Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns. To make our text easier to read and avoid repeating the nouns, we replace them with pronouns.
There are different types of pronouns, and we will discuss them all here, in-depth, with examples. So, you never have to wonder what pronouns are ever again.
Even if you don’t know what pronouns are, trust me, you have used them in your daily life. Honestly, up till now, we have used them more than nine times!
They are words like I, you, me, we, your, etc.
Now, if you wish, go back to the above passages and see if you can identify them!
For Example:
“Sandra lives down the street. Sandra and I met while taking a walk to the community park. Sandra and I clicked immediately. Sandra is my kindred spirit.
Sandra loves pets, and Sandra gets along with my labrador, Ms. Sparkles.”
In the passage above, we have used the noun “Sandra” repeatedly, which makes the text very cluttered and hard to read.
However, replacing the repetitive noun with pronouns will make our text more legible.
“Sandra lives down the street. We met while taking a walk to the community park. We clicked immediately.
She is my kindred spirit. She loves pets, and Sandra gets along very well with my labrador, Ms. Sparkles.”
With the example above, you see the importance of pronouns and how vital it is to use them in our text to be more comprehendible.
Pronouns do a lot more for your text than you can imagine; they not only transform your phrases into sentences, they make your paragraphs more comprehensible and varied. Although we know a lot about pronouns subliminally, learning more about how to use pronouns and their different types can help you become a better writer.
There are different types of pronouns. They are used to replace not only proper nouns but common nouns too. And to use pronouns appropriately, you need to be familiar with different rules and conventions.
There are 10 types of pronouns:
Pronouns referring to specific individuals or groups are called personal pronouns. Think of them as stunt doubles of grammar! They stand in place of people and animals that star in our sentences. They let us speak and write economically, without having to repeat proper nouns again and again.
Personal pronouns are further divided into three categories:
It is always used to refer to the speaker. They include:
Second person pronouns refer to the person being talked to.
These include just one pronoun, i.e., “You.”
Third-person pronouns refer to the person being spoken of.
These pronouns include:
Antecedents
If personal pronouns are stunt doubles, then antecedents are the main actor, i.e., noun. Pronouns are so versatile; take the example of “it,” we can use it as a pronoun for trees, cities, animals, and vehicles.
Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the noun first and then use the pronoun. You don’t have to introduce nouns when using 1st person pronouns.
However, to add a dramatic or poetic touch to your writing, you can introduce the antecedent at the end of the text.
Are you confused by using the same singular and plural second-person pronouns?
One big problem in the English language is using the same word “you” for the second person pronoun.
So when we say,
Would you like to come over for lunch?
It is unclear whether you invited one person or an entire dinner party?
In spoken English, we can use words like “you all” (American) or “you lot” (British), but again we can’t write these on a formal platform.
Other languages usually have different second-person pronouns for singular and plural items. But since we have one, it’s better if we add a contact to clarify it to the reader.
To connect independent clauses with relative clauses, we use relative pronouns. These include:
Whom and who are used with people. Whereas, witch, what, that are used with animals or things.
For example:
This is the person who changed my life.
A lot of writers get confused with the use of who and whom. The difference is simple:
We use “who” with the subject of the sentence.
For Example:
Who emailed me this video?
Whereas “whom” is used with a preposition or verb object.
To whom was this email sent?
Pronouns used to refer to a noun or noun phrase introduced in the text are demonstrative pronouns. These are also divided into categories based on their location in time.
These include:
That and those are used to refer to objects far away, whereas this and these are used to refer to objects nearby. However, “this” is singular, whereas “these” is used for plural nouns or noun phrases.
For example:
I received a letter from a stranger in my mail. This is so strange!
If you like walnut brownies, you should try these.
Melinda has a nice collection of dresses; you should try those.
The pronouns that don’t need to be introduced specifically are called indefinite pronouns.
These pronouns include pronouns like:
For example:
Nobody knows what I’ve been through these past couple of years.
