CSSLSSIVL NCUNS

A possesslve noun ls a noun LhaL names who or whaL owns or has possesslon of
someLhlng
lmply sLaLed possesslve nouns are nouns LhaL show ownershlp
ere are some examples of Lhese possesslve nouns
Lxample
1 @he dog's howls are very loud
2 l wanL Lo eaL my moLher's homemade apple ple!
3 ave you called Lhe docLor's offlce?

All Lhe underllned words ln Lhe senLences above are your possesslve nouns lnce Lhey
are possesslve nouns Lhey are also your nouns ln Lhe possesslve case
ln Lhls handouL l wlll enumeraLe Lhe 8 rules used for Lhe possesslve case and l wlll
couple wlLh Lhese rules some examples and of course Lhe unceaslng exerclses for Lhe
Loplc LeL's begln!

1 If a s|ngar non dos not nd |n s add an s
Lxample
@he dellvery boy's Lruck was blocklng Lhe drlveway
2 l saw your broLher's pro[ecL Lhe oLher day

ln Lhe examples presenLed above Lhe words boy and broLher do noL end wlLh Lhe
leLLer s o agaln for slngular nouns LhaL do noL end ln s [usL add an 's Lo Lhe word

2 If a s|ngar common non nds |n s add an s bt |f th s|ngar common
non that nds w|th an s |s foowd by a word that bg|ns w|th an s add an
apostroph ony
Lxample
1 @he bosss Lemper was legendary among hls employees
2 @he wlLnesss verslon of Lhe sLory has several lnconslsLencles
3 @he boss slsLer was even meaner
@he wlLness sLory dld noL maLch Lhe evenLs recorded on Lape

ln examples no 1 and 2 Lhe words boss and wlLness boLh end wlLh an s @haL would
mean LhaL we should add an 's as Lhe end 8uL for examples no 3 and we only use
Lhe aposLrophe (') because Lhe nexL word sLarLs wlLh Lhe leLLer s

8ule 3 If a propr non nds |n s or an s sond add an apostroph ony
Lxample
1 hrls exam scores were hlgher Lhan any oLher sLudenLs
2 @haL loLLery LlckeL ls !ames'

lor 8ule 3 Lhe words hrls' and !ames' only use Lhe aposLrophe (') because Lhey are
proper nouns 8emember LhaL proper nouns are Lhe speclflc names of person place
Lhlngs brands and arLlsLlc work

4 If a non |s pra |n form and nds |n an s add an apostroph ony
Lxample
1 @he lnsLrucLor asked us Lo analyze Len poems meanlngs
2 @he dog caLcher had Lo check all of Lhe dogs Lags

lor Lhe example above we have nouns LhaL are already ln Lhelr plural form @haL
means LhaL we should only add an aposLrophe

8ule 3 If a pra non dos not nd |n s add s
Lxample
1 ,any acLlvlsLs ln Cregon are concerned wlLh chlldrens rlghLs
2 Lveryone was dlsappolnLed wlLh Lhe Amerlcan medlas coverage of Lhe
Clymplcs ln ALlanLa

lnce Lhe plural forms of Lhese sample words do noL end ln s we should really add an
's Lhls ls Lhe same for all Lhe plural words LhaL do noL end wlLh an s

6 If there is joint possession, use the correct possessive for only the
possessive closest to the noun.
Lxample
1 he was worrled abouL her moLher and faLhers marrlage
2 ab and AlberL's campalgn was successful

lf we look aL Lhe examples above we see LhaL even Lhough Lhe words moLher and
faLher and ab and AlberL are connecLed by Lhe word and we should only use an 's on
Lhe lasL possesslve closesL Lo Lhe noun

7 If thr |s a sparat possss|on of th sam non s th corrct
possss|v form for ach word
Lxample
@he owners and Lhe bosss excuses were equally false
2 @he dogs and Lhe caLs owners were ln school when Lhe flre broke ouL

lor Lhe examples above we Lransform Lhem lnLo Lhe possesslve case separaLely
because Lhey are Lalklng abouL separaLe owner shlp o Lhe owner has hls own excuses
whlle Lhe boss has hls own excuses as well @he dog has lLs own owners whlle Lhe caL
has lLs own owners as well


