4. 5. 6. None but the brave deserves the fair.-Dryden. All are architects of fate, Working in these walls of time Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme.-Longfellow. I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none.-Shakespeare. 7. Every phrase and every figure which he uses tends to render the picture more lively and complete.—Blair. 8. Not every one that saith unto me, "Lord! Lord!" shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.-Bible. 9. If your arguments produce no conviction, they are worth nothing to men.-Beattie. 10. Honor and shame from no condition rise; Act well your part, there all the honor lies.-Pope. Personal Pronouns. RULE XI. A personal pronoun agrees with the noun which it represents in number, person, and gender. Remarks. 1. The following are exceptions to the rule. (a.) We, though in the plural, is sometimes used by editors, speakers, and others to denote but one; as, "We give our opinion on this matter." (b.) You, though in the plural when in the common style, is often used to denote but one; as, "John, you may study now." (c.) It, though in the neuter gender, is often used to represent objects whose sex is disregarded; as, "The bird broke its wing," "The infant lies in its cradle." (d.) When neuter nouns are personified, he and she are used instead of it. Thus, "The sun beams upon us with his effulgent glory." 2. Such collectives as many, dozen, score, few, etc., preceded by a, are represented by pronouns in the plural; as, many lost their lives by the fever.” 3. As there is no personal pronoun of the common gender in the third person, singular number, the masculine form is used to represent nouns which may be either masculine or feminine; as, "The teacher who loves his pupil is interested in his welfare." 4. The pronoun it, used indefinitely, may represent a noun or a pronoun in either of the numbers and any of the genders. 5. When a pronoun represents two or more antecedents of different genders, it is best to omit the gender in parsing, as it cannot be determined. 6. Antecedents in the singular number and of different genders cannot be represented by a single pronoun. A separate pronoun must be used to represent each noun. boy lost his book, but the girl did not lose hers." Cautions. Thus, "The 1. When the antecedent, or noun represented, is a collective noun conveying the idea of unity, the pronoun agrees with it in the singular number, third person, neuter gender. Thus, "A civilized people has no right to violate its solemn obligations." 2. When the antecedent is a collective noun conveying the idea of plurality, the pronoun agrees with it in the plural number, the gender corresponding to the individuals forming the collection. Thus, "The committee differed in their opinions." 3. A pronoun used to represent two or more nouns taken together, and connected by and, should be in the plural number. Thus, "Both teacher and pupil have their rights." 4. When a pronoun represents two or more nouns in the singular, connected by and, it agrees with them in the singular if they represent but one person or thing; as, "This great orator and statesman died in 1876.' 5. When two or more nouns in the singular, connected by and, are preceded by each, every, or no, the pronoun which represents them is in the singular number; as, “Every bush and every tree had lost its greenness and its life." 6. When two or more nouns in the singular, connected by or or nor, are represented by a pronoun, it agrees with them separately in the singular. Thus, "Neither James nor John has done his whole duty." 7. When two or more nouns are connected by or or nor, if one of them is in the plural, the pronoun should be made plural, and the plural noun should be placed nearest to it. Thus, "Neither the general nor his soldiers felt that they were wrong." 8. When two or more nouns are connected by as well as, and also, but not, and similar connectives, they belong to different propositions, and the pronoun represents the first noun only. Thus, "The captain as well as the mate believed that he would see land." 9. If two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and are of different persons, the pronoun which represents them is of the first person, if either of the antecedents is of the first person; as, "Mary and I are fond of our teacher." If none of the antecedents is of the first person, the pronoun is of the second person; as, "You and your friend must do your work." 10. When using the pronoun of the second person singular, the same form should be preserved throughout the sentence. Thus, "Thou and thy sons shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood," should be "Thou and thy sons shall bear the iniquity of thy priesthood." 11. When the use of the pronoun causes ambiguity, repeat the noun instead. Thus, the sentence "The farmer told the merchant his hogs were in his garden" may mean― 1. The merchant's hogs were in the merchant's garden; 12. When personal pronouns in the singular number are used, the second person is placed before the others, and the third is placed before the first. Thus, "You and I,” “She and I," "You and he," 13. When the plural personal pronouns are used, we is usually placed first, you second, and they third. Thus, "We and they," We and you," "You and they.” Exercise. Correct the following sentences: Model.-The committee do not agree in its opinion. The sentence is incorrect, because the collective noun, committee, here conveys the idea of plurality, and should be represented by a pronoun in the plural number; their should therefore be substituted for its, according to Rule XI., Caution 2. 1. I suppose everybody has their troubles. 2. The army marched on their route southward. 3. Rebecca took goodly raiment and put them upon Jacob. 4. The jury differed in its opinion. 5. The jury gave in their verdict at six o'clock. 6. A person can content themselves on very little. 7. The earth is my mother; I will recline on its bosom. 8. If you want to get a good horse or a buggy, I can tell you where to find them. 9. The society will hold their meeting at seven o'clock. 10. If any person thinks it is easy to make a speech, let them try it. 11. Each soldier must carry their knapsack on the long march. 12. Milo began to lift the ox when he was a calf. 13. William and you and I will come. 14. They and we may enter. 15. He melted thirteen columns into one thunderbolt and flung them at George the III. 16. Every one must judge of their own feelings.—Byron. 17. Each of the ladies, like two excellent actresses, were perfect in their parts.-Scott. 18. You draw the inspiring breath of ancient song, Till nobly rises emulous thy own.—Thomson. 19. His form has not yet lost all her original brightness.-Milton. 20. Everybody trembled for themselves or their friends.—Goldsmith. 21. promise you this was enough to discourage thee.- Bunyan. 22. The tongue is like a race-horse, which runs the faster the less weight it carries.-Addison. 23. All the virtues of mankind are to be counted upon a few fingers, but his follies and vices are innumerable.-Swift. 24. No one can have lost their character by this sort of exercise in a confined circle and be allowed to prosper.-Disraeli. 25. The Romans stipulated with the Carthaginians to furnish them with ships for transport and war.—Arbuthnot. Exercise. Analyze the following sentences, and parse the personal pronouns. 1. 2. Thou art, O God, the life and light Of all this wondrous world we see.-Moore. Yes, child of suffering, thou mayst well be sure poor.-Holmes. 3. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.—Bible. 4. Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; 5. Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds Our very hopes belied our fears, Our fears our hopes belied; We thought her dying when she slept, 6. This above all, to thine own self be true, 7. Thou canst not then be false to any man.-Shakespeare. These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty! Thine this universal frame.-Milton. 8. Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.-Bible. 9. All mine are thine, and thine are mine.-Bible 10. Alas! they had been friends in youth, But whispering tongues can poison truth; And life is thorny, and youth is vain; And to be wroth with one we love Doth work like madness on the brain.-Coleridge. |