Mastering Pronouns: Effective Exercises for University Students to Improve English Proficiency
sentences
SVO subject – verb – object (Thai, Chinese & English)
- The boy kicked the ball
- The boy (S) kicked (V) the ball (O)
- nouns – boy, ball, verb – kicked
Change the verb easily
- The boy kicked the ball
- The boy hit the ball
- The boy caught the ball
- The boy punched the ball
- The boy threw the ball
- The boy ran with the ball
Subject Verb Object
- The boy kicked the ball
- The boy hit the ball
- The boy caught the ball
- The boy punched the ball
- The boy threw the ball
- The boy ran with the ball
Subject Object – article + noun
- The boy the ball
These are the noun phrases
- Article + noun (the boy, the ball)
- Article + noun (a boy, a ball)
- Article + noun (an artist, an apple)
Using pronouns
Use pronouns to replace the subject or object
- The boy kicked the ball
- He kicked the ball
- The boy kicked it
Notice we replace the nouns, but also the article with the noun
- The boy-> he
- The ball -> it
Use pronouns to replace the noun phrase:
- The tall boy kicked the blue ball
- He kicked it
- A young boy kicked an orange ball
- He kicked it
- A good artist can paint a tasty apple
- She/He can paint it
Pronoun gender
Replace the underlined noun with the correct pronoun:
- My friend likes soccer. _____ plays it every day.
- My friend likes soccer. He plays it every day.
- My friend likes soccer. She plays it every day.
Pronoun agreement
- Wrong: “Me and him went to the store”
- Correct: “He and I went to the store.”
Personal Pronouns
person | singular | plural |
1st | I | we |
2nd | you | you |
3rd | she / he / it | they |
Subject Pronouns
Use pronouns to replace the noun phrase:
- I kicked the ball
- you kicked the ball
- she / he / it kicked the ball
- we kicked the ball
- you kicked the ball
- they kicked the ball
Object Pronouns
Use pronouns to replace the noun phrase:
- The boy kicked the ball to me
- The boy kicked the ball to you
- The boy kicked the ball to her / him / it
- The boy kicked the ball to us
- The boy kicked the ball to you
- The boy kicked the ball to them
Pronoun Exercises
Exercise 1
Change the underlined words to the correct pronouns
0. John and I saw Peter yesterday. He bought John and me a cup of coffee |
___We___ saw Peter yesterday. He bought _____us_____ a cup of coffee |
1. David and Mike are arriving today. I’m meeting David and Mike at the station |
______________are arriving today. I’m meeting ______________at the station |
2. I’m looking for Mary. Have you seen Mary? Mary isn’t at home. |
I’m looking for Mary. Have you seen ____? ____ isn’t at home. |
3. John and I saw a film called ‘The Tiger’ yesterday. Have you seen ‘The Tiger’? |
_________ saw a film called ‘The Tiger’ yesterday. Have you seen __________? |
4. Come to the swimming pool with Joanna and me. Joanna and I are leaving now. |
Come to the swimming pool with _____________. ___________ are leaving now. |
5. George and Jane are meeting Paul today. Paul is having lunch with George and Jane. |
______________ are meeting Paul today. ____ is having lunch with ______________ . |
6. There’s Jack! Jack’s got a heavy suitcase. Shall we help Jack? |
There’s ____! Jack’s got a heavy suitcase. Shall we help ____? |
Possessive Adjectives
- The boy kicked my ball
- The boy kicked your ball
- The boy kicked her / his/ its ball
- The boy kicked our ball
- The boy kicked your ball
- The boy kicked their ball
Possessive Pronouns
- The ball is mine
- The ball is yours
- The ball is hers / his / –
- The ball is ours
- The ball is yours
- The ball is theirs
Reflexive Pronouns
- The ball is owned by myself
- The ball is owned by yourself
- The ball is owned by herself / himself / itself
- The ball is owned by ourselves
- The ball is owned by yourselves
- The ball is owned by themselves