8 In a compound construction, use the correct possessive form for the word
closest to the noun. Avoid possessives with compound plurals.
Lxample
1 My father-in-law's BMW is really fun to drive
2 %he forest ranger's truck is painted an ugly shade of green

unllke Lhe plural form of compound nouns LhaL you have Lo look for Lhe mosL
lmporLanL word ln Lhe compound noun wlLh possesslves you should use Lhe
possesslve form for Lhe word closesL Lo Lhe noun

CNCUNS
A pronon ls a word used ln place of a noun
A pronoun ldenLlfles persons places Lhlngs or ldeas wlLhouL renamlng Lhem
Cr ln oLher words pronouns acL as subsLlLuLes for Lhe nouns LhaL we use Lo make
your llfe easler
ere are Lwo examples senLences lf we do noL you pronouns
Lxample
1 arly wondered lf arly could brlng arly's bag wlLh arly
2 @errence reallzed LhaL lf @errence saved @errence's money @errence wlll have
enough money Lo buy Lhe vldeo game @errence wanLed

ould anyone be more repeLlLlve? Why noL make lL slmpler llke Lhls

1 arly wondered lf she could brlng her bag wlLh her
2 @errence reallzed LhaL lf he saved hls money he wlll have enough money Lo
buy Lhe vldeo game he wanLed

8uL for all of you noL convlnced abouL how useful pronouns arepass Lo me on
,onday a 2000word essay abouL all your famlly members and Lhelr hobbles
Wl@Cu@ uslng pronouns!

8elow ls a useful Lable of pronouns LhaL wlll help you wlLh Lhese handouLs @he Lable
presenLs boLh L8CnAL and CLlvL 8CnCun also Lhe Lable shows wheLher
Lhe pronouns are lnuLA8 or Lu8AL As an added bonus Lhe Lable also lndlcaLes
wheLher Lhe pronoun ls ln ll8@ LCnu or @l8u L8Cn
uon'L worry afLer Lhe Lable l wlll explaln whaL Lhese words ln all caps are for
SINGULA LUAL
LSCNAL CSSLSSIVL LSCNAL CSSLSSIVL
I|rst rson l me my mlne we us our ours
Scond rson ?ou your yours you your yours
1h|rd rson
he hlm ls
Lhey Lhem Lhelr Lhelrs she her er hers
lL lLs

now for Lhe explanaLlonnouns are noL Lhe only ones who have plural forms
pronouns have plural forms Loo uon'L ask me why Lhey [usL do C @l Wl@ l@!
ln addlLlon Lo havlng plural forms nouns also have dlfferenL forms LhaL express
L8Cn nu,8L8 and LnuL8 @hls ls so because pronouns have Lo sulLe Lhe nouns
LhaL Lhey would refer Lo lf we only had one pronoun for everyLhlng (llke Lhe pronoun
sh" for examples) lL would look someLhlng llke Lhls

@roy was a really aLhleLlc boy! he [olned Lhe baskeLball Leam aL an early age compared
Lo all Lhe oLher boys ln Lhe Leam All Lhe glrls ln school had a crush on her @roy would
always glve lL her all durlng every game ?ou would never see her cry llke a llLLle glrl lf
she had an ln[ury!

oor @roy lf he were born ln a world wlLh only one pronoun for everyLhlng

We call Lhese pronouns LhaL express L8Cn nu,8L8 and LnuL8 as L8CnAL
8CnCun because Lhey are sulLed personally Lo Lhe ones LhaL wlll use Lhem A male
pronoun for a man and a female pronoun for a woman

As for CLlvL 8CnCun Lhey are [usL personal pronouns LhaL show ownershlp
WheLher you are a boy a glrl an anlmal or even an amoeba possss|v nons do noL
mlnd your gender


AN1LCLDLN1S

As we already know pronouns could subsLlLuLe for Lhe nouns we use @he nouns LhaL
pronouns replace are called Lhe An@LLuLn@ of Lhe pronouns Cr ln oLher words
AN1LCLDLN1S ar th words that pronon rfr to or rpacs |n a sntnc
ere ls an example

ln summer wboles feed off Lhe coasL of new Lngland ln wlotet Lhey leave lL for
warmer waLers who/es ls Lhe anLecedenL of tbey nost Lhe anLecedenL of lt

8elow are some rules and examples for uslng pronoun Lo refer Lo Lhelr anLecedenLs

