Second-Person Pronouns

Pronouns

It is nearly impossible to get through a conversation or written paragraph in a book without hearing or seeing a pronoun. Pronouns include words like I, me, my, us, she, his, him, you, and mine (and this is not a complete list).

Pronouns take the place of more specific words for people, places, or things (nouns). These are words like Joe, Susan, table, cookie, house, and Cincinnati.

Pronouns help to simplify our writing and speech, making it easier to read or listen to. Instead of repeating a person's name, a certain city, or the name of an object over and over, a writer can use a pronoun.

Pronouns are divided into categories, called person, according to who or what they stand for. These categories are first person, second person, and third person. First person pronouns refer to the writer or speaker (I, me, we, etc.). Second person pronouns refer to the reader or listener (you, your, yours). Third person pronouns refer to people or objects not directly involved (he, she, it, him, they, theirs, etc.).

This lesson is about the second-person pronouns. Let's take a look at how they are used now.

You, Your, and Yours

You, your, and yours - these are the three second-person pronouns. Second-person pronouns are the words writers use when they are addressing one or more readers directly. They are also used when we speak directly to people.

Second-person pronouns make writing sound much better. Consider the following example:

'Hello, STUDENT. How is STUDENT doing today? Is STUDENT ready to learn about second-person pronouns? These words will make STUDENT'S writing sound a lot better!'

Now let's try this again using second-person pronouns:

'Hello, student. How are YOU doing today? Are YOU ready to learn about second-person pronouns? These words will make YOUR writing sound a lot better!'

Language just sounds better when pronouns are used. Second-person pronouns keep writers from having to write the reader's name over and over. They are also helpful when the writer does not know the name of the reader or readers.

Using Second-Person Pronouns

Second-person pronouns can be used as subject pronouns, object pronouns, or possessive pronouns. This simply means that the words 'you,' 'your,' and 'yours' can be used in different parts of a sentence.

Sometimes, pronouns take the place of the subject in a sentence. Here are some examples of second-person subject pronouns:

• YOU are my best friend.
• YOU are the largest class at this university.
• YOU wear size 10 blue jeans.
• Where do YOU and your sister live?

Sometimes pronouns take the place of an object in a sentence. Here are some examples of second-person object pronouns:

• The dog likes to follow YOU.
• Daniel bought YOU a present.
• This test is for YOU.
• I love YOU.

Notice that the pronoun 'you' can refer to both one person (singular) or more than one person (plural). For example, 'you' can mean a single person (like a best friend) or a whole group of people (like a class). 'I love you' could mean that I love one you, the reader, or that I love all of the Internet users out there.

Sometimes the possessive form of a pronoun is used. The possessive form is used when a person owns, or has possession of, someone or something. Here are some examples of second-person possessive pronouns:

• Is that YOUR car?
• YOUR boss called to see if you can work tomorrow.
• Do YOUR homework.
• The cookies are YOURS.

Notice that 'you' is used before the object being possessed (car, boss, homework), and 'yours' stands alone. It is important to note the different ways of using these two words. Study the following examples:

• The car belongs to you. It is YOUR car. The car is YOURS.
• This is YOUR birthday cake. The cake is YOURS.
• That computer belongs to you. It is YOUR computer. It is YOURS.

In writing, special care needs to be taken with the spelling of second-person possessive pronouns. 'Your' and 'you're' are pronounced the same way, but the meaning is entirely different. 'You're' is a contraction of the two words 'you' and 'are,' and it should not be confused with the possessive form 'your.'

• INCORRECT: Open you're book to page 51.
• CORRECT: Open your book to page 51.