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Introduction to Pronoun: Understanding Pronouns in English

English

Grammar

Introduction To Pronoun

Reviewed by:

Aiswarya Ittianath

Pronouns and their Types, Examples and Usage

Danish is my college senior. Danish plays football. Danish also plays basketball. Danish had a match yesterday because of which Danish had to leave early. Notice how many times we have to repeat the proper noun (Danish) over and over again? This can get tedious and can spoil the flow of speech which is why we use pronouns.

Table of Content

1. Pronouns and their Types, Examples and Usage

2. Definition for Pronoun

2.1

Merriam-Webster:

2.2

Oxford English Dictionary (OED):

2.3

Cambridge Dictionary:

3. Types of Pronouns:

4. Personal Pronouns

4.1

Relative Pronouns

4.2

Who vs. Whom - Subject and Object Pronouns

4.3

Whom should I say is calling? Should I say she/her is calling?

5. Demonstrative Pronouns

5.1

Indefinite Pronouns

5.2

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

6. Possessive Pronouns

7. Interrogative Pronouns

8. Understanding Antecedents

8.1

Simple Sentence:

8.2

Complicated Sentence:

9. Test Your Knowledge on Pronouns

9.1

Check Your Answers:

10. Important Takeaways from this Page

FAQs

A replacing word that is used in place of nouns that occur multiple times in a sentence or a paragraph is known as a Pronoun. The distinctive feature of pronouns is that other nouns may be substituted for them.

Did You Know?

The word "pronoun" comes from the Latin word pronomen, which means "for a noun." Pronouns were created to make sentences less repetitive and more fluid by replacing nouns.
Some languages have no gender distinction in their pronouns. For example, in Turkish, there is only one pronoun, "o," for he, she, and it.
The singular "they" has been used as a gender-neutral pronoun in English since the 14th century, long before it became a topic of modern linguistic discussion!
The word "pronoun" comes from the Latin word pronomen, which means "for a noun." Pronouns were created to make sentences less repetitive and more fluid by replacing nouns.

Definition for Pronoun

A pronoun is a term that substitutes something that functions as a noun. To further understand pronouns, we can view the definition of pronouns as listed by three top dictionaries.

Merriam-Webster:

Pronoun: "A word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase. Pronouns are often used to avoid repeating a noun."

Oxford English Dictionary (OED):

Pronoun: "A word that can function as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this)."

Cambridge Dictionary:

Pronoun: "A word that is used in place of a noun or a noun phrase, such as he, it, hers, me, them, etc."

You might understand by now that we naturally use pronouns in our day to day speech and vocabulary, and may not realise it sometimes. Some of you might know what is pronoun and some of you might not. Whatever the case might be, read on to find out more about them and kinds of pronouns.

Types of Pronouns:

Pronouns are a vast topic. There are multiple different use cases and ways they can be used. This is why it can be effective to group them into different kinds. You can get a comprehensive view of what they are and kinds of pronouns in this pronoun chart showing the different types along with the pronoun examples sentences.

Type of Pronoun	Description	Examples
Personal Pronouns	Refer to specific people or things, replacing nouns. Categorized by person (first, second, third), number (singular, plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neutral), and case (subjective, objective, possessive).	I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us, them, my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Relative Pronouns	Connect relative clauses to independent clauses, adding detail to the sentence.	who, whom, what
Who vs. Whom	Who: Subject pronoun, like I, he, she. Whom: Object pronoun, like me, him, her.	Who should I say is calling? Whom did you see?
Demonstrative Pronouns	Replace a noun or noun phrase already mentioned. This and these refer to nearby objects. That and those refer to distant objects.	this, that, these, those
Indefinite Pronouns	Refer to a person or object that is not specifically identified. Usually take singular verbs.	everyone, anybody, none, all, someone
Reflexive Pronouns	End in -self or -selves. Used when the subject and object of a verb are the same.	myself, yourself, himself, themselves
Intensive Pronouns	Same as reflexive pronouns but used for emphasis.	myself, yourself, himself, themselves
Possessive Pronouns	Indicate ownership. Two types: weak (my, your) and absolute (mine, yours).	my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
Interrogative Pronouns	Used to ask questions.	who, which, what, whose

Read on for a more in-depth look on the pronouns:

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun that refers to specific people or things. They are used to replace nouns and are categorized by person (first, second, third), number (singular or plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neutral), and case (subjective, objective, possessive).

