Introduction

Relevance of the Topic

Personal pronouns represent one of the key pillars in constructing sentences in English. Without them, our communication would become repetitive and tiresome. This concept is vital because the use of personal pronouns not only provides economy of time and space in language but is also fundamental for expressing correctly who is interacting in the sentence. Therefore, this topic stands out as an indispensable component in the study of the English language.

Contextualization

In the vast universe of English grammar, the study of personal pronouns is the starting point for creating more complex sentence structures. It is a crucial first step in understanding how the English language expresses and communicates. The correct use of personal pronouns allows distinguishing between singular and plural, as well as between first, second, and third persons. This knowledge sets the stage for exploring subsequent topics, such as possessive pronouns, reflexive pronouns, and much more.

Keeping in mind the relevance of personal pronouns, this study establishes a solid foundation not only for the rest of the English curriculum but also for the overall development of students' language skills. It gives voice and identity to each individual, and it is through the appropriate use of personal pronouns that we can truly connect and express ideas to one another!

Theoretical Development

Components

• Subject Pronouns: Personal pronouns indicate who or what is performing the action in a sentence. They are: I, You, He, She, It (for things and animals), We, and They.

• Object Pronouns: Used as the object of the action. They are: Me, You, Him, Her, It (for things and animals), Us, and Them.

• Possessive Adjectives: In English, personal pronouns can also be used to indicate possession before a noun. They are: My, Your, His, Her, Its, Our, and Their.

• Disjunctive Pronouns: Used to express an action of 'giving' or 'saying' to someone, or to emphasize a subject or object. They are: Myself, Yourself, Himself, Herself, Itself, Ourselves, Yourselves, and Themselves.

Key Terms

• Person: Refers to the person speaking (first person, 'I'), the person being spoken to ('you'), or the person or thing being talked about ('he', 'she', 'it', 'we', 'they').

• Number: Indicates whether the pronoun is being used in the singular (I, you, he, she, it) or plural (we, they).

• Gender: Indicates the gender of the person the pronoun refers to (he, she, they), or of a thing or animal (it).

• Case: Refers to the pronoun's role in the sentence. The nominative case is used when the pronoun is the subject of the verb. The objective case is used when the pronoun is the direct or indirect object of the verb.

Examples and Cases

• I am a teacher.

  • Here, the personal pronoun 'I' is used as the subject of the verb 'am'. This is an example of using subject pronouns.

• She is reading a book to us.

  • In 'She is reading', 'she' is the subject of the verb 'is reading', while 'us' is the object of the action of reading. Here, 'she' and 'us' are subject and object pronouns, respectively.

• This is my computer. It is new.

  • In the first sentence, 'it' is an object pronoun, referring to the computer. In the second sentence, 'It' is a subject pronoun, representing the computer. This is an example of using 'it' to refer to a thing.

• I made this for myself.

  • Here, 'myself' is an example of a disjunctive pronoun, emphasizing that the teacher did something for himself.

Detailed Summary

Key Points

• Identification and Usage: We learned about subject and object personal pronouns. Each has its own usage, either as the subject (performing the action) or object (receiving the action) in a sentence. They are key to expressing who or what the sentence refers to.

• Number and Gender: Personal pronouns in English vary according to number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, thing, or animal). Mastering this variation is essential for composing precise and clear sentences.

• Cases: The idea of 'case' in grammar refers to the pronoun's function in the sentence: subject (nominative case) or object (objective case). Each case plays a unique role in constructing the sentence.

• Possessive Pronouns: We discovered that personal pronouns can also be used to indicate possession. They take the form of possessive adjectives and agree with the possessor (i.e., the person or thing possessing) in number and gender.

• Disjunctive Pronouns: These pronouns are multifunctional. They can be used to express an action of 'giving' or 'saying' to oneself or others, as reflections or emphasis.

Conclusions

• Versatility of Pronouns: The main conclusion is the remarkable versatility of personal pronouns in English. They not only aid in expressing identity but are also a useful tool for saving time and effort in communication.

• Sentence Development: We learned that the correct use of personal pronouns is essential for developing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences. They are the building blocks of any English communication.

• Coherence and Precision: The importance of coherence and precision in using pronouns was emphasized. Each pronoun has a specific role in the sentence, and understanding them helps avoid ambiguities or misunderstandings.

Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate pronouns: 'He is a doctor. ___ takes care of the sick.' (He is a doctor. He takes care of the sick.)

   • Answer: 'He' is the suitable pronoun to fill in the blank, as 'He' is performing the action, he is the subject, the one being discussed in the sentence.

2. Rewrite the sentence using a possessive pronoun: 'The book belongs to me.' (The book belongs to me.)

   • Answer: 'It is my book.' (It is my book.)
   • In this example, 'me' is the object pronoun used to indicate possession. Rewriting with the possessive pronoun, we have 'my book'.

3. Identify the disjunctive pronoun in the sentence 'I myself made this cake.' (I myself made this cake.)

   • Answer: 'myself' is the disjunctive pronoun in this sentence. It is being used to emphasize that the speaker made the cake without anyone's help.