Pronoun Usage Grammar Handout 068 (April 2013; ASC Eng/Read) Page 2
Demonstrative pronouns are either singular or plural.
Examples:
Singular: This book is hers. That is a big spider.
Plural: These books are theirs. Those spiders are huge.
However, some indefinite pronouns are always singular, some are always plural, and some may be
either singular or plural.
Examples:
Singular: Everybody took his turn in line.
Singular: Everyone on the girls' team forgot her books.
Singular: Neither of the dogs did its tricks.
Singular: Either of the boys can get his hair cut today.
Plural: Both of the girls took their cakes home.
Plural: Many people forgot their books.
Plural: Few of the dogs did their tricks.
Plural: Several of the boys can get their hair cut today.
Intensive and reflexive pronouns must refer to a previous noun or pronoun and agree in number
with the words that they refer to.
Examples:
Jack fixed the computer himself.
We were supposed to do the work ourselves.
You can finish that yourself.
The children worked on the science project by themselves.
Other important information to know about pronouns:
The personal subjective pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, and they) can also be used as
subjective complements. A subjective complement is a noun or pronoun which follows a
linking verb and is the same as the subject.
Example: It was she on the phone.
Some abbreviated sentences that express comparisons by the words than or as create problems
in determining whether to use a subjective or objective pronoun. In determining which
pronoun to use, decide whether the omitted word following the pronoun is a verb. If so, the
correct pronoun is the subjective pronoun.
Example: Bobby left earlier than I. (The omitted word would be “left” or “did” – a verb.
Consequently, the subject pronoun I is correct.)
However, if the omitted word following the pronoun is not logically a verb, try to add words
(subject and verb) before the pronoun choice. If doing so makes the sentence logical, then the
correct pronoun is the objective pronoun.
Example: The dress fits me better than (it fits) her. (Adding “it fits” in front of pronoun her
makes sense.)