PRONOUNS
Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns.
Every pronoun must have a clear
antecedent
(the word for which the pronoun stands).
KINDS OF PRONOUNS
A.
Personal
Pronouns:
SINGULAR
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PLURAL
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subjective
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objective
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possessive
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subjective
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objective
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possessive
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1st person
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I
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me
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my,
mine
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we
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us
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our,
ours
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2nd person
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you
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you
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your,
yours
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you
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you
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your,
yours
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3rd person
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he
she
it
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him
her
it
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his
her,
hers
its
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they
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them
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their,
theirs
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Personal pronouns have the following
characteristics:
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1. three persons (points of view)
1st person
- the one(s) speaking (I me my mine we us
our ours)
2nd person - the one(s) spoken to (you
your yours)
3rd person - the one(s) spoken about
(he him his she her hers it its they
their theirs)
Examples
2. three genders
feminine (she
her hers)
masculine (he him his)
neuter (it its they them
their theirs)
Examples
3. two numbers
singular (I me
my mine you your yours he him his
she her hers it its)
plural (we us our
ours you your yours they them their
theirs)
Examples
4.
three cases
subjective
(I you he she it we they)
possessive (my mine your
yours his her hers our ours their
theirs)
objective (me you him
her it us them)
Examples - subjective case |
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Examples - possessive case
Examples - objective case
NOTE: Because of pronoun case, the pronoun's form changes with its
function in the sentence. Follow this link to
pronoun case for more information.
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B.
Demonstrative Pronouns:
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Demonstrative pronouns can also be used as
determiners.
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Example:
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Hand me that hammer. (that
describes the noun hammer)
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Demonstrative pronouns can also be used as
qualifiers:
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Example:
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She wanted that much money? (that
describes the adjective much)
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C. Reflexive /
Intensive Pronouns : the
"self" pronouns
These pronouns can be used only to reflect or
intensify a word already there in the sentence.
Reflexive / intensive pronouns CANNOT REPLACE
personal pronouns.
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Examples:
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I saw myself
in the mirror. (Myself is a reflexive pronoun, reflecting the
pronoun I.)
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I’ll do it myself. (Myself
is an intensive pronoun, intensifying the pronoun I.)
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Note:
The following words are substandard and should not be used:
theirselves
theirself
hisself
ourself
D. Indefinite
Pronouns:
Singular:
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one
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someone
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anyone
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no
one
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everyone
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each
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somebody
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anybody
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nobody
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everybody
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(n)either
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something
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anything
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nothing
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everything
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Examples:
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Somebody is coming to dinner.
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Neither of us believes a word
Harry says.
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Plural:
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Examples:
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Both are expected at the
airport at the same time.
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Several have suggested
canceling the meeting.
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Singular with non-countables / Plural with
countables:
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Examples:
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Some of the dirt
has become a permanent part of the rug.
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Some of
the trees have been weakened by the storm.
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Indefinite pronouns use
apostrophes to indicate
possessive case.
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Examples:
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The accident is nobody’s fault.
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How will the roadwork affect one's
daily commute?
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Some indefinite pronouns may also be used as determiners.
one, each, either, neither, some, any, one, all,
both, few, several, many, most
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Note the differences:
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Each person has a chance.
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(Each is a determiner describing
person.)
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Each has a chance.
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(Each is an indefinite pronoun replacing
a noun.)
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Both lawyers pled their
cases well.
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(Both is a determiner describing
lawyers.)
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Both were in the room.
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(Both is an indefinite pronoun replacing
a noun.)
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E. Interrogative
Pronouns:
Interrogative pronouns produce information
questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer.
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Examples:
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What do you want?
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Who is there?
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F. Relative
Pronouns:
Relative pronouns introduce relative
(adjectival) clauses.
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Note:
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Use who, whom, and whose to refer
to people.
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Use that and which to refer to
things.
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