Pronouns
Concept: Use the Correct Word 'they' or 'them’
Definition:
- Words used in place of naming words are called pronouns.
- We use pronouns in place of naming words that have already been mentioned previously in order to avoid repetition.
- A pronoun can show both singular and plural nouns.
- ‘They’ and ‘them’ are pronouns used to talk about more than one naming word.
Examples:
A) Use of ‘they’:
- ‘They’ is used to describe more than one person so, ‘they’ is a plural pronoun.
- We use ‘they’ when we talk about other people.
- ‘They’ usually is placed before doing words.
Examples:
- The speaker is talking about other people. Therefore, we used ‘they’.
- The people we are talking about are the family who has bought a car. They are a group of people hence the word ‘They’ is used. to talk about more than one person.
- ‘They’ is placed before the action word (bought).
- The speaker didn’t use the name of the grandparents. Instead the word ‘they’ is used as a replacement for nouns.
- ‘They’ is used because the speaker is talking about more than one person.
A) Use of ‘them’:
- The pronoun ‘Them’ is a plural pronoun. We use it when we talk about more than one animal, person, or thing.
- We use ‘them’ to show the action done over a group of people.
- ‘Them’ usually is placed after doing words.
Examples:
- In the above sentence, instead of using the word (cats), we used the pronoun ‘them’.
- The pronoun ‘Them’ is used to talk about more than one animal. And it is placed after the doing word or verb (feed).
- The pronoun ‘Them’ in the sentence speaks about the ‘friends. Instead of using the word ‘friends’, the speaker used the pronoun ‘them’.
- ‘Them’ refers to more than one friend and it is before the action verb.
Common Mistake:
a) The pronoun ‘They’ can’t sit at the end of a sentence. It usually is positioned at the beginning of a sentence.
- I love them.
- I love they.
b) On the other hand, ‘them’ is placed in the middle or at the end of a sentence. It can’t be positioned at the beginning of a sentence.
- They are my friends.
- Them are my friends.