Pronouns and determiners and writing a play

Pronouns and Determiners are word classes in which we find some of the most common and useful words in English. The difference between them is that a pronoun is used in a place of a noun and a determiner is followed by a noun (or by an adjective, then by a noun).

1. Pronouns come in different groups including:

• personal pronouns with different forms that you can find set out in table 4.2 below
• indefinite pronouns (someone, something, anyone, anything, no one, nothing, everyone, everything)
• relative pronouns (who, which, that)
• interrogative pronouns (who? what? which?)

2. Determiners include these group:

• articles ( the definite article the, the indefinite article a which comes before a consonant and an which comes before a vowel)
• possessives (see table 4.2)

However there are other groups which can function either as pronoun or as determiners namely:

• numerals (one, two, three e.t.c, first, second, third e.t.c.)
• demonstratives (this, that; these, those)
• quantifiers (some, much, many, more, most, all, both)

Study these examples with much:

He doesn’t have much (determiner) hope

Much (pronoun) is expected of you

Table 4.2 Personal Pronouns/ Determiners

Reflexive pronouns should not be confused with reciprocal pronouns each other (referring to two people) and one another (more than two).

Compare these sentences

• Oke and Tony blamed themselves for losing the goat (Oke blamed himself and Tony blamed himself)
• Oke and Tony blamed each other for losing the goat (Oke blamed Tony and Tony blamed Oke)

Problems with quantifiers

Many students misuse quantifiers. Note the following:

Most: Use this when you want to say ‘nearly all’, NOT when the right word is ‘many’

E.g. Most of my class mates own a mobile phone (This means that if their number is 50, at least 40 of them own a mobile phone – but not if only 30 own one)

A few/Few: Use these quantifiers with countable nouns in the plural only. Both mean ‘a small number’, but while A few is positive in tone, Few is negative. For example

A few students have registered for Physics (That’s good)

Few students have registered for Physics (What a pity)

A little/Little:  They behave just like a few/few but are used with uncountable nouns.

Writing a Play

It is quite sufficient to choose some very small incident or anecdote. You should probably only attempt this topic if you have a brainwave – a sudden, very good idea of what your play could be about. Make your dialogue as natural as possible – but take care that it does not  become too long or too boring.

When you are writing  play, it is perfectly acceptable to make up a relevant subtitle. Try to brainstorm and then draw some kind of outline plan.

Example:

Possible Plan: My part in the school play

Paragraph 1

Introduction. Previous dramatic experience; reasons why I went in for the play

Paragraph 2

What happened at the audition: how i felt before, during and after. My feelings about my part.

Paragraph 3

The rehearsals: what happened; how i got on with the producer/other actors

Paragraph 4

The dress rehearsal: feeling of nervousness, etc. Worry about forgetting lines. Things that went wrong

Paragraph 5

The First Night……

Possible Plan 2: My outing to see Shehu Umar

Paragraph 1

Introduction: Why I wanted to see the play Shehu Umar, and who I went with

Paragraph 2

Arrival in the hall; where I sat; What I saw in the programme; gradual build-up of excitement

Paragraph 3 At last the curtain rose!  Brief description of what the play is about

Paragraph 4 Brief account of how the play was performed: the set, the actors, the costumes, the music

Paragraph 5 After the play was over

Exercise

1. What is the difference between pronouns and determiners?
2. Pronouns come in different groups. List and explain them.
3. Instruction: use the words from table 4.2 to fill the gaps in the following scene from a play

The characters F- Franca, D- Dora, G – a Guard YM – a Young Man

F: Look, __’re lucky! The train hasn’t gone yet! Hurry up, Dora, __ will go without __!

D: __ can’t run

G: __ tickets, please. Show __ tickets.

D: Here’s __

F: Oh, where’s __? __ can’t find __. Please, let __ through

G: __ ticket, __ ticket

F: Oh please, just help __! __ know __ always pass this way

D: There goes the whistle! Hurry up, Franca. Look, the platform’s deserted

G: __ can show __ ticket at __ destination, but __ must find __

F: Oh, thanks! Now, Dora, run!

Later inside the train, they work through one compartment after another looking in vain for two empty seats together

D: There just aren’t any. __’d better just stand here near the door

F: (still searching for her lost ticket) How could __ have lost __ ticket when I bought __ at the booking office just now?

D: __’re always losing things. __’m glad __ don’t have a brain like __.

A young man in a tie approaches the girls on his way from the rear of the train. He speaks first to Dora.

YM: Oh, are __ the owner of this ticket? __ must have dropped __ near the barrier. The guard asked __ to give __ to __.

D: (Indicating Franca) It’s not __, it’s __. __’s the careless one.

F: Thank __ sir.