Any student who starts learning English from scratch on their own or with a teacher, already in the first lesson, will know how to answer the question “ What's your name?”(Russian. What is your name?).
Answering “ My name is ...“(Russian My name is ...), he doesn't even think that he already knows two possessive pronouns: my(mine, mine, mine. mine) and your(Russian yours, yours, yours, yours), without which it is impossible to build communication in English.
We use the same possessive pronouns for everything, but do we own our lives or sisters or husbands in the same way we own our shoes? Do we own any of them at all?
We use possessive pronouns for everything, but do we really own our lives, sisters or husbands, as well as our shoes? Do we own all of this?
~ Samantha Harvey
They can cause some misunderstanding on the part of those who are just starting to learn English and have come across Possessive pronouns for the first time.
In English grammar, two varieties of possessive pronouns peacefully coexist: Possessive Adjectives(possessive adjectives) and Possessive pronouns(possessive pronouns). Today we will talk about them in this article.
Possessive pronouns in English
Possessive pronouns help us understand that someone or something owns something. Keychain signature: I am yours (Russian I am yours), And you are mine (Russian You are mine)
Let's first remember what a possessive pronoun is.
Possessive pronouns(mine, yours, ours, and others) indicate a sign of belonging to a certain person and answer the question whose? In Russian, they agree with the noun in number, gender and case.
What about English possessive pronouns? V English language there are two forms of possessive pronouns ( Possessive adjectives and Possessive pronouns), which differ in spelling and how they are used in the sentence.
Let's take a closer look at both forms of possessive pronouns in English.
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive pronouns in English, reminiscent of an adjective in their role in a sentence, and which are always used with a noun, are called Possessive Adjectives(Russian possessive adjective).
Below is a table of the formation of possessive pronouns in English and their comparison with personal pronouns.
Possessive pronouns dependent form (table 1)
Possessive pronouns dependent form (table 2)
When we want to indicate ownership, we cannot use!
Offer He name was Carl(Rus. His name was Karl) sounds strange and wrong in both English and Russian. He Is a personal pronoun. Replace it with an appropriate possessive adjective his and get a grammatically and logically correct sentence: His name was Car l (Rus.His name was Karl)
Sometimes a given form of possessive pronouns or Possessive Adjectives are called dependent, since it cannot be used independently, without a noun.
Remember!
Possessive adjectives (Possessive Adjectives) in English, they are used only in conjunction with a noun and always stand in front of it.
Since in terms of their functionality, dependent possessive pronouns resemble adjectives, they also play the role of a definition in a sentence.
Examples of sentences with possessive adjectives in English
English beginners often confuse possessive adjectives with abbreviated verb forms. to be:
your and you’re (= you are)
its and it’s (= it is)
Compare the use of possessive pronouns and the abbreviated form of the verb:
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in English that can be used in a sentence without a noun are called Possessive pronouns(Russian possessive pronoun).
Possessive pronouns also called absolute or independent form of possessive pronouns... In this form, nouns are never placed after possessive pronouns, since these pronouns are used instead of nouns.
Remember!
Absolute possessive pronouns ( Possessive pronounss) in English are used without a noun and perform in a sentence the function of a subject, addition, or the nominal part of the predicate.
Below is a table of the formation of absolute possessive pronouns in English and their comparison with personal pronouns.
Possessive pronouns in English absolute form (table 1)
Possessive pronouns in English absolute form (table 2)
English possessive pronouns in absolute form replace the possessive adjective ( Possessive Adjective) with a noun to avoid repetition of information, since everything is clear without it. For example:
This book is my book, not your book(Rus. This book is my book, not your book)
This book is mine, not yours(Rus. This book is mine, not yours)
As you have noticed, in both Russian and English, the second sentence sounds more natural. Let's take a look at how possessive pronouns are used in a sentence.
Examples of sentences with possessive pronouns in English
| Possessive clause | Russian translation |
|---|---|
| What "s mine is yours, my friend. | What is mine is yours, my friend. |
| I have broken my pencil. Please give me yours. | I broke my pencil. Please give me yours. |
| Are those gloves hers? | Are those gloves hers? |
| All the essays were good but his was the best. | All the compositions were good, but his was the best. |
| The world is mine. | The world is mine. |
| Your photos are good. Ours are terrible. | Your photos are great and ours are terrible. |
| These aren "t John and Mary" s children. Theirs have black hair. | These are not the children of John and Mary. Theirs are black-haired. |
| John found his passport but Mary couldn "t find hers. | John found his passport, but Mary couldn't find hers. |
| Is that chair yours? | Is this chair yours? |
| I know this drink is yours but I need to drink something. | I know this drink is yours, but I need something to drink. |
Possessive pronoun its in absolute form is used extremely rarely, only in conjunction with a word own:
The cottage seems asleep yet, but it may have a life of its own(Rus. It seemed that the cottage was still sleeping, but perhaps he lived his own life).
