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Pronouns are words that refer to persons or things but do not name them.

The noun to which a pronoun refers is called its antecedent.

"I" and all the other pronouns that refer to the person speaking are of the first person; "you" and the others referring to the person spoken to are of the second person; "he," "it," and all the others referring to the person or thing spoken of are of the third person. These are called personal pronouns.

Copy all the personal pronouns in the story.

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Inflection of Personal Pronouns

Arrange the pronouns that you have copied from the story in three lists, one of the first person, one of the second person, and one of the third person.

Following is a list of the personal pronouns; copy it:-

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Cases of Pronouns

Pronouns have three cases, nominative, possessive, and objective.

Use in sentences all the personal pronouns except those in the thou column.

Which of the personal pronouns may be used as the subjects of sentences?

In what case are they?
Which denote possession?
In what case are they?

Under some pronouns you find two forms for the possessive my or mine, you or yours, her or hers, our or ours, their or theirs.

If you were asked, "Whose book have you?" you could answer, "I have mine" or "I have my book." Use both forms of the other possessives in sentences. Make a rule for the use of these forms and copy it in your notebook.

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Gender of Pronouns

What is the gender of the personal pronoun he? Of she?

A pronoun takes its gender from the noun it stands for. The pronoun it is sometimes of common and sometimes of neuter gender.

In a sentence use it in the common gender; in the

neuter.

Note:

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Every one has his faults.

The child has his rights.

Neither man nor woman can foretell his future.

The masculine pronoun is used when the antecedent is a noun of common gender or two nouns of different genders.

It is not in good taste to say, "Neither man nor woman can foretell his or her future."

Read:

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Compound Personal Pronouns

HERCULES AND THE WAGONER

As a wagoner was driving a heavy cart through a miry lane, the wheels stuck fast in the clay and the horses could get no farther. The man, without making the least effort for himself, dropped on his knees and began calling upon Hercules to come and help him out of his trouble.

"Lazy fellow!" said Hercules, "get up and stir yourself. Whip your horses stoutly, and put your shoulder to the wheel. Heaven helps only those who help themselves." Copy all the personal pronouns in the story. Notice the forms himself, yourself, themselves. These are called compound personal pronouns.

They are made up of personal pronouns and the word self or selves. Use each of them in sentences.

What other personal pronouns are there besides those in this story?

Use them all in sentences.

XVII

PERSONAL PRONOUNS - SOLEMN STYLE

A PARABLE AGAINST PERSECUTION

And it came to pass, after these things, that Abraham sat in the door of his tent about the going-down of the sun.

And, behold, a man bowed with age came from the way of the wilderness, leaning on a staff.

And Abraham arose and met him, and said unto him, "Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night; and thou shalt arise early on the morrow, and go on thy way."

But the man said, "Nay, for I will abide under this tree." And Abraham pressed him greatly; so he turned and they went into the tent. And Abraham baked unleavened bread; and they did eat.

And when Abraham saw that the man blessed not God he said unto him, "Wherefore dost thou not worship the most high God, Creator of Heaven and Earth?"

And the man answered and said, "I do not worship the God thou speakest of, neither do I call upon His name, for I have made to myself a god which abideth always in my house and provideth me with all things."

And Abraham's zeal was kindled against the man; and he arose, and fell upon him, and drove him forth with blows into the wilderness.

And at midnight God called unto Abraham, saying, “ Abraham, where is the stranger?"

And Abraham answered and said, "Lord, he would not worship Thee; neither would he call upon Thy name; therefore have I driven him out before my face into the wilderness."

And God said, "Have I borne with him these hundred ninety and eight years, and nourished him, and clothed him, notwithstanding his rebellion against me, and couldst not thou, that art thyself a sinner, bear with him one night?" - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

Thou, thy, thine, thee, and ye are said to be in old or solemn style. They are used in the Bible, in poetry, and in very old books.

Copy the following form and write in it all the personal pronouns in the solemn style, in "A Parable against Persecution." Consult the table on page 201.

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old

PRONOUNS

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who, whose, whom

Blessed is he who has found his work. CARLYLE.

They whose youth is spent in idleness, shall pass their age in want. PBOVERB.

"Whom seek ye, sirs?"

The pronouns who, whose, and whom, when used to ask questions, are called interrogative pronouns. When they connect the parts of sentences, they are called relative pronouns.

In the above sentences, name the relative pronouns; the interrogative pronoun.

Write the cases of who, whose, and whom as follows:

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