Examples of personal pronouns - I and me, you, he and him, it, we and us, and they and them.

Relative Pronouns

Another class of pronouns consists of relative pronouns. They are used to connect relative clauses to independent clauses. Sometimes, additional detail about something listed in the sentence is added. Relative pronouns are whom, what, who, etc. Traditionally, who refers to entities and what refers to objects or animals.

Who vs. Whom - Subject and Object Pronouns

Now that we've been talking about relative pronouns, let's answer the one that creates the most confusion: who vs. whom. Who, like I, he, she, we, and they, is a subject pronoun. Whom, like me, him, her, us, and them is the object pronoun.

Whom should I say is calling? Should I say she/her is calling?

Use whom if the object pronoun (him or her) sounds right. Use who, if the subject pronoun (he or she) sounds right.

Demonstrative Pronouns

That, this, these, and those are demonstrative pronouns. They take the place of an already described noun or noun phrase.

This is used for nearby objects that are singular. These are used for different things that are close by. The gap can be metaphorical or real.

Here is a letter with no address for return. Who would have sent this? What a brilliant term! It's the best thing that I've learned all day. Try to smell these if you think gardenias smell good.

Indefinite Pronouns

When you need to refer to a person or object that doesn't need to be clearly identified, indefinite pronouns are used. One another, none, any, everyone, all, and no one are some common indefinite pronouns.

Owing to the traffic congestion, everybody was late to work. For others, it matters more than him. No one knows what trouble I have encountered.

They normally take singular verbs while indefinite pronouns act as subjects of a sentence or clause.

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Pronouns ending with -self or -selves are known as reflexive pronouns. For example myself, yourself, himself, themselves, etc.

When both the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person or event, use a reflexive pronoun.

For his bad eyesight, Henry cursed himself. At the resort, they booked themselves a room. I was telling myself that it was nothing.

Intensive pronouns look the same as reflexive pronouns, but there is a different reason for them. Emphasis is added by intensive pronouns.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are of two types - weak and absolute. My, your, it's his, her, our, their and whose are used to demonstrate that something belongs to an antecedent.

My, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs are the absolute possessive pronouns. You should substitute the absolute forms for the thing that belongs to the antecedent.

Some possessive pronouns with similar-looking contractions are easy to mix up. Note, apostrophes don't have possessive personal pronouns.

My pen won't work, can I borrow yours?
The jewellery that the police accused Mrs. Jones of stealing turned out to be hers all along.
After getting distracted by a doorbell, Sam realized he had burned his dinner.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used in questions and are who, which, what, and whose.

Which movie do you want to watch? Whose jacket is this?
Whoever would want to do such a bad and upsetting thing?
Whatever did she aver to him that made him smile?
They're all fantastic! Whichever will you choose?
What are these bugs called?
Of all these celebrity names, which one do you like the best?
There are three scooters parked in front of this house. Whose could they be?

Understanding Antecedents

Pronouns are flexible. The pronoun can refer to anything: a car, a tree, a movie, a feeling. That's why you need that context. Any Noun or a phrase of the noun used at the beginning of a phrase or a story that is to be replaced later with the pronoun is known as an antecedent.

In certain instances, as long as the meaning is completely clear, history does not need to be specifically stated. Typically, it's obvious who the pronouns I, me, and you are referring to are depending on who speaks.

Before you mention the context, it is also possible to use a pronoun, just try to avoid using it in long or complicated sentences because it can make the sentence difficult to understand. The following example demonstrates this.

Simple Sentence:

Maria wanted to go to the store, so she grabbed her keys and left.

Here, "she" and "her" are pronouns that clearly refer to "Maria." The sentence is easy to understand.

Complicated Sentence:

After Maria spoke with her colleague about the upcoming project, she realized that she had left her keys on the kitchen counter, so she quickly returned home to get them before she headed to the store.

In this longer sentence, the pronoun "she" is used multiple times, which might make it unclear whether it refers to Maria or her colleague. This can make the sentence confusing.