My or Mine? Possessive pronoun or adjective?
There is an inscription on the poster with a vivid example of the use of possessive pronouns in a dependent and absolute form: "Because my body is mine (belongs to me!)"
As already said, we use possessive adjectives and pronouns when we need to express belonging. Both forms are translated into Russian in the same way.
Possessive adjective ( Possessive Adjective) is always used followed by a noun:
This is my pen(Rus. This is my pen), where my Is a possessive adjective, pen is a subsequent noun.
Possessive pronouns ( Possessive pronouns) are always used on their own, without the accompanying word:
This pen is mine(Rus. This pen is mine), where mine- a possessive pronoun, after which we DO NOT NEED a noun.
Comparative table of possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.
The semantic load does not change in these two sentences. However, when we need to focus on someone or something, it is better to use the absolute form.
Translation of English possessive pronouns
There is no difference in the meaning of possessive adjectives and pronouns in English and in their translation into Russian.
English possessive pronouns in dependent and absolute forms are translated into Russian in the same way, but there are a few things you need to be aware of.
Translation of your possessive pronoun into English
In English, there is no special possessive pronoun corresponding to the Russian possessive pronoun "" svoy "".
Russian pronoun "" my "" is translated into English corresponding possessive pronouns.
Examples of sentences in English with translation of the pronoun own
English possessive pronouns they are usually not translated into Russian when they are combined with nouns denoting body parts or items of clothing, but must be present before the noun.
In Russian, possessive pronouns are usually not used with similar nouns. Compare English sentences with possessive sentences with translation:
Special uses of possessive pronouns
Using the Of yours structure
Very often (especially in American English) you can hear the following construction: a friend / some friends of + mine, yours, etc:
I saw a friend of yours last night(Rus. Last night I saw one of your friends) = I saw one of your friends last night.
Here are some friends of mine(rus. And here are my friends) = Here are my friends.
Offers I saw one of your friends last night and I saw a friend of yours last night will be translated the same way "I saw one of your friends last night." However, there is a slight semantic difference.
Consider on phrases "My friend" and “A friend of mine”.
“My friend” refers to a close friend. If you call a person "My friend", then you have a warm and trusting relationship with him. But, each of us has people with whom we just have a good relationship. They are just our friends and acquaintances. This is exactly what we need here the expression “A friend of mine”.
The indefinite article itself indicates to us that "one of" friends, someone indefinite:
This is my friend Jessica.("My friend" - before the name)
This is Jessica, a friend of mine.("A friend of mine" - after the name)
With the phrase "A friend of mine" one fun fact is associated. In English-speaking culture, there is a concept "Urban myth"(BrE) or Urban legend(AmE). This is a story, as a rule, with an unexpected, humorous or instructive ending, which the narrator passes off as a real event.
We call such stories "Bikes" or "Fictions"... These incidents allegedly happen to a certain acquaintance of the narrator, and the name of the acquaintance is never specified.
Most of these stories (or "tales") begin with the words: This happened to a friend of mine ... (This happened to one of my friends ...).
When to use Yours faithfully and Yours sincerely
You've probably already met the phrases Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely at the end of an official letter, for example:
Yours sincerely, Mary Wilkinson(Rus. Yours sincerely, Mary Wilkinson).
In business correspondence, these are irreplaceable phrases that need to be written at the end of the letter. Read more about the specifics of Business English.
Examples of using the phrases “Yours faithfully” and “Yours sincerely”
Using an English noun in the genitive case
Possessive nouns can be used as possessive pronouns when you need to talk about belonging to someone in particular.
As a rule, the use of nouns in the possessive case does not affect the form of the possessive pronouns, for example:
Whose cell phone is that? - It "s John" s.(Rus. Whose phone is this? - John.)
Who do these computers belong to? - They "re our parents".(Rus. Who owns these computers? - Our parents.)
The relation of belonging or involvement of one object to another can also be indicated using the possessive case ( The Possessive case). which we will talk about in our next article.
Possessive pronouns in English: video
To finally consolidate the knowledge gained, we recommend that you watch the video about possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.
English Grammar Lessons - Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns
Finally:
In this article, we have tried to explain as simply as possible the use of possessive pronouns in English and how to correctly answer the question “whose” in English.
We hope that after reading our article, you will no longer have any questions on this topic and you will be able to correctly use this grammar in your speech and writing.
Stay on our site and you will discover a lot of the world of English grammar!
Possessive Pronoun Exercises
Now we suggest that you test your knowledge of possessive pronouns in English by completing the following test.
Choose the correct option (insert either a possessive adjective or a possessive pronoun by meaning):
Jane has already eaten her lunch, but I "m saving hers / her / my / mine until later.
She has broken hers / her / his leg.
My mobile needs to be fixed, but mine / his / our / their is working.
You / Yours / Mine / My computer is a Mac, but you / your / yours / my is a PC.