AGLLMLN1 IN NUM8L

When we speak of number Lhe personal pronouns lndlcaLe wheLher Lhe anLecedenL ls
slngular or pluralsbebe and lt are some slngular pronouns wetbey and s are
used as plural pronouns and yo ls elLher slngular or plural because Lhe pronoun yo
could work boLh ways
1 Us a s|ngar pronon to rfr to a s|ngar antcdnt Us a pra form
for a pra antcdnt
Lxample

S|ngar A parLan ole was noL consldered an adulL unLll h Lurned LhlrLy

ra ,arrled parLan eo were noL allowed Lo llve wlLh th|r wlves
mlllLary Lralnlng was consldered more lmporLanL
ln Lhe flrsL senLence Lhe anLecedenL of Lhe pronoun h ls Lhe noun ole As you see ln
ln Lhe flrsL senLence Lhe pronoun used ls noL sbe because we are Lalklng abouL a male
person and noL tbey because Lhere ls only one person ln Lhe senLence male

ln Lhe second senLence Lhe anLecedenL of Lhe pronoun th|r ls Lhe noun men As ln
Lhls senLence Lhe pronoun used ls noL sbe because we are sLlll Lalklng abouL a male
person and noL tbey because lL would noL show ownershlp lor Lhls senLence a
possesslve pronoun was used because we are Lalklng abouL Lhe men's wlves o we use
tbelt

2 Us a pra non to rfr to two or mor s|ngar antcdnts
[o|nd by ond
Lxample
Larly ottoosooJtbeoloos were culLurally slmllar 1hy dlffered sharply
afLer 600 8
ln Lhls example Lhe words ottoos and tbeoloos are connecLed by Lhe con[uncLlon
and @hls means LhaL we should use Lhe plural form and LhaL we use Lhe pronoun tbey
ln Lhe Lhlrd person because ottoosooJtbeoloosare Lhe ones LhaL we are Lalklng
abouL ln Lhe senLence

3 Us a s|ngar pronon to rfr to two or mor s|ngar antcdnts [o|nd
by or n
Lxample
nelLher @yttoesootlcoo Lwo parLan poeLs would have recognlzed h|s
clLysLaLe's socleLy afLer 600 8
ln Lhls example Lhe words @yttoes and lcoo are connecLed by Lhe con[uncLlon nor
@hls means LhaL we should use Lhe slngular form

AGLLMLN1 IN GLNDL

A pronoun ln Lngllsh ls ln one of Lhe Lhree genders mascullne femlnlne or neuLer e
hlm and hls are mascullne pronouns she her and hers are femlnlne pronouns t and
lts are neuLer pronouns Lhey refer Lo anLecedenLs LhaL are nelLher mascullne nor
femlnlne ln gender

1 Us a pronon that agrs |n gndr w|th |ts antcdnt
Lxample
eoo wroLe hr paper on olon and hls role ln beglnnlng ALhens' democracy

lural nouns are Lhe same for all genders use Lhe same plural pronouns Lo refer Lo
mascullne femlnlne and neuLer anLecedenLs
Lxample
@he stJeots opened th|r books Lo Lhe unlL of parLanALhenlan relaLlons

lf Lhe gender ls unclear Lhe pronoun should show LhaL lL could elLher be mascullne or
femlnlne
Lxample
oeooe dropped h|s or hr noLes on parLan hosLlllLy Loward ALhenlan
democracy

AGLLMLN1 IN LSCN

ronouns also occur ln Lhe IIS1 SLCCND or Lhe 1nID LSCN
When we speak of Lhe ll8@ L8Cn lL refers Lo Lhe one who ls speaklng ln shorL Lhe
ll8@ L8Cn refers Lo yo! @he LCnu L8Cn refers Lo Lhe person/s or Lhlng/s you
are speaklng Lo Whlle Lhe @l8u person refers Lo Lhe person/s or Lhlng/s you are
speaklng abouL or puL ln anoLher way Lhe @l8u L8Cn ls/are Lhe one/s you are
gosslplng abouL!

1 Us a pronon that agrs |n prson w|th |ts antcdnt

IIS1 LSCN wlll do my research on olon's ban on forclng debLors lnLo
slavery

SLCCND LSCN nlck wlll yo do yor reporL on hls decree abouL leLLlng lower
class people serve as [unlors?

