Pronoun in English Grammar – Definition, Types, Rules and Examples
Pronoun in English Grammar
A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun. We use pronouns because we do not want to repeat the same noun again and again. Pronouns make our sentences simple, clear and natural.
What is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. Let us understand this with a simple example.
Riya is a teacher. Riya teaches English. Riya loves Riya's students.
With a pronoun:
Riya is a teacher. She teaches English. She loves her students.
In the second example, she and her are pronouns. They are used instead of the noun Riya.
Why Do We Use Pronouns?
Pronouns help us avoid repeating the same noun many times. They make our sentences shorter, smoother and easier to understand.
Rahul is a student. Rahul goes to school every day. Rahul studies hard.
Better:
Rahul is a student. He goes to school every day. He studies hard.
Types of Pronouns
There are different types of pronouns in English Grammar.
- Personal Pronouns
- Possessive Pronouns
- Reflexive Pronouns
- Demonstrative Pronouns
- Interrogative Pronouns
- Relative Pronouns
- Indefinite Pronouns
- Distributive Pronouns
- Reciprocal Pronouns
- Intensive Pronouns
1. Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns are used in place of the names of people, animals or things.
Subject Personal Pronouns
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| First Person | I | We |
| Second Person | You | You |
| Third Person | He, She, It | They |
Examples
I am a teacher.
We are students.
You are very kind.
He is my brother.
She is my sister.
It is a beautiful flower.
They are playing cricket.
2. Object Pronouns
| Subject | Object |
|---|---|
| I | me |
| We | us |
| You | you |
| He | him |
| She | her |
| It | it |
| They | them |
The teacher helped me.
My friend called me.
The teacher taught us.
I saw him yesterday.
I met her at school.
The teacher praised them.
3. Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession. They tell us that something belongs to someone.
Common possessive pronouns are: mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs.
This house is ours.
This pen is yours.
That bicycle is his.
This bag is hers.
These books are theirs.
4. Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun is used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing.
myself, ourselves, yourself, yourselves, himself, herself, itself, themselves
We enjoyed ourselves.
You should control yourself.
He introduced himself.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
The cat cleaned itself.
They enjoyed themselves.
5. Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out people, animals or things. The main demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these and those.
This – one thing or person near us.
That – one thing or person far from us.
These – more than one thing or person near us.
Those – more than one thing or person far from us.
This is my book.
That is your house.
These are my shoes.
Those are beautiful flowers.
6. Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. The common interrogative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which and what.
Who is your teacher?
Whom did you meet?
Whose book is this?
Which is your bag?
What is your name?
7. Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns connect a noun with a relative clause. The common relative pronouns are who, whom, whose, which and that.
I know the girl who won the competition.
The man whom I met was a doctor.
I know the boy whose father is a doctor.
This is the book which I bought yesterday.
This is the book that I wanted.
8. Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things without saying exactly who or what they are.
Some common indefinite pronouns are: someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, everyone, everybody, nobody, no one, something, anything, everything and nothing.
Everyone is ready.
Nobody knows the answer.
Anyone can learn English.
Something is wrong.
Everything is ready.
Nothing is impossible.
9. Distributive Pronouns
Distributive pronouns refer to members of a group one at a time. The main distributive pronouns are each, either and neither.
Each of the students received a book.
Either of the two answers is correct.
Neither of the two boys was absent.
10. Reciprocal Pronouns
Reciprocal pronouns show an action or relationship between two or more people. The main reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another.
The two friends helped each other.
The children were talking to one another.
We should respect each other.
The players congratulated one another.
11. Intensive Pronouns
Intensive pronouns are used to give extra emphasis to a noun or pronoun. They have the same forms as reflexive pronouns.
I myself completed the project.
The principal herself attended the meeting.
The teacher himself explained the lesson.
We ourselves prepared the project.
Pronoun and Antecedent
The noun to which a pronoun refers is called its antecedent.
Riya is a teacher. She teaches English.
Riya = noun
She = pronoun
Riya is the antecedent of she.
Pronoun Agreement
A pronoun should agree with its antecedent in number and person.
Rahul is a student. He is hardworking.
Riya is a student. She is hardworking.
Rahul and Amit are students. They are hardworking.
How to Identify a Pronoun
- Find the noun in the sentence.
- Look for a word that is used instead of that noun.
- Check what the word refers to.
- If it is used in place of a noun, it is a pronoun.
Sita is absent because she is ill.
Sita = Noun
She = Pronoun
Common Mistakes with Pronouns
Wrong: Me am a student.
Correct: I am a student.
Wrong: Him is my brother.
Correct: He is my brother.
Wrong: Her is my friend.
Correct: She is my friend.
Wrong: This books are mine.
Correct: These books are mine.
Wrong: That books are new.
Correct: Those books are new.
Pronoun – Quick Revision
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Personal | I, we, you, he, she, it, they |
| Possessive | mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs |
| Reflexive | myself, yourself, himself, herself |
| Demonstrative | this, that, these, those |
| Interrogative | who, whom, whose, which, what |
| Relative | who, whom, whose, which, that |
| Indefinite | someone, everyone, nobody, something |
| Distributive | each, either, neither |
| Reciprocal | each other, one another |
| Intensive | myself, yourself, himself, herself |
Conclusion
A pronoun is an important part of English Grammar. It is mainly used in place of a noun. Pronouns help us avoid unnecessary repetition and make our sentences shorter, clearer and easier to understand.
A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.
Example:
Riya is a teacher. She teaches English.
Here, she is a pronoun used instead of Riya.
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