We gave them ours / mine / our / yours telephone number, and they gave us their / theirs / ours / mine.
Mine / My / Yours / Your pencil is broken. Can I borrow you / yours / him / its?
Ours / Our / Your / My car is cheap, but you / your / yours / my is expensive.
You can "t have any chocolate! It" s all mine / my / our / yours!
In contact with
(When are they going to) visit her?(translate words in brackets)
When are they going to
(Hegoing to) come early in the evening? (translate words in brackets)
(Are goingwhetherthey) to the party tonight? (translate words in brackets)
I am a worker. ... Name is Andrey. (insert possessive pronoun)
My brother (not to call) me. (make a sentence in present continuous)
My brother is not calling me.
Our uncle doesn "t ... any money, (fill in the gap to make the negative sentence)
Is yoursbrotherlawyer? (translate into English)
Is your brother a lawyer?
She wants to have a rest, (make a negative sentence)
She doesn "t want to have a rest.
I always have a cup of coffee in the morning.(Find the English equivalent for the Russian sentence)
I always have a cup of coffee in the morning.
My sisters ... interested in music, (insert the verb to be in the correct form)
She is going to visit her parents on Saturday ...? (complete the tag question)
... sister is not very interested in literature, (insertpossessivepronoun)
What does your sister read in the evenings?(translate into English)
What does your sister read in the evenings?
They sometimes do their homework late at night.(Translate into English)
They sometimes do their homework late in the evening.
YourMotherat home? (translate into English)
Is your mother at home?
This book is very interesting
We are good students
My sisters are interested in music
I am at home on Sundays
It is so cold outside
I am very happy to be here with you
My mother is at home
The dog is in the garden
I am from Moscow
The children are not at home
This book is not very expensive
I am not at home at the weekend
My sister is not at home right now
My brothers are not interested in music
She is not very happy
The play is not very good
My friends are not very good students
These articles are not very interesting
They are my good friends
His sister is not very interested in literature
This boy is their brother
This girl is our friend
My cat is not at home
Our parents are in the garden
Is your father a good teacher?
Can you give me your pen?
Is it your penal?
I am a worker my name is Andrey
They don’t live in Moscow anymore
They have a lot of problem
I want to go the cinema tonight
He is reading a very interesting book
She is having a rest in her room
They are watching TV
He has no time for reading
I think You work too much
I like this idea much
They don’t want to go home
Give me this book
I Think they to translate this article.
Will translates
I'm sure they to come.
Will come
I thinks she to read this book.
Will read
I'm sure they to do it.
Will do
I think you to be late.
Will be
I'm sure he to be sorry about it.
Will be
I think your friend to read everything about the accident.
Will read
I'm sure I to find it.
Will find
I think the dog to come back.
Will be
I'm sure they to bring it.
Will bring
Would you like some coffee?
Would you like some coffee?
She's going to buy some bread.
She's going to buy some bread .
Would you like some tea?
Would you like some tea?
Are there many new cinemas in Moscow?
Are there many new cinemas Moscow
In English and want to test your knowledge in business, then welcome to this page. Do exercises on English pronouns different types or all in a row, and then check yourself with the answers at the end.
Who loves a grammar that is laid out on shelves and with a lot of interesting practical tasks? If you are among them, then the online course from Lingualeo « Grammar for beginners» for you.
In all tasks, you must choose one correct answer out of two or three suggested in brackets. The exercises are suitable for children in grades 5-7 and everyone who learns English at various stages.
Exercises:
Personal pronouns (I, he, them, you ...)
- (He, she, it) is a flower.
- My granny lives in a country. I go to (her, she, them) on holidays.
- My parents are doctors. (He, they, them) work in a hospital.
- (She, I, he) love my mom.
- I have a brother. Sometimes I ask (her, he, him) to help me.
- (Them, they, it) are going to school at the moment.
- (He, she, you) study very well.
Possessive pronouns ( our, your, your, my ...)
- My dad has a car. (Her, he, his) car is red.
- (Their, them, they) house is quite big.
- I have a boat. The boat is (my, mine, their).
- I like (your, him, it) answer more than (me, its, theirs).
- (My, mine, your) dog wails (his, her, its) tail when I come from school.
- We live in a small town. (Our, his, ours) town is very nice.
- She wears (their, her, his) dress to school every day.
Demonstrative pronouns (this, those, these ...)
- (That, this) is our house and (that, this) is theirs.
- (This, these) are books.
- (This, these) is a red ball and (this, that) is a yellow ball.
- (That, these) is a cat and (those, this) are mice.
- I like (this, these) flowers!
- (That, those) pictures are very beautiful.
- They live in (these, this) country.
Reflexive pronouns (yourself, yourself, yourself ...)
- I do my homework all by (himself, herself, myself).
- They plan their vacation (ourselves, myself, themselves).
- We are going to the sea (themselves, himself, ourselves).
