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Parts of speech: Pronouns

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

Example sentence: When the battery wears down, we recharge it. Explanation: The pronoun it refers to battery, its antecedent.

Although most pronouns function as substitutes for nouns, some can function as adjectives modifying nouns. Because they have the form of a pronoun and the function of an adjective, such pronouns may be called pronoun/adjectives.

Example sentence: This bird was at the same window yesterday morning. Explanation: The pronoun/adjective is This (This bird).

Most of the pronouns in English are listed in this section.

Personal pronouns

Singular: I, me, you, she, her, he, him, it

Plural: we, us, you, they, them

Personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things. They always function as noun equivalents.

Possessive pronouns

Singular: my, mine, your, yours, her, hers, his, its

Plural: our, ours, your, yours, their, theirs

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

Singular: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself

Plural: ourselves, yourselves, themselves

Intensive pronouns emphasize a noun or another pronoun:

Example sentence: The senator herself met us at the door. Explanation: Herself is an intensive pronoun. It emphasizes the noun senator.

Reflexive pronouns name a receiver of an action identical with the doer of the action:

Example sentence: Paula cut herself. Explanation: Herself is a reflexive pronoun. It is the receiver of the action and refers back to the doer of the action, Paula.

Relative pronouns

who, whom, whose, which, that

Relative pronouns introduce subordinate clauses functioning as adjectives:

Example sentence: The man who helped us was never identified. Explanation: The clause who helped us is a subordinate clause.

In addition to introducing the clause, the relative pronoun, in this case who, points back to a noun or pronoun that the clause modifies (man).

Interrogative pronouns

who, whom, whose, which, what

Interrogative pronouns introduce questions:

Example sentence: Who is expected to win the election? Explanation: Who is an interrogative pronoun.

Demonstrative pronouns

this, that, these, those

Demonstrative pronouns identify or point to nouns. Frequently they function as adjectives:

Example sentence: This chair is my favorite. Explanation: The demonstrative pronoun This is used as an adjective modifying chair.

But they may also function as noun equivalents:

Example sentence: This is my favorite chair. Explanation: The demonstrative pronoun This is used as a noun equivalent, the subject of the sentence.

Indefinite pronouns

all	everybody	nothing
another	everyone	one
any	everything	several
anybody	few	some
anyone	many	somebody
anything	neither	someone
both	nobody	something
each	none
either	no one

Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things. Most are singular (everyone, each); some are plural (both, many); a few may be singular or plural. Most indefinite pronouns function as noun equivalents:

Example sentence: Something is burning. Explanation: Something is an indefinite pronoun.

But some can also function as adjectives:

Example sentence: All campers must check in at the lodge. Explanation: All is an indefinite pronoun. It is used as an adjective modifying campers.

Subject-verb agreement

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Reciprocal pronouns

each other, one another

Reciprocal pronouns refer to individual parts of a plural antecedent:

Example sentence: By turns, we helped each other through college. Explanation: The reciprocal pronoun each other refers to its antecedent, we.

Exercises:

Parts of speech: pronouns 1

Parts of speech: pronouns 2

All parts of speech 1

All parts of speech 2