English Morphology Seminar 5 – The Pronoun and Determiners

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference in terms of emotional distance between this and that? In terms of time?
2. What can replace the determiner in this example: We apologies to those readers who did not
receive the papers on Saturday.
3. What is the use of the determiner in And I see this guy with this great piece of painting in his
hand.
4. How can quantifiers be classified?
5. What is the order of numerals: cardinal or ordinal numerals first?
6. What is the name given to such lexemes as same, such? Explain the name.
7. What are the categories of personal pronouns?
8. What is the reference of it in It’s cold?
9. Explain the use of they in This, as they say, is water under the bridge.
10. Which is correct: It’s me! or It’s I! ?
11. What form (case of the pronoun is used in stand-alone phrases?
12. What form of the pronoun is equivalent to the elliptic use of the genitive?
13. What is the difference between possessive pronouns and possessive determiners?
14. Mention the uses of reflexive pronouns.
15. What is the difference between demonstratives and it?
16. What is the reference of indefinite pronouns?
17. What are the uses of one as a pronoun?

Activity 1 What is the meaning of IT in the following:

a. It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
b. You’ve had that long enough. It’s my turn.
c. We consider it important to keep our options open.
d. I hate it when you talk like that.
e. It’s not for me to tell you what to do.

Activity 2 Explain the meaning of the it-phrases:

a. Step on it – or we’ll miss the train.
b. You can’t have both ways – either do the job properly or resign.
c. I don’t mind roughing it – but I’d like something more comfortable really.
d. This car’s really had it. I’ve got to get a new one.

Activity 3 Rewrite the following so that the meaning of the pronoun IT is clear.
a. He failed the exam. It was a great blow to his pride.
b. ‘Do you think he should try again?’ ‘I’m all for it.’
c. Well, let’s face it: he’s not going to take our advice.
d. It’s all this talk of the elections that annoys me.
e. If it hadn’t been for your help he would be in a worse mess.

Activity 4 Complete the following with one of the suitable demonstratives:

a. What’s.... I hear about you two getting engaged?
b. In ....far off days, life was less stressful.
c. We were talking of ....and .... – nothing in particular.
d. It’s been one of ...days. Nothing’s gone right.
e. Could you please pass me ...books next to you?
f. Will .... of you who want tickets please raise their hands.
g. He is one of ... so-called modern artists.
h. I wrote them an apology, and a very humble one at ...!

Activity 5 Fill with the indefinite pronouns:

a. ...you can do I can do better!
b. ....somewhere would like a letter from you.
 c. .... has to lead their own life.
d. Not ... can be boss, though.
e. I’ve no idea – it’s .....’s guess.
f. I’m always the last to find out. ... tells me anything.
g. Hardly ... would agree with you.
h. If you believe that, you’ll believe ... .
i. ...in their right mind would do such a thing.
j. Every little helps – it’s better than ..., I suppose.

Activity 6 Identify the type of pronoun in the following sentences and discuss its use:
a. It was not a bad life. You got up at seven, had breakfast, went for a walk, and a nine you sat down
to work. b. We are convinced that this book supplies a long-felt need. c. The Good Hope was a
three master built in 1890. She was lost with all hands in a gale off the coast of France. d. England
at that time was not the maritime power she has since become. e. He made it clear that it was a
matter of months. f. Hang it all, I don’t want to stay here all day. g. For barefaced lying, you really
are it. h. It is often best to rely on our own efforts. i. In our opinion, this is the best novel he wrote.
j. He bit his lips, but said nothing. k. Best wishes to you and yours. l. She couldn’t for the life of
her remember his address. m. I offered to carry the parcel myself. n. I expect you to behave
yourself. o. Some say yes, and some say no. p. He lived in Oxford for some years. r. We were
some sixty all in all. s. So they went home without being any wiser. t. Any chemists will tell you
that it’s poison. u .Both agreed that the matter had better be dropped. v. I’m not a young man, and
I know it.

Activity 7 Identify all the pronouns in the text. Explain their reference. Which pronouns have anaphoric /
cataphoric / exophoric reference?
Neil: ...You see, my trouble – Pam’s trouble – is this. I think we both expect things from each other.
Things that the other one is not prepared to give [...]. Do you get me?
Dennis: Uh-huh.
Neil: I suppose it’s nature really, isn’t it?
Dennis: Ah...
Neil: You have your opposites – like this (he holds up his hands). This is me – that’s her. And they attract
– like a magnet. Only with people – they get demagnetised after a bit. I honestly think Pam and me have
reached the end of the road.