4.1        Pronouns

Day 2    Personal Pronouns, Possessive Pronouns and Reflexive Pronouns

1. The different cases of Personal Pronouns, Possessive Pronouns and Reflexive Pronouns

    不同形式的人稱代名詞, 人稱代詞擁有格和反身代詞

2. The order of Personal Pronouns: when two or more Personal Pronouns are used in succession, it is important that they are

    used in the correct order.

a. If the subject includes I, this must go last.

     人稱代名詞的排序: 當多於兩個的人稱代名詞在句中出現, 我們要用正確的排列方法. 如果當中包括了I,它必定要

     在後面.

             e.g.: You and I will get along well if only you stop contradicting me.

             My husband and I are grateful for your help.

             You and I can do it.

       b. But if the subject includes we, this must go first.

            如果主語包活we, 它必定要在前面.

             e.g.: We and you can sort it out.

c. If the subject includes you and they, you must go first.

    如果主語包括you 和 they, you必定要在前面.

             e.g.: You and they should go there together.

3. Possessive Pronouns人稱代詞擁有格

 *1) Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.

    Possessive Adjectives are used as adjectives and placed in front of nouns. Possessive Adjective Pronouns can only

    function as attributes.

    人稱形容詞是以形容詞的格式來使用在名詞前. 它們只可用在名詞的前面.

     e.g.: I like my little cat, but not your black dog!

            His name is Jim, and her name is Jane.

   2) Possessive Pronouns: yours, mine, his, hers, theirs, its, ours

    Possessive Pronouns are used to replace nouns to show possession. They are not to be followed by nouns as they are  

    already replaced by them!

    人稱代詞擁有格是用來替代名詞並顯是它們屬於誰人. 它們後面不應有名詞, 因為它們本身已經替代了名詞!

     e.g.: Our room is on the first floor, and theirs is on the second.

            This umbrella is yours and that one is mine.

4. Reflexive Pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves

   1) Reflexive Pronouns are used when the subject and object refer to the same person.

          每當動詞的主語和賓語是相同便可使用反身代詞.

       e.g.: He found himself among the students in the picture.

               Don’t think too much of yourselves.

   2) Some useful phrases using Reflexive Pronouns…一些以反身代詞所做的短語

    a. (all) by oneself: alone or without help from anyone else

    e.g.: I did my homework (all) by myself.

    b. for oneself: on one's own

    e.g.: You should think for yourself.

    We cook for ourselves.

    c. in oneself: in essence, only in some specific respect

    e.g.: They are good girls in themselves, but easily influenced by bad friends.

               The speech was all right in itself, but it went on too long.

    d. to oneself: for one’s sole use

    e.g.: When I dine in a restaurant, I like a table to myself.

    e. of oneself: willingly, without help

    e.g.: I woke of myself at six this morning.

5. The usage of it  it的用途

    (1) To refer to gender-neutral items –用來指示...

         (a) things that have no gender (i.e. objects),沒有性別的東西

               e.g. “Where is my watch, dear?”  “I saw it in your drawer last night.”

         (b) animals, insects, birds, fish etc unless their gender is known and significant,動物, 昆蟲, 鳥, 魚 等, 除非我們知道牠們

               的性別, 而且是重要的

         (c) human babies unless their gender is known and significant,嬰兒, 除非我們知道他/她的性別,而且是重要的

               e.g. Mrs. Huang had a baby last night. It weighs seven pounds.

         (d) unidentified humans (e.g. on the phone) 不能確定對方的身份(電話中)

               e.g. “Who is it?”  “It's me, Peter.”

    (2)To refer to abstract nouns such as time, date, season, weather, distance, circumstance and so on. 用來指示抽象名詞如時

         間, 日期, 季節,氣候,距離, 環境等等.

     e.g.: “What time is it?” “It's five to twelve.”

     “It is very hot in summer.”

     “ How far is it from here to the station?”

     (3) To show emphasis, using the sentence pattern: It +be…+that/who…

          用以下的句形來表示強調It +be…+that/who…

       e.g.: It was Paul that (who) broke the window.

      It was Peter who met Helen and Bill at the theatre yesterday.

    (4) To be the formal subject 用來作一個較正式的主語

       e.g.: It is shameful the way he behaves himself before girls.

       It is easy to find fault with others.

     (5) To be the formal object用來作一個較正式的賓語

       e.g.: I consider it wrong to cheat in an examination.

      Don't you find it a waste of time watching television so much?

     (6) To replace a phrase, sentence or idea mentioned before, to avoid repetition. 為了避免重複, 用來代替一個短語, 句子或

           前文提過的事

       e.g.: Don't let your children play with matches or lighters. It is dangerous.

      You say Jim can solve that puzzle? I don't believe it.