- My dad built this house (himself, herself, ourselves).
- This dog found (herself, himself, itself) a place under the bench.
- Yesterday she had a birthday. She bought (herself, itself, ourselves) earrings as a present.
- You should plan your life (yourself, himself, yourselves).
Mix (all mixed)
- (He, I, me) have got a friend. (Her, his, him) name is Pete.
- (We, he, I) love traveling to different countries (himself, ourselves, itself).
- (They, he, it) go to school. (Him, her, their) school is near (me, mine, myself).
- (These, this) is a box. (It, she, he) is (ourselves, mine, her) present.
- Where did (you, his, it) buy (that, this, those) shoes?
- (It, this, these) ball is (he, his, myself) and (they, these, this) are (theirs, her, its).
- (This, he, these) is (him, ours, our) house. (He, we, they) built (him, her, it) (them, ourselves, their)
I hope you have mastered the tasks and now you can say: "I did it!"
You might also want to go over the topic of pronouns in English. Check yourself again!
Personal pronouns
- It is a flower.
- My granny lives in a country. I go to her on holidays.
- My parents are doctors. They work in a hospital.
- I love my mom.
- I have a brother. Sometimes I ask him to help me.
- They are going to school at the moment.
- You study very well.
Possessive pronouns
- My dad has a car. His car is red.
- Their house is quite big.
- I have a boat. The boat is mine.
- I like your answer more than theirs.
- My dog wails its tail when I come from school.
- We live in a small town. Our town is very nice.
- She wears her dress to school every day.
Demonstrative pronouns
- This is our house and that is theirs.
- These are books.
- This is a red ball and that is a yellow ball.
- That is a cat and those are mice.
- I like these flowers!
- Those pictures are very beautiful.
- They live in this country.
Reflexive pronouns
- I do my homework all by myself.
- They plan their vacation themselves.
- We are going to the sea ourselves.
- My dad built this house himself.
- This dog found itself a place under the bench.
- Yesterday she had a birthday. She bought herself earrings as a present.
- You should plan your life yourself.
- I have got a friend. His name is Pete.
- We love traveling to different countries ourselves.
- They go to school. Their school is near mine.
- This is a box. It is her present.
- Where did you buy those shoes?
- This ball is his and these are theirs.
- This is our house. We built it ourselves.
In contact with
The "Pronouns" section is one of the most important sections of the grammar of any language and to start pronouns in English it is necessary already at the first level of study. In this article, I publish exercises for beginners on the most important groups pronouns. On theoretical material on the topic "Pronouns in English" links are provided. Pronoun exercises for beginners are arranged as difficulty increases and contain only the most common vocabulary.
Pronouns. Exercises for beginners (level 1- beginner)
1. Personal pronouns. Exercises for beginners
Exercise 1. Fill the table. Choose from the list of words that can be replaced by “He”, “she”, “it”, “they”.
Children, a cat, animals, Mary, parents, Oleg, friends, a pen, books, a family, rain, a house, mice, February, summer, a river, Peter and Mike. a dog, windows, Tuesday
| he | she | it | they |
Exercise 2.Replace the highlighted words with personal pronouns.
1. Nick is from Great Britain. 2. Iren is a student. 3. Bert and his brother live in London. 4. Helen and me are good friends. 5. Are you and your sister twins? 6. Thecat is drinking milk.
2. Demonstrative pronouns: this, these, that, those
Exercise 3. Build sentences using a pattern. Use the imperative of the verb look and demonstrative pronouns this- this (this) and these-these.
Imperative verb stands in the first form (from the dictionary).
look - look
Look at ... - Look at ...
- man / fat - Look at this man. He is fat. - Look at this man. He's fat.
- hat / new - Look at these hats. They are new. - Look at these hats. They are new.
1.woman / thin
2.sportsman / tall
3.sportswoman / short
4.children / noisy
5.feet / clean
6.hands / dirty
7.dogs / spotty
8. cats / old
Exercise 4. Choose English Pronoun Equivalents this, these, that, those.
1. What color are (those) pens?
2. (That) boy is my friend.
3. I want to read (that) book.
4. (Those) children are my friends.
5. What is (it)?
6. (This) table is round.
7. (These) cats are white.
8. (Those) flowers are roses.
Exercise 5. Make the sentences plural.
SAMPLE. This is a spider. - These are spiders.
1. This is a spider. 2. That is a snail. 3. This is a star. 4. This is a boy. 5. This is a baby. 6. That is a flower. 7. That is a shelf. 8. Is this a sofa? 9. Is this a bookcase? 10. Is this a man? 11. Is that a woman? 12. Is that a train? 13. Is that a plane? 14. Is the window open? 15. Is the door closed? 16. That is not a king. 17. That is not a queen. 18. That is not a bus. 19. This isn’t a mountain. 20. This isn’t a mouse.
Exercise 6. Translate sentences with turnover "It…"Into English.
