Pronouns - Shortcut Rules
Shortcut Rule 1 : We should use the personal pronouns in the order of 231 for good results ( I mean, Second Person, Third Person, First Person). Have a look at the following Examples.
- I, He and You are to finish it. ☓
- You, He and I are to finish it. ✔
- The order 123 (First Person, Second Person and Third Person) is also possible when we admit guilt.
- I, You and He have committed the Sin. ✔
Shortcut Rule 2 : A Pronoun in the nominative form should be compared with the same form of the pronoun.
- He is better than I (am) (Two Nominatives are compared) ✔
- I respect you more than him (Two objectives are compared) ✔
Shortcut Rule 3 : A Pronoun in the objective case is used after "Let / Between / Any Preposition"
- Let you and me play (You and me are objects) ✔
- There is no dispute between you and me. ✔
Shortcut Rule 4 : When a pronoun stands for a collective noun, it should be used in the singular form.
- The army has left its Head Quarters (As a Whole) ✔
- The committee were divided in their opinion (Separate Individuals) ✔
Shortcut Rule 5 : When two singular nouns are joined by "and", refer to to the same person, the pronoun used in their place should be singular in form.
- The Collector and Magistrate has done his best. ✔
- But the collector and the Magistrate have done their best. ✔
Shortcut Rule 6 : A singular pronoun should be used when two singular nouns are joined by either or / neither nor
- Either Ravi or Gopal should do his duty ✔
Shortcut Rule 7 : A pronoun in the plural form should be used when two nouns of different members are joined by "or" or "nor".
- Either the Principal or his teachers have attended their duty. ✔
Shortcut Rule 8 : The distributive pronouns "Either / Neither / None / Any / No one" are used with singular verbs.
- Either / Neigher ........................Used for two Person / Things
- None / No one / Any ................ Used for more than two person / things.
- Any ............................Used for more than two persons / things. Have a look at some examples.
- Either of the two girls is diligent. ✔
- Neither of the brothers is quarrelsome. ✔
- None of the four sisters is intelligent. ✔
- Any of the four men can do it. ✔
Shortcut Rule 9 : The Reciprocal pronouns "Each other / One another"
- Each other - For two persons
- One another - For more than two persons.
- The two sister hate each other.
- The five brother love one another.
Shortcut Rule 10 : The indefinite pronoun "One" should be used as "One's" for its possessive case.
- One should love one's country. ✔
Shortcut Rule 11 : The verbs such as "Hurt / Cheat / Prostrate / Introduce / Present / Absent / Satisfy / Prepare / Enjoy / Avail of" are followed by either "an" object or "a" reflexive pronoun. (Myself / Ourselves / Yourself / Yourselves) (Himself / Herself / Itself / Themselves)
- I introduced her to the Principal (Her.........object) ✔
- I introduced myself to the Principal (Myself.........Reflexive pronoun) ✔
- He enjoyed the party (Party............Object) ✔
- He enjoyed himself at the Party (Himself.................Reflexive Pronoun) ✔
Shortcut Rule 12 : The use of Relative Pronouns :
- Who................. for Persons
- This is the boy who is diligent.
- Which .................for Things.
- The book which is in the shelf is mine.
- That ................. is used both for persons and things.
- One boy who stole my purse was a student ✔
- The boy that stole my purse was a student. ✔
- As a relative pronoun "That" is used with superlative Adjective / Only / Any / Nothing / Some / All / None"
- All that glitters is not gold
- This is the best thing that I can do.
Shortcut Rule 13 : The word "Who" as a relative pronoun is used in the nominative case, takes a verb.
- The Principal who came here was Raju's Brother.
- The word "Whom"as a relative pronoun is used in the objective case (takes no verb)
- The doctor whom I met yesterday was Krishna's Father
- The doctor whom I met yesterday was Krishna's Father
Shortcut Rule 14 : Agreement of the verb with its antecedent in number and person
- I who is your brother must trust you ☓
- I who am your brother must trust you. ✔
- You who is my friend ☓
- You who are my friend ✔
Shortcut Rule 15 : If a pronoun is to be placed after "to be", the pronoun in the subjective case is used.
- It is Him ☓
- It is He ✔