 For Authors: January 06, 2016 Issue [#7402] |
  For Authors
This week: Do You Know Your Pronouns? Edited by: Vivian  
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I've been asked to hep writers with grammar issues, and we've covered apostrophes and commas. Now, let's address the problem of misusing pronouns.
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Do You Know Your Pronouns
Most people know what a pronoun is: a word that takes the place of a noun. What if we didn't have pronouns? Language would become bulky and awkward. For example, would you enjoy reading the following? Mary drove Mary's car to the market to buy fresh produce for the salad Mary planned on fixing for Mary's dinner. Using pronouns makes the reading (and the writing) smoother: Mary drove her car to the market to buy fresh produce for the salad she planned on fixing for her dinner.
We use personal pronouns to replace nouns, and we will concentrate on personal pronouns in this editorial. Oh, some don't remember what the persona pronouns are? We have singular personal pronouns to take the place of singular nouns, and we have plural personal pronouns to take the place of plural nouns. Pronouns also come in different "persons": first person (the person talking or writing), second person (the person being talked to or written to), and third person (the person or persons being talked about or written about). Finally, we have particular duties for each pronoun: used as subjects or predicate nominatives (a grammar lesson for another time), used as objects (object of prepositions, direct objects, indirect objects), used to show possession. Let's see if I can make a chart to help bring back the memories of grade school language arts classes.
Singular Personal Pronouns
Subject/Nominative Object Form Possessive
1st person I me my, mine
2nd person you you your, yours
3rd person he, she, it him, her, it his, her, hers, its
Plural Personal Pronouns
Subject/Nominative Object Form Possessive
1st person we us our, ours
2nd person you you your, yours
3rd person they them their, theirs
Nominative (subjective) cases are used for subjects and predicate nominatives (nouns and pronouns that follow linking verbs and rename the subject) – never for objects. Appositives of subjects and predicate nominatives are also in the nominative (subjective) case.
Objective cases are used for objects only: direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions, as well as appositives for those objects. Objective case is never used for a subject.
Incorrect: Me and John want to go to the game.
Correct: John and I want to go to the game.
Incorrect: The one who lost the game is him.
Correct: The one who lost the game is he.
Incorrect: The game was won by you and he.
Correct: The game was won by you and him.
Incorrect: Just between you and I, tomorrow will be fun.
Correct: Just between you and me, tomorrow will be fun.
Next time, we will discuss other types of pronouns, other than personal pronouns.
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Writings from W.Com
Since we began a new year a few days ago, I hope each and every person has a marvelous 2016. Let's see what others on W.Com have written about a New Year.
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Words from Our Readers
speidoman 
That's a lot of rules for the comma. I remember learning about "fanboys" for remembering the conjunctions. (For, and, not, but, or, yet, sometimes.) We used the acronym "fanboys" to remember them. I wish the rules were equally as easy to remember, but they are not.
I discovered that remembering comes through usage -- and having a nice "cheat" sheet close at hand.
GRIMM 
You have no clue how many times I have corrected people about #1. THANK YOU!
One thing I did not noticed is the correct use for using a comma in dialogue.
I see this misused a lot.
Even by myself.
Thank you again,
Bill Dwyer (AKA GRIMM)
Using commas in dialogue follows the same rules as using them anywhere. Just remember that the part inside the quotation marks is PART of a sentence, an independent clause if the writer has used a speech tag (she said, John yelled, etc.) Therefore, unless a question mark or exclamation mark is used at the end of the dialogue, a comma is used inside the end quotes before the tag. Actually this comma usage comes under sentence structure.
ladeecaid
I always like a refresher on comma usage, and I like to learn new rules. It has been a year and a half since I started paying attention to how to use them properly. All of the rules can be daunting. I've taken one at a time and got it down before moving on to the next. I have a few of those rules lodged in my brain, but I'm still working on them. I very much appreciate your tutelage.
speidoman
Thank you for the rules of commas. This agrees with what I was taught in the University where I got my degree.
River 
Thank you for this article. I'm getting better at placing commas, but this is a good brush up.
Thank you.
Apondia 
I am all ways glad to refresh myself with old and new information about commas. However, as a journalist I would like you to know that today's journalist, trained in a college class is encouraged to drop the comma before and within a sequence of words. Such as, the boy jumped over a rock, a stream and a log. It is a little different usage but you will see it here and there sometimes.
Yes, I'm aware that journalistic and literary comma usage is different. I taught both journalism and composition for many years. However, for the most part, we on W.Com are composing literary items.
An apple a day.... 
Thanks for the comma refresher course, Vivian. I found myself saying, "Oh, yes, I remember that now." Happy holidays to you. I enjoy reading your Facebook entries.
Thanks. I just try to help people be better writers.
linggy}
Thanks! I hate commas. I always tend to make mistakes with them. I copied your list and will study it! THANKS!
Linggy
Commas are necessary evils to help readers understand what we write. *sigh*
DRSmith
Simply stated, we need more of these type newsies in here from time to time. They catch the eye and visually teach which makes the examples register with the memory. They are a quick print for easy reference. Amazing how refreshingly helpful they can be even to the most accomplished talents in WDC. Well done. Next?
This issue deals with personal pronouns. Then the next issue will probably deal with other kinds of pronouns.
The following three comments thank me for the article on using commas. So, you're welcome, and thank you for letting me know.
kerrimiller
Commas can be downright confusing sometimes. I thought that the newsletter was interesting. Thank you, Vivian!
Jacky
I needed this lessons in commas! And on top of that you had me laughing out loud at your introduction!
I have printed it for easy reference and will think of you at every comma, at least in the immediate future.
Thank you!
Jacky
Chris24
Vivian,
Your editorial on commas is an excellent tool for writers. I think so many of us get confused about when they are, or are not, appropriate. Too often, I think some writers also confuse times when a period may be more appropriate. Anyways, thanks for the tip!
Chris Nance
Matt Bird MSci (Hons) AMRSC
This list looks quite useful. However, I think the top one is slightly wrong. Yes, commas separate items in a list, but it is always required to put a comma before a conjunction. This is a stylistic issue and depends if you want to use the Oxford comma or not. Some style guides are against it, others for it. I don't use it, unless including it clears up potential confusion.
I hope if you ever submit something for publication that you follow the publication or publisher's style requirements. For example, if you submitted to 4RV Publishing, you need to use the Oxford comma.
Thank you for joining me again this issue. I hope each and everyone has a wonderful 2016.
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