- This is a child. - This is a child.
- These are kids. - These are children.
1. This is a hat.
2. This is a car.
3. These are toys.
4. This is a pen.
5. These are pencils.
3. Personal and possessive pronouns
Exercise 7.Fill in the blanks with pronounsmy, your, his, her, our, their.
REMEMBER: I would like = I’d like- I would like to
- I'd like some ice in …… orange juice.
- We’d like to have breakfast in… .room.
- The children would like to watch TV in…. room.
- He’d like some milk in ... .. cereal.
- She’d like lemon in… ..tea.
Exercise 8.Insert missing pronouns instead of periods.
1.What’s…. name? - Jim Sanders. 2. What’s… name? - Jane Smith. 3. What are… names? - Jack and Tom. 4. What’s… name? - My name is Mary. 5. What is the dog's name? -… ..name is Black. 6. What are your names? - …… names are Dick and John.
Exercise 9. Fill in the blanks with possessive pronouns.
- This is Mrs Simpson. And this is …… daughter.
- This is Mr White. And this is… wife.
- My name is Ann. And these are… .. parents.
- These are Tom and Jack. And these are… .. sisters.
- This is my dog. And this is…. bone.
- These are cats. And these are… kittens.
- This is Mary And this is…. doll.
- We are sisters. This is… .. mother.
Exercise 10.Modify the sentences using the pronouns given in parentheses.
- I have a dog in my house. (She)
- I wash my hands and face in the morning. (He)
- I go to the cinema with my friends. (They)
- I play football with my brother. (He)
- I do my homework in the evening. (We)
- I help my mother. (They)
- I clean my room every weekend. (You)
- I drink my milk in the morning. (The cat)
- I often write letters to my granny. (You)
- I have my breakfast at seven thirty. (She)
Exercise 11. Translate only pronouns into English.
There is no pronoun in English "mine". Instead, you need to use the appropriate possessive pronoun (mine, ours, yours, his, her, them).
1.My pencil on your table.
2. He gave to father mine address.
3. Her sister lives in Moscow.
4. I AM found his watch.
5. She saw their House.
6. His dog eating out his bowls.
7. She gave me mine phone number.
8. Have you seen our House ?
Exercise 12. Translate the possessive pronoun "your".
1. I gave him… (my) pencil.
2. Marina gave me ... (her) textbook.
3. The students put… (their) books on the desks.
4. Nick wrote down ... (his) address for her.
5. Show me ... (your) house.
6. We drank ... (your) tea.
7. The dog ate ... (his) bone.
Exercise 13.Insert the correct possessive pronoun.
1. What is (his) father?
2. Where are (her) parents?
3. They are busy with lessons.
4. This is (their) flat.
5. What color are the walls in that room? (Her) walls are gray.
6. (My) parents are at work.
7. (Our) flat has five rooms.
8. (His) work is very interesting.
9. (Her) pencil is on the table.
10. This is (our) dog.
Sometimes the noun AFTER the pronoun, in order to avoid repetition, is not put. In this case, an independent form of the possessive pronoun is used.
EXAMPLE. This cat is hers.- This dog her.
Exercise 14.Translate from English.
- I have a house. This is my house. This house is mine.
- We have a dog. This is our dog. This dog is ours.
- They have a cat. This is their cat. This cat is theirs.
- You have a bike. This is your bike. This bike is yours.
- She has a sister. This is her sister. This sister is hers.
- He has a brother. This is his brother. This brother is his.
Exercise 15. Insert the pronoun you want.
- I have got a bike. This is …… bike.
- Have you got a car? Is this car ...?
- We have got a cat. This is …… cat.
- They have got a dog. This dog is ...
- She has got many hats. These hats are ...
- He has got many caps. These are… caps.
Exercise 16.Translate into English using turnover and pronouns: personal and possessive (simple and independent forms).
- I have a pen. This is my pen. This is my pen.
- They have an apartment. This is their apartment. This apartment is theirs.
- Do you have a cat. This is your cat. This cat is yours.
- He's got friends. These are his friends. These are his friends.
- You have a home. This is your home. This house is yours.
- She has a car. This is her car. This car is hers.
- We have a cat. This is our cat. This cat is ours.
- The dog has a bone. This is her bone. This bone is hers. (a bone)
* * *
4. Personal pronouns and pronouns - additions
Exercise 17. Complete your sentences with personal and complementary pronouns.
SAMPLE. I want to see them but they don’t want to see me.
1. He wants to see her but _______ doesn’t want to see _______.
2. You want to see him but _______ doesn’t want to see_______.
3. They want to see you but_______ don’t want to see_______.
4. She wants to see us but ________ don’t want to see _______.
5. We want to see them but _______ don’t want to see_______.
Exercise 18. Replace nouns in sentences with complementary pronouns.
SAMPLE. Please, pass the sweets to Sandy. - Please, pass them to Sandy.
