

S	V	Pronoun
Some langauage learners	Can correct	Themselves.

Examples:

I  : Be careful or you will hurt to you.

C : Be careful or you will hurt yourself.

I  : I had to teach me to swim.

C : I had to teach myself to swim.

I  : Help you to whatever you like.

C : Help yourself to whatever you like.

Exercise:

1.      The jaw structure of a snake permits it to eat and digest animals larger than....

A.    It

B.     Itself

C.     Is

D.    It has

(B)

2.  Absolute zero, the temperature at whom all substances have zero thermal

                                                               A             B

 energy and thus, the lowest possible temperature, is unattainable in practice.

                                 C                                              D

(D)