In the complicated sentence, it's better to repeat the noun or break the sentence into shorter, clearer sentences to avoid confusion.

Test Your Knowledge on Pronouns

1) How many types of pronouns are there?

a) 5

b) 6

c) 2

d) 8

2) Which of the following is a relative pronoun?

a) They

b) Hers

c) Who

d) It

3) Which of the following sentences correctly uses a personal pronoun?

a) The dog chased its tail.

b) The cat herself climbed the tree.

c) This is my book, that is yours.

d) Who is going to the store?

4) What is the function of reflexive pronouns?

a) To indicate ownership

b) To connect clauses

c) To refer back to the subject of the sentence

d) To ask questions

Check Your Answers:

1) How many types of pronouns are there?

Ans: 8

2) Which of the following is a relative pronoun?

Ans: Who

3) Which of the following sentences correctly uses a personal pronoun?

Ans: The dog chased its tail.

4) What is the function of reflexive pronouns?

Ans: To refer back to the subject of the sentence

Important Takeaways from this Page

Pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition and make sentences easier to understand. Pronoun examples include he, she, it, they.
The page outlines eight different types of pronouns: personal, relative, demonstrative, indefinite, reflexive, intensive, possessive, and interrogative pronouns.
Personal pronouns are categorized by person, number, gender, and case, and are used to refer to specific people or things.
Relative pronouns like who, whom, and which are used to connect relative clauses to independent clauses, adding extra information.
Who is a subject pronoun, while whom is an object pronoun, and their correct usage depends on the sentence structure.
Demonstrative pronouns such as this and that are used to point out specific items in relation to the speaker's position.
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject, while intensive pronouns add emphasis to a noun or pronoun, although they look the same.

FAQs on Introduction to Pronoun: Understanding Pronouns in English

1. What do You Mean by Possessive Pronouns? Explain.

Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession of a noun. They are:

My
Our
Your
His
Her
Its (note there is no apostrophe)
Their

For example:

Is that my book?
No, that's his book.
That's its shelf.
I'd like to see their bookshelves.

There are independent possessive pronouns as well. These pronouns refer to a noun that has been named or known previously. They stand alone, and no other noun accompanies them. They are:

Mine
Ours
Yours
His
Hers
Its
Theirs

For example:

That's mine.
Wrong. It's ours.
So, I suppose those clothes are yours?
No, it's theirs.

2. Explain the Types of Pronouns.

Pronoun Type	Members of the Subclass	Example
Possessive	mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs	The white car is mine.
Reflexive	myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves	He injured himself playing football.
Reciprocal	each other, one another	They really hate each other.
Relative	that, which, who, whose, whom, where, when	The novel that you gave me was really boring.
Demonstrative	this, that, these, those	This is a new car.
Interrogative	who, what, why, where, when, whatever	What did he say to you?
Indefinite	anything, anybody, anyone, something, somebody, someone, nothing, nobody, none, no one	There's something in my shoe.

3. What is a pronoun?

A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun or noun phrase in a sentence, helping to avoid repetition and making sentences easier to understand.

4. How many types of pronouns are there?

There are eight different types of pronouns: personal, relative, demonstrative, indefinite, reflexive, intensive, possessive, and interrogative pronouns.

5. What is a personal pronoun?

Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things and are categorized by person (first, second, third), number (singular or plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neutral), and case (subjective, objective, possessive).

6. How are relative pronouns used in a sentence?

Relative pronouns connect relative clauses to independent clauses, providing additional detail about something in the sentence. Common relative pronouns include who, whom, and which.

7. What is the difference between "who" and "whom"?

Who is a subject pronoun, used when referring to the subject of a sentence, while whom is an object pronoun, used when referring to the object of a sentence.

8. When should demonstrative pronouns be used?

Demonstrative pronouns such as this, that, these, and those are used to replace nouns that have already been mentioned or are understood, indicating proximity or distance.

9. What are indefinite pronouns?

Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things that are not specifically identified. Examples include everyone, somebody, none, and all.

10. How do reflexive pronouns function in a sentence?

Reflexive pronouns, which end in -self or -selves, are used when the subject and object of a verb are the same, such as in the sentence, "She taught herself to play the piano."