noun; nor an adjective, a pronoun because it is usually a pronoun. If a word modifies an expressed noun it performs the function of an adjective; if it takes the place of a noun, it is a pronoun.

Therefore, my, thy, her, our, your, and their are adjectives. While, mine, thine, hers, ours, yours, and theirs are usually pronouns.

And, his and its, this, that, these, those, whose, which, what, some, etc., may be either adjectives or pronouns.

206. Explain which words are pronouns and which are adjectives in the following sentences:

1. My book was on his desk.
2. Whose mistake was it?
3. He dwells on yonder hill.

4. The accident was due to your carelessness.
5. Full of mine own soul, perfect of myself,
Toward mine and me sufficient.

6. Ours are the simplest.

7. Breathes there a man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,

"This is my own, my native land!"

Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned As home his footsteps he hath turned, From wandering on a foreign strand? 8. The moon pulled off her veil of light. 9. The birds were building their nests. 10. This is not like yours.

II. Which are like mine?

12. Several of them had gone already.

13. Some went South, others to the coast. 14. Each one was counted.

207. Pronoun and Antecedent.-The noun for which a pronoun stands is called its antecedent. The

antecedent is not always expressed in the sentence with the pronoun. It may be in a preceding sentence or it may be understood. Neither does the antecedent, when expressed, always precede the pronoun. For reasons of force, or emphasis, it is often placed after the pronoun. Since, however, the chief purpose of the pronoun is to render the sentence clearer, its antecedent should be perfectly clear. In order that this may be so, (a) the antecedent should not be too far removed from the pronoun; (b) there should not be a confusion of pronouns in the sentence; and (c) the pronoun should agree with its antecedent in person, number, and gender. The person and gender of pronouns are matters that usually take care of themselves; but we often make serious errors in number, and thus cause confusion.

EXAMPLES

1. (Right) Harry has just brought me a book, which he says is the best of this season's publications.

2. (Right) An ant is a wise creature for itself, but it is a shrewd thing in an orchard or garden.

3. (Bad) Mr. Smith recalled to Mr. Jones the proposition he had made him a few weeks before, when he was at his office.

4. (Right) Mr. Smith recalled to Mr. Jones the proposition he had made to the latter a few weeks before at Mr. Jones's office.

5. (Bad) One of the sailors, while reefing the sails, fell overboard and had to be rescued by their comrades.

6. (Right) One of the sailors, while reefing the sails, fell overboard and had to be rescued by his comrades.

EXERCISE A

208. Insert the proper form of the pronoun in the following sentences:

1. The ship with a crew of two hundred starts and sails southward until reaches the equator (they, it). choice (his, their).

2. Everyone should have

3. The mother, as well as the daughter, offered sistance (their, her).

4. If anyone can come, let them), (his, their).

as

send in

name (him,

5. A person who is determined and energetic is likely to

succeed in

undertakings (his, their).

6. Every man has thoughts which

cording (he, they).

think worth re

7. Every plant and every tree produces others after kind (their, its).

8. The army being tired, gave up long tramp (its, their).

9. Many a man who has worked hard all leave work (their, his).

10. Neither Mary nor Louise expected to see land again (their, her).

EXERCISE B

life must

native

209. Point out and correct the mistakes in the use of pronouns in the following sentences:

I. Not one of the party escaped getting their feet wet.

2. The ship starts and sails southward until they reach a region of ice and snow.

3. The connection between grammar and composition is very close, and they should be clearly understood by the student.

4. One of the boys lost their hook, and so had to go back for another.

5. Girls often work in the mills when they are short of help. 6. John lost his dog when he was but three years old. 7. Taking out her hat pins, she threw it on the chair. 8. Before John could swim out to Charles he drowned.

9. Before the days of steam and electricity they used to travel by stage coach.

10. Mary said that her mother died when she was quite young.

210. Phrase and Clause Antecedents.—Often there is no single word that serves as antecedent of a pronoun, but a group of words expressing a single idea. This group of words may constitute a phrase or a clause.

EXAMPLES

1. They besought him to withdraw the bill, but he would not do it.

2. The party wished to follow the elephants, but they knew it would be too dangerous.

3. That he will refuse is possible, but I doubt it.

211. Personal Pronouns.-The personal pronoun stands for the person speaking, the person spoken to, or the person or thing spoken of. In personification, the first and second persons also, may be made to refer to things.

212. The Order of Pronouns.-When personal pronouns are used in a series, or with a series of nouns, the pronoun of the first person comes last.

EXAMPLES

1. Mary, Jane, and I walked to school together. 2. You, she, and I can go together.

213. The Impersonal Pronoun.-The pronoun it is used in idiomatic expressions as subject or object of the verb, when it has no definite antecedent, and no particular significance. Since no particular person or thing is designated this use of it is called impersonal.

Subject: It is snowing.

EXAMPLES

Is it four o'clock yet?

It is becoming warmer.

Object: They roughed it all summer.

They fought it out to the bitter end.

Note. When the it is the equivalent of this, that, this thing, that thing, or the thing, it cannot be considered impersonal. It refers to something, though the exact nature of the something is unknown.

EXAMPLES

What is it (that or that thing)?

It (this, that) is my brother.

What is it (the thing) that you see?

214. "It" as Expletive. This use of it is sometimes called the anticipatory it. To allow the subject to take a more easy or more emphatic position, it is substituted for the real subject which is then thrown after the verb.

I.

2.

EXAMPLES

{It is necessary for me to go at once.

For me to go at once is necessary.

It is predicted that we shall have war with Japan.
That we shall have war with Japan is predicted.

3. {It is a question whether he will go or not.

Whether he will go or not is a question.

215. The Case of Pronouns.-Pronouns, like nouns, have three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and the objective. The personal, the relative, and the interrogative pronouns, and their derivatives change the form of the word for the different cases. Care must be taken to use the proper form of these pro