Personal pronouns

PERSONAL PRONOUNS have the following grammatical categories:

• person (first, second, third);

• number (singular, plural);

• gender in the third person singular (masculine, feminine, neuter);

• case (nominative, objective).

Exercise 2. Insert the proper form of the personal pronoun in brackets and comment on its grammatical categories.

1. I had turned and faced (he). He was taller than (I).

2. I only mean I’m sorry the captain’s (I).

3. He’ll be between (you) and (I), anyway.

4. It was (he) before whom she felt defeat.

5. It was (she) who asked the next question.

6. It’s (they) whom I pity desperately.

7. ‘She’s better at it than (we) are,’ said Nora.

8. It was (I) not Martin, who had in­sisted on seeing (he) that night – because I wanted his support.

9. I recalled, too, there had been some talk between Tom Wells and (she).

10. ‘Who is it?’ ‘(I). It’s (I).’

11. Now here you are, safe and sound. And you have your home and Eli­za and (he).

12. This is (I) who can help you.

13. Time for you and (I) to talk a little business. (S. Sheldon)

14. ‘This is called detecting,’ I said. ‘I’m trying to find out who murdered your stunt double, in the hopes that I can dissuade (he), or (she), from murdering (you).’ ‘Her? ’ ‘Could be a (she), couldn’t it?’ (R.B. Parker)

15. ‘Well, I cried last night,’ he returned, ‘and I had more reason to cry than (she).’ (E. Bronte)

16. ‘To get rid of (I), answer my question,’ persevered Mr. Linton. (E. Bronte)

17. Isabella and (he) had had an hour’s interview, during which he tried to elicit from her some sentiment of proper horror for Heathcliff’s advances. (E. Bronte)

18. ‘You and (I),’ he said, ‘have each a great debt to settle with the man out yonder!’ (E. Bronte)

19. She was older than (I) was, with good cheekbones and lovely skin. (Robert B. Parker)

20. ‘What frightened you?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe it’s (I).’

‘No,’ I said. ‘It’s not (you).’ (Robert B. Parker)

21. So may be it’s (I), John Isidore said to himself.

22. She’s as bad as (I) and you!

23. You are closer to death than (I).

24. ‘Who told him?’ ‘(I).’

25. ‘Well, it was late, and (I) and my friend Bob, we’d been to a game.’

26. We’ve got a bond in common, you and (I).

27. The ski instructor didn’t actually ski any better than (I).

28. ‘Who’s there?’ ‘It’s (we).’

29. It’s (they) who asked for the music to be turned down.

30. You and (I) are both invited to the pro-celebrity golf match, if you fancy it.

31. They are sending the new consignment over for Tom and (I) to check

32. Look what I’ve done! Silly (I)!

33. Lucky old (I)!

Possessive pronouns

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS have the following grammatical categories:

• person (first, second, third);

• number (singular, plural);

• gender in the third person singular (masculine, feminine, neuter);

They may be used in the conjoint form (as determiners) or absolute form (as substitutes, replacers).

Exercise 3. Choose the appropriate form of the possessive pronoun and comment on its grammatical categories.

1. I went (my, mine) way, and she went (her, hers).

2. He left (her, hers) with (their, theirs) child.

3. What was this experiment of (your, yours)?

4. He slipped (his) arm in (her, hers).

5. From this point onward (their, theirs) story comes in two versions, (my, mine) and (her, hers).

6. The Minister’s room was only two doors from (my, mine).

7. ‘That thought is not (me, mine),’ he said to himself quickly.

8. Where’s (your, yours) seat? I shall go to (my, mine).

9. Call me what you like. You have chosen (your, yours) part, we have chosen (our, ours).

10. His nature was harder than most of (their, theirs).

11. I thought it over aloud, in my master’s presence; walking straight from (her, hers) room to (his), and relating the whole story. (E. Bronte)

12. ‘Oh, for mercy’s sake,’ interrupted the mistress, stamping her foot, ‘for mercy’s sake, let us hear no more of it now! Your cold blood cannot be worked into a fever: (your, yours) veins are full of ice water; but (my, mine) are boiling, and the sight of such chillness makes them dance.’ (E. Bronte)

13. I took (her, hers) hand in (my, mine), and bid (her, hers) be composed. (E. Bronte)

14. You have chosen (your, yours) part, we have chosen (our, ours). (John Galsworthy)

15. ‘…and this – I should know it among a thousand – it’s a lapwing’s. Bonny bird; wheeling over our heads in the middle of the moor. It wanted to get to (it, its) nest, for the clouds had touched the swells, and it felt rain coming.’ (E. Bronte)

16. ‘You’ve a nice house, Joseph,’ I could not refrain from observing, ‘and pleasant inmates; and I think the concentrated essence of all the madness in the world took up its abode in my brain the day I linked (my, mine) fate with (their, theirs)!’ (E. Bronte)

Exercise 4. Choose between the definite article and the possessive pronoun. Explain your choice.

1. ‘Hi, Mom,’ he says, kissing me on ………. cheek. (Terry McMillan)

2. And he took ………. wife in ………. arms, and looked at her with anguish. (E. Bronte)

3. Mr. Edgar’s coldness depressed me exceedingly; and all the way from the Grange I puzzled ………. brains how to put more heart into what he said, when I repeated it; and how to soften his refusal of even a few lines to console Isabella. (E. Bronte)

4. I tapped her carefully on ………. shoulder.

5. I didn’t feel as if I were in the company of a creature of my own species: it appeared that he would not understand, though I spoke to him; so I stood off, and held ………. tongue, in great perplexity. (E. Bronte)

6. … after the struggle, he trembled, in spite of himself, to ………. very finger-ends. (E. Bronte)

7. Ryan kissed her on ………. cheek. (Jack Higgins)

8. Hareton, during the discussion, stood with ………. hands in his pockets, too awkward to speak; though he looked as if he did not relish my intrusion. (E. Bronte)

9. I shook her warmly by ………. hand.

10. Mrs Heathcliff was seated by the bedside, with ………. hands folded on ………. knees. (E. Bronte)

11. He plucked Soames by ………. sleeve. (John Galsworthy)

12. ‘I didn’t touch you, you lying creature!’ cried she, ………. fingers tingling to repeat the act, and ………. ears red with rage. (E. Bronte)

13. I feel a pain in ………. neck whenever I lift heavy objects.

14. She stamped ………. foot, wavered a moment, and then, irresistibly impelled by the naughty spirit within her, slapped me on ………. cheek a stinging blow that filled both eyes with water. (E. Bronte)

15. The youth was paralysed after being shot in ………. leg.

16. At last he placed ………. hat on ………. head, and walked grumbling forth. (E. Bronte)

17. ‘She has blood on ………. lips!’ he said, shuddering. (E. Bronte)

18. I incautiously gave the account aloud, and she heard me; for she started up – ………. hair flying over ………. shoulders, ………. eyes flashing, the muscles of ………. neck and arms standing out preternaturally. (E. Bronte)

19. The Duchness patted her on ………. head.

‘You are talking in ………. sleep!’ (E. Bronte)

2. He took her by ………. hand and led her into the next room.