1. The teacher reads the story to the children.
2. Did you give the letter to your friend?
3. Alice sends a card to Granny.
4. Can you give the book to my brother?
5. We gave some food to the cats.
6. Will you tell this to my parents?
7. Phone me and my brother tomorrow.
8. I don’t like to talk to Nick.
9. Would you like to join Mary and me?
10. Tell Ann about it.
Exercise 19. Translate the sentences. Insert pronouns as they make sense.
1. I don’t know these men. Do you know ...?
2. Where is Tom? I want to speak to ...?
3. We live in Russia. Our parents live with…
4. I bought some bread. Will you take ... out of the bag?
5. The children are in the yard. Can you see… ..?
5. Interrogative pronouns
Exercise 20. Insert interrogative words (interrogative pronouns).
- (What) do you like to do?
- (How many) friends have you got?
- (How) are your parents?
- (Why) are you so late?
- (Where) do you live?
- (When) is your birthday?
- (Who) knows your telephone number?
Exercise 21. Insert interrogative words (interrogative pronouns) according to the meaning. In some cases, 2 options are possible.
1.… are you?
2.… is your name?
3.… do you live?
4.… color is this flower?
5.… big is your family?
6.… do you learn English?
7.… do you have free time?
Exercise 22. Learn dialogues.
Dialogue 1.
- She has gone to the country. - She went out of town.
— What for?- Why?
- To visit her parents. - Visit your parents.Dialogue 2.
- He has gone on a trip to the South. - He went on a trip south.
— What for?- Why?
- To take pictures of the sea. - Take pictures of the sea.Dialogue 3.
- Mother has gone shopping. - Mom went to the store.
— What for?- Why?
- To buy some bread and milk. - Buy bread and milk.Dialogue 4.
- Mother said she needed you at home. - Mom said that she needs you at home.
— What for?- Why?
- To look after the children. - Look after the children.
Brief information about Personal, Possessive, Demonstrative and Indefinite pronouns in English.
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns denote a person or an object and are used instead of a noun. They have the nominative and object forms. (table 1.1)
Personal pronouns in the nominative case are used in the function of the subject.
I like ice-cream. I AM I love ice cream.
We like football. We love football.
Object pronouns are used in the complement function.
Give me a book. Give) to me book.
I see Ann, I see her in the garden. I see Anna, I see her in the garden.
Please note that the personal pronoun I (i) in English always used with a capital letter.
| Number | Face | Nominative | Objective case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit | 1 | I - I | me - me, me |
| 2 | you - you, you | you - you, you, you, you | |
| 3 |
it - he, she, it | him - him, him her - her, her it - him, her, him, her |
|
| Mn. | 1 | we - we | us - us, us |
| 2 | you - you | you - you, you | |
| 3 | they - they | them - them, them |
Pronouns he and she used instead of animate nouns. Instead of inanimate nouns in the singular, the pronoun is used it which matches Russian pronouns he she it depending on the gender of the noun in Russian.
The table is it (it), the window is it (it), the handle is it (it).
The pronoun they (they) replaces both animate and inanimate plural nouns.
The pronoun you can mean one person and many persons, i.e. it refers to the second person singular (you, you are a polite form of address) and to the second person plural (you).
You are a doctor. You are a doctor.
You are a school-boy. You are a schoolboy.
You are doctors. You are doctors.
You are school-boys. You are schoolchildren.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns express belonging. They answer the question whose?(whose, whose, whose, whose?). Possessive pronouns have two forms. (table 1.2).
Possessive pronouns in 1st form (attributive form) are followed by nouns.
This is my book... it my book.
The possessive pronoun in the 2nd form (absolute form) is not followed by nouns.
This book is mine... This book - my.
| 1st form of possessive pronouns | 2nd form of possessive pronouns |
|---|---|
| my- mine, mine, mine, mine | mine- mine, mine, mine, mine |
| his- his | his- his |
| her- her | hers- her |
| its- her his | – |
| our- our, our, our, our | ours- our, our, our, our |
| your- yours, yours, yours, yours; | yours- yours, yours, yours, yours; |
| your, your, your, your | your, your, your, your |
| their- their | theirs- their |
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns have singular and plural forms. (table 1.3)
this tree - this is wood
that tree - then wood
these trees - these trees
those trees - those trees
The pronouns this and these indicate objects that are near the speaker. The pronouns that and those indicate objects that are far away from the speaker.
Indefinite Pronouns
The most common indefinite pronouns are some, any, no... We'll cover them in this lecture.
Pronoun some has the meaning some, some, some, some... Pronoun some usually used in affirmative sentences. It is not always translated into Russian. Compare the following examples:
I have got some money. I have some money.
Give some milk to the child. Give (those) milk to the baby.
In interrogative and negative sentences, the word some usually replaced by the word any.
Has he got any money? Does he have money?