1nID LSCN 9eole of Lhe lower class were also glven th|r say ln Lhe publlc
assembly by olon












Lxrc|s for ronons and 1h|r Antcdnts

ulrecLlon Cn your paper wrlLe all Lhe personal pronoun ln Lhe followlng senLences
@hen wrlLe Lhe anLecedenL for each pronoun WrlLe our answers on a separaLe sheeL of
paper 1/2 sheeL crosswlse lollow Lhe formaL for answerlng below

Samp 8lll wlll you noLlce Lhe norLh Lar and sLeer Lhe boaL by lL?
Answr you8lll lLnorLh Lar

1 Lven Lhough Lhe sall boaLs are an ole meLhod of LransporLaLlon Lhey are sLlll
popular
2 When early sallors held Lhe branch of a Lree over waLer Lhey made fasLer
progress
3 eople developed salls and salllng gear and puL Lhem Lo good use
hlpbullders lmproved Lhe sLrucLure and parLs of Lhelr shlps
3 As shlps became larger and more compllcaLed a sallor found LhaL he had Lo sLudy
Lhelr worklngs clearly
6 Cueen lsabella l of paln dld noL expecL her explorer Lo dlscover Lhe lslands of Lhe
arlbbean ln hls search for a rouLe Lo lndla
7 WaLer and wlnds moved around Lhe easLern coasL of Lhe Amerlcas and early
navlgaLors learned Lo use Lhem Lo Lhelr advanLage
8 @he Lrade wlnds goL Lhelr name from Lhe facL LhaL Lhey were used by shlps Lo help
shlpped Lhe LransporLaLlon of goods
9 LudenLs can you undersLand how a Llny sallboaL ln eru could caLch Lhe Lrade
wlnds and evenLually drlfL lLs way Lo Lhe souLh paclflc and ouLh ea lsland?
10 Larly Luropean navlgaLors salled Lhelr boaLs along coasLllnes because Lhe ocean
and lLs dlfflculL seas LhreaLened opensea voyages
11 Cf her flrsL solo [ourney ,arla sald l feel as Lhough Lhe wlnd ls mlne Loday and
LhaL Lhe weaLher ln lLs own way wlll help me keep on course"
12 As lng hlllp ll of paln learned Lhe power and slze of hls armada was no maLch
for smaller Lngllsh boaLs LhaL used Lhe wlnd lLs power and dlrecLlon Lo defeaL
Lhelr enemy
13 As for Lravellers Loday we know llLLle abouL Lhe abouL Lhe Lechnology responslble
for our ablllLy Lo move swlfLly from place Lo place
1 As Lhe ulf Lream moved norLhward and easLward along Lhe norLh Amerlcan
coasL lL made posslble Lhe [ourney back Lo Lurope for olumbus and hls crew
13 8ecause Lhey cared more abouL Lhe besL wlnd and weaLher for salllng sallors long
ago dld noL always Lravel Lhe shorLesL dlsLance beLween Lwo polnLs

Lxrc|s for ossss|v Nons

ulrecLlons WrlLe Lhe correcL form of Lhe underllned possesslve noun for each of Lhe
senLences WrlLe Lhe compleLe senLence on a separaLe sheeL of paper 1/2 sheeL
crosswlse

1 l borrowed !ames blke yesLerday so LhaL l could go Lo school
2 Cn my way Lo school l passed by ,rs 8rown yard LhaL was fllled wlLh flowers of
dlfferenL klnds
3 When l sLopped aL Lhe lnLersecLlon of Lhe sLreeL !ake asked me lf l saw any of hls
frlends buL l dld noL know 8lake and lm whereabouLs
lL was almosL Llme for school when l noLlced Lhe geese fllghL overhead @hey are
such a wonder Lo look aL ln Lhe mornlng
3 l made a curve aL oeLs sLreeL when l saw someLhlng ln one of Lhe alleys
6 l Lurned back Lo see whaL lL was When l approached lL was 8lake and lm bags
@hey were abandoned ln Lhe alley
7 l looked lnslde Lhem and found LhaL Lhe bags conLenLs have been empLled
8 l broughL Lhem wlLh me Lo show Lo Lhe vlce prlnclpal offlce because l LhoughL LhaL
boLh of Lhem had [usL played hooky
9 8uL l was Lold LhaL Lhe prlnclpal and Lhe vlce prlnclpal were ln Lhe board of
educaLlon offlce because Lhey were havlng a meeLlng
10 @haL was Lhe Llme l knew LhaL someLhlng was up and LhaL l had Lo leave Lhe school
premlses Lo flnd some answers abouL my frlends dlsappearance