Punctuation and Pronouns

Punctuation and Pronouns

PFA #5

Objective 1: Identify Pronouns and Antecedents

What are pronouns?

any of a small set of words in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood in the context​

​

Examples: I, she, he, you, it, we, or they

Multiple Choice

What is the pronoun in the following passage?

After a long day at the beach, Maria and Justice decided to go home. They were exhausted!

• at the beach

• They

• Maria and Justice

Multiple Choice

What is the pronoun in this sentence?

Thomas Hobbes was a 17th-century English philosopher; he believed that men were naturally brutish and wicked.

• he

• Thomas Hobbes

• brutish and wicked

Objective 1: Identify Pronouns and Antecedents

What are antecedents?

a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive

​​

Example: Josh ​ran to Nicole's house to ask her some questions.

​

The antecedent for "her" is Nicole. "Her" is replacing Nicole in the sentence.​

Multiple Choice

What is the antecedent to the underlined pronoun in this passage?

Still, despite a public outcry, he was killed. The zoo's staff shot this giraffe because they didn't think he would be useful for breeding another generation of giraffes.

• public outcry

• another generation of giraffes

• The zoo's staff

Multiple Choice

What is the antecedent to the underlined pronoun in this passage?

Marius was raised as a baby in the zoo and was loved by the public. Still, despite a public outcry, he was killed.

• Marius

• the zoo

• the public

Objective 2: Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

How do pronouns and antecedents agree?

Two major points to consider:

1. What is the subject?

​Example: Mark is on HIS way to the store.

​

2. How many are there? ​

Singular: he, she, it

Plural: we, us, they, them​

​

Multiple Choice

Which pronoun best fits in the blank below?

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestlé are global food and drink producers. ______ have been named the world's top plastic polluters for 2020, which is the third year in a row for the trio.

• It

• They

• Us

Multiple Choice

Which pronoun best fits in the blank below?

Vivian Lord made a wish when she was 6 years old after _____ won a set of plastic green Army men from an arcade while vacationing with her family.

• them

• we

• she

Multiple Choice

Which pronoun best fits in the blank below?

The cacao bean is the dried and fully fermented fatty bean of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). ______ the source of cocoa butter and solids, including chocolate, as well as an ingredient in many Mesoamerican dishes such as molé and tejate.

• It's

• They're

• We're

Objective 3: Items in a Series

How do you punctuate items in a series?

When listing 3 or more items out in a series, you need to add a comma between each item.

​

Example:

My favorite colors are red, blue, and yellow.

​

Objective 3: Items in a Series

Two special notes on items in a list.

1. Sometimes, when you've ended a complete thought before the list, you'll need add a colon (:) before listing out the items.

   Example: I've been to three states this past month: Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin

2. When you add modifiers onto a list such as extra information or details, you need to add a semicolon at the end of each item, before listing the next one.

   Example: I've visited Indiana, to the southeast; Michigan, to the west; and Wisconsin, to the north.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is correct for the sentence below?

I have lived through three presidents: Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

• I have lived through three presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

• I have lived through three presidents: Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

• I have lived through three presidents: Barack Obama; Donald Trump; and Joe Biden.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is correct for the sentence below?

I hope to travel to four cities: Chicago, Illinois, New York, New York, Los Angeles, California, and Austin, Texas.

• I hope to travel to four cities: Chicago, Illinois, New York, New York, Los Angeles, California, and Austin, Texas.

• I hope to travel to four cities Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Los Angeles, California; and Austin, Texas.

• I hope to travel to four cities: Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Los Angeles, California; and Austin, Texas.