There is n "t any milk in the fridge. There is no milk in the refrigerator. (About the construction there + to be "Turnover there + the verb to be. Turns with impersonal it")
But if you want to ask a question, suggesting something or asking for something, you should use the word some, but not any, for example:
Would you like some milk? Would you like some milk?
Can i have some mineral water, please? May I have some mineral water?
Pronoun any can be used in affirmative sentences with the meaning any.
You can take any book. You can take any book.
Note that pronouns some and any can be used independently, that is, without the following nouns. Example:
Are there any apples? Do you have apples?
Yes, there are some on the = Yes, there are some apples on the Yes, there are some (apples) on the table.
You can have some ice-cream but I don "t want any... = You can have some ice-cream but I don "t want any ice-cream... You can eat ice cream, but I don't want any (ice cream).
Pronoun no is negative no, no, no, no.
He has no friends. He has (no) friends.
He has no mistakes in his test. He has no (any) mistakes in the test.
He has no free time. He has no free time.
In English negative sentences, either the indefinite pronoun any with the negation not ( not any) or negative pronoun no... You can say:
There are not any flowers in the vase. = There are no flowers in the vase. There are no flowers in the vase.
He has not any free time... = He has no free time... He has no free time.
Questions for self-control
- What personal pronouns in English do you know?
- What case forms do personal pronouns have in English?
- What is the difference between the nominative and object forms of personal pronouns?
- Which personal pronoun is always capitalized in English?
- What forms of possessive pronouns do you know? How do they differ?
- What demonstrative pronouns indicate an object or objects near the speaker?
- What demonstrative pronouns indicate an object or objects that are far from the speaker?
- What indefinite pronouns are used in affirmative sentences?
- What indefinite pronouns are used in interrogative sentences?
- What indefinite pronoun can be used in a negative sentence instead of not any?
Exercises
Insert meaningful personal pronouns.
1. Ben is a little boy. ... is six. 2. Jane is a house-wife (housewife). ... is lazy. 3. Max is a soldier. … Is brave. 4. Lily is a young woman. ... is very beautiful. 5. Alice is late. … Is in a traffic jam. 6. Nick and Ann are far from Moscow. … Are on a farm. 7. This is Ben "s room. ... is nice. 8. These are new books. ... are interesting. 9. This is Elsa. ... is a student. 10. Nick and Max are students. ... are students of a Moscow university 11. The rooms are small but… are light and warm. 12. The new flat is comfortable but… is far from the university. 13. Jack has many French books.… Likes to read French very much. 14. Hans is a new student.… is German. 15. Alice and Jane are new secretaries.… are not lazy.
Insert the appropriate personal pronouns in the suggested answers to the questions.
1. Is your house new? - Yes,… is. 2. Are the students at the English lesson now? - Yes, ... are. 3. Is your university in Green Street? - Yes,… is. 4. Are Helen and Bess your sisters? - Yes,… are. 5. Is Ben "s sister an engineer? - Yes, ... is. 6. Are the pencils red? - No, ... are not. 7. Is this room comfortable? - No, ... isn" t. 8. Are the textbooks on the shelf? - Yes, ... are. 9. Does the girl often visit the museum? - No,… doesn "t. 10. Does this pen write well? - Yes, ... does. 11. Is Ben on holiday now? - No,… isn" t. 12. Is Helen nice? - Yes,… is. 13. Are you an engineer? - Yes,… am.
Replace the highlighted words with personal pronouns in the object case.
1. I like Nick... 2. We like Bess... 3. He likes ice-cream... 4. Can you show the pictures to Ben? 5. You can tell Helen my e-mail address. 6. Are you interested in football? 7. I want to buy two bottles of milk for Bess... 8. Do you want to play tennis with Ben? 9. We must speak to Nick... 10. You should invite Helen and bess to your house for dinner. 11. Do you know Mary? 12. Tell Nick about your plan... 13. I see my friends every day.
Insert meaningful personal pronouns in the object case.
1. Where is Nick? I want to play tennis with…. 2. Bess is here. Do you want to speak to ...? 3. My sister speaks French. She learns… at school. 4. Look at that man. Do you know ...? 5. Do you want to read this newspaper? I can give… to…. 6. If you see Ben and Bess, please, don "t tell… anything. 7. We want to phone Helen and invite… to the party.
Replace the highlighted words with personal pronouns in the nominative or object case.
1. The vase is on the 2. Mother often sends Ben to buy milk. 3. Are Bess and Helen ready to do the work? 4. Nick and ben spend their holidays at the seaside. 5. The man is in the park. 6. The managers are not at work now. 7. Helen and I are good friends. 8. Is Ben at the lesson now? 9. Where is the calculator? 10. The newspapers are on the 11. The child is in the garden with his mother. 12. Our parents are always glad to see us. 13. My brother and I are good football players. fourteen. Bess knows Ben... 15. I see the picture very well. 16. The students have lectures every day. 17. The boy plays football every Sunday. eighteen. The teacher asks the students. 19. The students write tests every week. 20. Look at the picture! 21. I have the book at home. 22. Max wants to speak to Helen.
