Pronoun Shifts

Front

What is a pronoun?

Back

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun to avoid repetition, such as 'he', 'she', 'it', 'they', etc.

Front

What is a pronoun shift?

Back

A pronoun shift occurs when a writer changes from one pronoun to another within a sentence or paragraph, which can confuse the reader.

Front

What is the correct pronoun to use for a singular, gender-neutral subject?

Back

The correct pronoun is 'they', which can be used as a singular pronoun to refer to someone whose gender is unknown or to be inclusive.

Front

What is the difference between subject pronouns and object pronouns?

Back

Subject pronouns (e.g., I, you, he, she, we, they) are used as the subject of a sentence, while object pronouns (e.g., me, you, him, her, us, them) are used as the object of a verb or preposition.

Front

Provide an example of a sentence with a pronoun shift.

Back

Incorrect: 'Everyone should bring their book, and he should also bring his pencil.' (shifts from 'everyone' to 'he'). Correct: 'Everyone should bring their book and their pencil.' (stays consistent with 'their').

Front

What is the correct pronoun to complete the sentence: 'The teacher and ______ are going to the conference.'?

Back

The correct pronoun is 'I'. The sentence should read: 'The teacher and I are going to the conference.'

Front

What is the possessive form of 'it'?

Back

The possessive form of 'it' is 'its'.

Front

What is the correct pronoun to fill in the blank: 'If anyone calls, tell ______ to call me back.'?

Back

The correct pronoun is 'them'. The sentence should read: 'If anyone calls, tell them to call me back.'

Front

What is an example of a sentence that avoids a pronoun shift?

Back

Example: 'The students brought their lunch to the picnic.' (stays consistent with 'their').

Front

What is the correct pronoun to use in the sentence: 'Neither of the boys brought ______ lunch.'?

Back

The correct pronoun is 'his'. The sentence should read: 'Neither of the boys brought his lunch.'