It would be more troublesome for some than others.
Reflexive pronouns are the ones that end with -self or -selves. These are used only when the subject and object of the verb are the same people or thing. A common mistake many people make is using myself instead of me, which is wrong according to the above mentioned rule.
These include:
Example:
This is a family matter; we will take care of it ourselves.
They all went hiking by themselves, without taking a guide with them.
Intensive pronouns might seem like reflexive pronouns, but their usage is different. They are used to emphasize something. It is baffling for some people to identify the difference between these two.
Let’s look at a few examples to see how intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis!!
She transformed her life upside down, herself!
I made these earrings myself!
The golden rule here to identify whether it’s a reflexive pronoun or intensive is remembering one simple fact. If you remove the pronoun and the sentence’s meaning remains the same, then it is most probably an intensive pronoun.
For example:
I built a sandcastle.
Pronouns that are used to indicate possession are called possessive pronouns.
These include:
Examples in sentences:
This is our garage.
That locket is mine.
Is this your book?
His car broke down in the middle of nowhere.
This property belongs to her.
Their materialistic values put me off!!
Interesting fact: If possessive pronouns modify a noun/verb in a sentence, they become possessive adjectives.
For example:
I crashed my car into a ditch.
I like your house.
Also, when you use a possessive pronoun independently, there is no need to mention its antecedent/noun.
For example:
I forgot my jacket at home, so he gave me his.
I didn’t know whose bid would win the auction, and then my friend told me theirs did.
We use interrogative pronouns to ask questions; these include:
Here are a few examples of interrogative pronouns in questions:
Which of these pronouns do you find the most interesting?
Who is your favorite person in the whole wide world?
Whose coat is this?
Reciprocal pronouns are just two in English Language:
Here’s an example of both these pronouns in sentences:
Suzie and Schmidt, the two top market analysts in our teams, are competing with each other for the best market analyst of the year award.
When we refer to people, objects, or animals as individuals, we use distributive pronouns to set them apart from the group. They include:
Following are examples of how to use distributive pronouns in sentences.
If either one has something important to say, they should say it now.
What are Exclamatory Pronouns?
When pronouns express wonder, surprise, or any emotional state, the noun is replaced by an exclamatory pronoun.
what, how, and who are a few examples of exclamation pronouns.
Here are a few examples of exclamation pronouns:
What a beautiful day!
Who could have imagined!
How is this even true!!
Now that we have discussed all the different types of pronouns, here’s a cheat sheet for you to remember all these types of pronouns:
Sr. # | Types of Pronouns | Pronouns in this Category |
| 1. | Personal Pronouns | I/me, they/them, he/him, she/her, it, we/us, you |
| 2. | Relative Pronouns | that, what, which, who, whom |
| 3. | Demonstrative Pronouns | that, this, these, those |
| 4. | Indefinite Pronouns | one, other, some, none, everybody, anybody, no one, nobody, both |
| 5. | Reflexive Pronouns | myself, yourself/yourselves, themself/themselves, herself, himself, oneself, itself, ourselves |
| 6. | Intensive Pronouns | myself, yourself/yourselves, themself/themselves, herself, himself, oneself, itself, ourselves |
| 7. | Possessive Pronouns | my, your, his, her, their, our, its, whose |
| 8. | Interrogative Pronouns | who, what, which, whose |
| 9. | Reciprocal Pronouns | each other, one another |
| 10. | Distributive Pronouns | either, each, neither, any, none |
If the English language is a big complex jigsaw puzzle, pronouns are the most important pieces of this puzzle. So, having complete knowledge of using pronouns correctly is integral to mastering the English language, especially when it comes to writing. But also when you speak in real life to your peers.
If you have trouble learning the basics of English grammar, get in touch with our expert English Tutors at MTS. They can help you learn how to write and speak English better, enabling you to communicate your ideas and thoughts in a better way.
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