Replace the highlighted words with possessive pronouns.
1. This is Ben "s room. 2. This is Helen "s hat. 3. Here is my parents " house. 4. Nick "s mother is an economist. 5. Where is my brother "s bag? 6. I like Helen "s car. 7. Ann "s books are on the 8 This student "s sister is my friend. nine. My sister "s house is not far from Ben "s house. 10. Where is the children "s room? eleven. Ann "s brothers study at the university. 12. These boys fathers don "t work at the factory. 13. Here is my sisters flat.
Exercise 1 Insert possessive pronouns.
1. Is your bag new? - Yes,… bag is new. 2. I like ... hat, Ann. 3. Don "t plant this tree!… Branch is broken. 4. Max, you have a new job. Do you like… new job? 5.… friends always tell me everything. 6. Our dog likes to run after .. . tail.
Modify the following sentences using the absolute form of possessive pronouns.
Sample:
This car is my car.
This car is mine.
1. This calculator is my calculator. 2. Is this bicycle your bicycle? 3. These hats are her hats. 4. This room is their room. 5. This dog is our dog. 6. My flat is more comfortable than your flat. 7. Our house is near their house. 8. Which of the dictionaries is your dictionary? 9. Is this book his book? 10. Whose cat is this? Is it her cat or his cat?
Choose an appropriate possessive pronoun.
1. Mark is (their, theirs) cousin. 2. This is our car. It is (our, ours). 3. These are Mary "s books. They are (her, hers). 4. White is (my, mine) favorite color. 5. You can" t have this book. It is not (your, yours). 6. (Her, Hers) house is big. 7. Is this (your, yours) coat? - No, it is not (my, mine). 8. Are these your friends "books? - Yes, they are (their, theirs). 9. That is (our, ours) house. It is (our, ours).
1. I have his phone number and his address. 2. Nick often picks up my pen because he often leaves his pen at home. 3. Her son has only good grades in his favorite subjects. 4. Anna loves her cat and Max loves her dog. 5. Put your notebooks in my bag. 6. Is this book yours or mine? 7. Whose dictionary is this? Is he her or him?
Modify your sentences by using plural demonstrative pronouns. Make any other necessary changes.
Sample:
This girl is a student.
These girls are students.
That boy is brave.
Those boys are brave.
1. This book is French. 2. This girl is in the garden. 3. That map is old. 4. This student is from Great Britain. 5. That flower is beautiful. 6. This is my bag. 7. This is a French text. 8. That room is nice. 9. This film is interesting.
Write down sentences by changing the number of words. Make any other necessary changes.
Whose pencil is this?
Whose pencils are these?
1. Pass me those apples. 2. I don "t like this hat. 3. This is your copy-book. 4. Whose car is this? 5. Those pens are better than these. 6. Where is that nice girl now? 7. These books are not interesting. 8. Those newspapers are for you. 9. Is that boy your brother? 10. These rooms are very nice. 11. Whose bags are these? 12. Give me that cap, please. 13. This table is little. 14 . Give me these pens and this book. 15. This flat is clean.
Translate into English.
- This is a cat or a kitten.
- This cat is white. That kitten is also white.
- This white cat is on the table. That white kitten under the bed.
- These are roses. Those are also roses.
- These roses are red. Those roses are white.
- These are red roses in a vase. Those white roses are also in a vase.
- This is my dog. This dog is mine.
- These are his books. These books are on the shelf.
- These are baskets. Those baskets are full of flowers.
Ask general questions using a sample.
Sample:
There are some roses in the vase.
Are there any roses in the vase?
There is some wine in the glass.
Is there any wine in the glass?
1. There are some letters for Ann. 2. There is some noise in the corridor. 3. There are some children in the garden. 4. There are some cars in the street. 5. There is some fish in the fridge. 6. There is some ice-cream on the 7. There are some books on the shelf. 8. There are some old shoes under the bed.
Modify your sentences using the negative pronoun no.
Sample:
There aren "t any boys there.
There are no boys there.
1. There isn "t any coffee in the cup. 2. There aren" t any students in the class-room. 3. There aren "t any cars in the street. 4. He hasn" t any friends. 5. They haven "t any money. 6. We haven" t any meat for supper. 7. That country hasn "t any coffee to export.
Insert some or any.
1. There are ... students in the library. 2. There isn "t… light in the room. 3. Mary has got two sisters but she hasn" t got… brothers. 4. I don "t like popular music but… people like it. 5. Has Mother… meat for dinner? - Yes, she has…. 6. Are there… mistakes in Nick" s dictation? - No, there are not…. 7. Has Max ... friends here? - Yes, he has…. 8. Has Bess… interesting books to read? - No, she hasn "t .... 9. Would you like ... coffee? 10. Can I have ... tea, please?