A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. Usually the pronoun substitutes for a specific noun, known as its antecedent.

Although most pronouns function as substitutes for nouns, some can function as adjectives modifying nouns. Such pronouns may be called pronoun/adjectives.

Pronouns are classified in the following ways.

Personal pronouns Personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things. They always function as substitutes for nouns.

Possessive pronouns Possessive pronouns indicate ownership.

Some of these possessive pronouns function as adjectives modifying nouns: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.

Intensive and reflexive pronouns Intensive pronouns emphasize a noun or another pronoun (The senator herself met us at the door). Reflexive pronouns name a receiver of an action identical with the doer of the action (Paula cut herself).

Relative pronouns Relative pronouns introduce subordinate clauses functioning as adjectives (The writer who won the award refused to accept it). The relative pronoun, in this case who, also points back to a noun or pronoun that the clause modifies (writer). (See 48e.)

The pronouns whichever, whoever, whomever, what, and whatever are sometimes considered relative pronouns, but they introduce noun clauses and do not point back to a noun or pronoun. (See “Noun clauses” in 48e.)

Interrogative pronouns Interrogative pronouns introduce questions (Who is expected to win the election?).

Demonstrative pronouns Demonstrative pronouns identify or point to nouns. Frequently they function as adjectives (This chair is my favorite), but they may also function as substitutes for nouns (This is my favorite chair).

Indefinite pronouns Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things. Most are always singular (everyone, each); some are always plural (both, many); a few may be singular or plural (see 21e). Most indefinite pronouns function as substitutes for nouns (Something is burning), but some can also function as adjectives (All campers must check in at the lodge).

Reciprocal pronouns Reciprocal pronouns refer to individual parts of a plural antecedent (By turns, the penguins fed one another).

note: See also pronoun-antecedent agreement (22), pronoun reference (23), distinguishing between pronouns such as I and me (24), and distinguishing between who and whom (25).