Avoiding Typical Errors With

Pronouns

Your

Use your as possessive adjective only to refer to a possession of the person  you are talking to.

Ex: " What's your name ? "  " I'm Sarah. "

     " Can you tell me your last name, Sarah ? "  "Sure, it's Mandel."

Brazilians frequently confuse "seu" or "sua", refering to a third person with your. When refering to a third person (he) or (she) use his (for men) and her (for women). For third person plural form use their .

It - Neutral Pronoun

Never forget that you must use a subject to a verb. Different from Portuguese, we cannot start a sentence without a subject. ( very few situations )

Ex: It is noon  ( É cedo )

     It was dark when I got home  ( Estava escuro quando cheguei em casa )

     It was raining  ( Estava chovendo )

Any   X   No

Any asks for a negative verb.

Ex: He doesn't do anything I ask him.

No gives a negative idea but the construction of the sentence is in the affirmative form.

Ex: He does nothing I ask him.

Who / Which / That

In relative clauses WHO / THAT are used for people and  WHICH / THAT  are used for things.

That's the man who (that) I told you about.

He's  someone who (that) I met a few weeks ago.

I've been reading the book which (that) you recommended.

Is that the horse which (that) escaped ?

In non-defining clauses (the ones with commas) that is not possible.

Andrew, who is a lawyer, has just been contracted by an important company.

I've been living in this city, which is on the coast, for more than 30 years.