Year 7 English: Correct Inappropriate Shifts in Pronoun Number and Person

What Are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words that replace nouns in a sentence. They help us avoid repetition and make our writing smoother. Common pronouns include “he,” “she,” “it,” “they,” “you,” and “we.”

Understanding Pronoun Number and Person

Pronoun Number

• Singular Pronouns refer to one person or thing:
  • Example: “She loves her dog.”
• Plural Pronouns refer to more than one person or thing:
  • Example: “They love their dogs.”

Pronoun Person

• First Person refers to the speaker (I, we):
  • Example: “I am going to the park.”
• Second Person refers to the listener (you):
  • Example: “You are invited to the party.”
• Third Person refers to someone else (he, she, it, they):
  • Example: “He is playing football.”

Correcting Shifts in Pronoun Number and Person

Sometimes, we accidentally mix up the pronouns, switching between singular and plural or between different persons. This can confuse the reader. Here are some rules to help you avoid these mistakes:

Key Rules

1. Stay Consistent: If you start with a singular pronoun, keep using singular pronouns throughout the sentence.
   • Wrong: “If someone wants to join us, they should bring their friend.”
   • Right: “If someone wants to join us, he or she should bring his or her friend.”
2. Match Pronouns with Nouns: Make sure your pronouns match the nouns they replace in number and person.
   • Wrong: “The teacher said they will grade our tests.”
   • Right: “The teacher said he or she will grade our tests.”
3. Avoid Mixing Persons: Don’t switch between first, second, and third person in the same sentence or paragraph.
   • Wrong: “I think you should try your best.”
   • Right: “I think you should try your best to succeed.”

Tips and Tricks

• Read Your Sentences Aloud: This helps you catch any mistakes in pronoun use.
• Use a Pronoun Chart: Keep a chart of pronouns for quick reference.
• Practice: The more you write and read, the better you’ll get at using pronouns correctly!

Questions

Easy Level (20 Questions)

1. Change “The boy loves their bike” to correct pronoun usage.
2. What is the correct pronoun for “Sarah and Tom”?
3. Fill in the blank: “If anyone wants to join, _____ can come with me.”
4. Correct this: “Everyone should bring their lunch.”
5. Choose the right pronoun: “The cat is playing with _____ toy.”
6. Fix the sentence: “I think they should try harder.”
7. What is the first person plural pronoun?
8. Change “She lost their keys” to correct pronoun usage.
9. Fill in the blank: “You can’t blame _____ for the mistake.”
10. Correct this sentence: “If a student wants to succeed, they must study.”
11. Identify the incorrect pronoun: “He and I love their favourite band.”
12. Fill in the blank: “The dog wagged _____ tail.”
13. What is the second person pronoun?
14. Fix this: “Everyone should do their best.”
15. Change “The team won their game” to singular pronoun.
16. Choose the right pronoun: “The teacher gave _____ homework.”
17. Correct this: “Somebody left their umbrella.”
18. What is the third person singular pronoun?
19. Fill in the blank: “If a person is late, _____ should apologise.”
20. Fix the sentence: “I think he will do well, but you might not.”

Medium Level (20 Questions)

1. What is the correct form: “Someone left _____ bag.”
2. Fix this: “The committee made their decision.”
3. Identify the error: “Neither of the boys brought their lunch.”
4. Change “Everyone loves their own style” to correct pronoun usage.
5. Choose the right pronoun: “My friends and I enjoyed _____ time.”
6. Fix the sentence: “The teacher asked if anyone had finished their work.”
7. What pronoun replaces “the children”?
8. Correct this: “Either the cat or the dog has lost their toy.”
9. Fill in the blank: “Anyone who wants to help _____ is welcome.”
10. Identify the error: “Each student should hand in their paper.”
11. Change “The girls played their game” to singular pronoun.
12. What is the first person singular pronoun?
13. Correct the sentence: “The team won their trophy.”
14. Choose the right pronoun: “If you see John, tell _____ to call me.”
15. Fix this: “Neither of the girls brought their book.”
16. Fill in the blank: “Someone has left _____ jacket behind.”
17. What is the third person plural pronoun?
18. Change “The workers finished their task” to singular pronoun.
19. Correct this: “If a player scores, they will win.”
20. Identify the incorrect pronoun: “The dog and cat is chasing their tail.”

Hard Level (20 Questions)

1. Fix this: “If anyone has a question, they can ask it.”
2. What is the error in “Somebody forgot their phone”?
3. Change “Neither Lisa nor her friends brought their lunch” to singular.
4. Choose the correct pronoun: “Everybody should take care of _____ things.”
5. Identify the error in: “Each of the students must submit their assignment.”
6. Change “Either the teacher or the students will give their feedback” to correct pronoun usage.
7. Fill in the blank: “If anyone is hungry, _____ can have some food.”
8. Correct this: “The group decided to change their plans.”
9. What is the first person form for “you” in plural?
10. Fix the sentence: “Neither of the options has their advantages.”
11. Change “Everyone should be proud of their efforts” to singular pronoun.
12. Identify the incorrect pronoun: “John or I will present their project.”
13. Fill in the blank: “Anyone who wants to join _____ must sign up.”
14. Correct this: “Either my sister or my brothers have lost their book.”
15. What is the third person singular pronoun for “the dog”?
16. Change “Everyone in the team must do their job” to correct pronoun usage.
17. Identify the error: “Each person is responsible for their actions.”
18. Fill in the blank: “If a student is late, _____ needs to apologise.”
19. Fix this sentence: “Somebody needs to take their responsibility.”
20. What is the error in “Neither of the players have lost their game”?

Answers

Easy Level Answers

1. “The boy loves his bike.”
2. “They.”
3. “You.”
4. “Everyone should bring his or her lunch.”
5. “Its.”
6. “I think he should try harder.”
7. “We.”
8. “She lost her keys.”
9. “Me.”
10. “If a student wants to succeed, he or she must study.”
11. “Their.”
12. “Its.”
13. “You.”
14. “Everyone should do his or her best.”
15. “The team won its game.”
16. “Us.”
17. “Somebody left his or her umbrella.”
18. “He.”
19. “He or she.”
20. “I think he will do well, but he might not.”

Medium Level Answers

1. “His or her.”
2. “The committee made its decision.”
3. “Their.”
4. “Everyone loves his or her own style.”
5. “Our.”
6. “The teacher asked if anyone had finished his or her work.”
7. “They.”
8. “Either the cat or the dog has lost its toy.”
9. “He or she.”
10. “Each student should hand in his or her paper.”
11. “The girls played their game.”
12. “I.”
13. “The team won its trophy.”
14. “Him.”
15. “Neither of the girls brought her book.”
16. “His or her.”
17. “They.”
18. “The workers finished their task.”
19. “If a player scores, he or she will win.”
20. “The dog and cat are chasing their tails.”

Hard Level Answers

1. “If anyone has a question, he or she can ask it.”
2. “Their.”
3. “Neither Lisa nor her friend brought her lunch.”
4. “His or her.”
5. “Their.”
6. “Either the teacher or the student will give his or her feedback.”
7. “He or she.”
8. “The group decided to change its plans.”
9. “I.”
10. “Neither of the options has its advantages.”
11. “Everyone should be proud of his or her efforts.”
12. “Their.”
13. “He or she.”
14. “Either my sister or my brother has lost his book.”
15. “It.”
16. “Everyone in the team must do his or her job.”
17. “Their.”
18. “He or she.”
19. “Somebody needs to take his or her responsibility.”
20. “Neither of the players has lost their game.”

Feel free to review these answers to reinforce your understanding of pronoun usage!