PRONOUN, DEFINITION & TYPES

Pronoun is used in place of a specific noun mentioned earlier in a sentence so that you don’t have to keep saying/writing that particular noun.

Example:

Michael is a good boy. He gets up early in the morning. (Here, you don’t have to mention ‘Michael’ again)

The coach selected several key points. He wanted the team to memorize them. (‘He’ replaces ‘the coach’; ‘them’ replaces ‘several key points’)

The word or phrase that a pronoun replaces is called the antecedent of the pronoun. In the previous example, original noun ‘the coach’ is the antecedent and the pronoun ‘he’ is the referent because it refers back to the original noun. The antecedent and the pronoun/s must agree in terms of number and gender.

EXAMPLES OF PRONOUN AS A PART OF SPEECH

Definition of Pronoun:

“Pronoun means for – a noun.” “A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun-equivalent.”

A pronoun is a simpler common name for a noun.

EXAMPLE OF PRONOUN AS A PART OF SPEECH:

She loved her children.

But she could not love her husband.

People of the city were afraid of her.

They prayed for the well-being of their king.

But they did not do the same for their queen.

The queen was not loved and she knew it.

It did not hurt her a lot.

He made him the most powerful man in the seven kingdoms.

People loved him so much.

He also loved them and cared about them.

It made him very popular.

They got their meals. What about ours?  

Can I borrow your pen? I lost mine.

Why are you using my phone? Where is yours?

I don’t need your help where I can do it myself.

I cut myself when I was shaving.

She blames herself for that incident.

Don’t hurt yourself by playing carelessly.

SUBJECT PRONOUNS:

Subject pronouns work as the subject of the verb in a sentence. A subject pronoun normally replaces the subject/object (a noun) of the previous sentence.

Example:

Mike can’t attend the party. He has gone to his grandparents.

Marta is a good storyteller. She told a ghost story that scared everyone.

Julie made some cakes. They look tasty. (Here, the subject pronoun replaced the object of the previous sentence)

SUBJECT PRONOUN:

A subject pronoun works as the subject of the sentence is called a subject pronoun.  

EXAMPLES OF SUBJECT PRONOUN:

Robert was an unwise king.

He was the king of seven kingdoms.

But he could not trust the people around him.

He knew that his wife despised him.

His wife, Corny, could not love him.

She loved her children.

But she could not love her husband.

People of the city were afraid of her.

They prayed for the well-being of their king.

But they did not do the same for their queen.

The queen was not loved and she knew it.

It did not hurt her a lot.

Her children loved her.

She also loved them with all her heart.

It gave her a lot of purposes to thrive forward.

It is the only thing that matters to her now.  

We loved the role she played.

OBJECT PRONOUNS:

Object pronouns work as the object or indirect object in a sentence replacing the antecedent object. This form of the pronoun is also used after prepositions.

Example:

I’ll give you a present on your birthday. I have a great idea for you. (after preposition)

Tell her that you’ll take the job.

I have a gift for your boss. Give it to your boss. (Here, ‘it’ works as an object)

DEFINITION OF OBJECT PRONOUN:

A pronoun which works as the object of the sentence is called an object pronoun. This form of pronouns come after a preposition also.

EXAMPLES OF OBJECT PRONOUN:

Robert had a close friend Ned.

Robert trusted him with his life.

But he did not trust the people around him.

He made him the most powerful man in the seven kingdoms.

People loved him so much.

He also loved them and cared about them.

It made him very popular.

The queen could not stand it.

She began to despise him.

She was jealous of him.

But he always respected her and treated her with honor.

The king and Ned could not understand her.  

She started plotting against them.

It reminds us that being naïve is not good always.

It also teaches us about human nature.

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS:

Possessive pronouns replace the nouns of the possessive adjectives: my, our, your, her, his, their. The possessive pronouns are mine, ours, yours, hers, his, its, theirs. The pronoun ‘who’ also has a possessive form, whose.

Example:

I thought my bag was lost, but the one Kesrick found was mine. (Here, ‘mine’ refers to ‘my bag’)

Their vacation will start next week. Ours is tomorrow. (Here, ‘ours’ refers to ‘our vacation’)

Those four suitcases are ours.

Is this yours?

You have to take either her car or theirs. Hers is better than theirs. (Here, ‘her’ is possessive adjective and ‘hers’ and ‘theirs’ are possessive pronouns which replaced ‘her car’ and ‘their car’)

DEFINITION OF POSSESSIVE PRONOUN:

A possessive pronoun replaces a possessive adjective. The possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, their, our, and its. The possessive pronouns are mine, his, hers, yours, hers, theirs, ours, and its.

EXAMPLE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS:

The green balls are mine.

The yellow balls are yours.

The orange balls are hers.

The while balls are his.

The red bat is theirs.

The blue bat is ours.

Is this your book? That one is mine.

Here is my book. Where’s yours?

I left my bag here and he left his.

We got our fruits. What about theirs?

They got their meals. What about ours?  

Can I borrow your pen? I lost mine.

Why are you using my phone? Where is yours?

I can’t find my bag. Can I take hers?

REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS:

Reflexive pronoun redirects a sentence or a clause back to the subject, which is also the direct object of that sentence. A reflexive pronoun comes when the subject performs its action upon itself. Here, ‘itself’ is a reflexive pronoun.

Example:

Since she is her own boss, she gave herself a raise. (Here, ‘herself’ is the direct object of the clause and the same person is the subject)

She allowed herself more time to get ready.

The computer restarts itself every night.

We told ourselves that we were so lucky to be alive.

EXAMPLES OF REFLEXIVE PRONOUN

Definition of Reflexive Pronoun:

A reflexive pronoun comes when the subject and object refer to the same person or thing.

Example:

I don’t need your help while I can do it myself.

I cut myself when I was shaving.

She blames herself for that incident.

Don’t hurt yourself by playing carelessly.

We have enjoyed ourselves.

You boys should make it yourselves.

Don’t blame yourself for this.

I love myself more than I love anyone else.

He spoke to himself in front of the mirror.

The refrigerator defrosts itself.

She is ashamed of herself for her deeds.

She loves to travel herself.

Sometimes I consult things with myself.

We can build a good combination ourselves.

They are doing it themselves.

INTENSIVE PRONOUNS:

Intensive pronouns add emphasis/importance but do not act as the object in the sentence. They can appear right after the subject.

Example:

I will do it myself. (Here, ‘myself’ is not an object)

I myself saw the missing boat into the harbor.

We intend to do all the work ourselves.

You yourselves are responsible for this mess.

RELATIVE PRONOUNS:

Relative pronouns introduce the relative clause. They are used to make clear what is being talked about in a sentence. They describe something more about the subject or the object.

The relative pronouns are:

Subject	Object	Possession	Uncertainty
Which	Which	Whose	Whichever ---- (for things)
That	That		---- (for both things and people)
Who	Whom	Whose	Whoever/whomever/whosever ---- (for person)

Example:

The car that was stolen was the one they loved most.

A person who loves nature is a good person.

Our school, which was founded in 1995, is being renovated.

I will accept whichever party dress you buy me on Valentine's Day.

Whoever you are behind this great initiative, I want to thank you.

Definition of Relative Pronouns:

A relative pronoun works as a connector between two clauses. It introduces a relative clause. Relative pronouns are that, which, who, whom, whose.

Example of Relative Pronouns: 

Robert is a king who rules the seven kingdoms.

The seven kingdoms which are ruled by different houses answers to him.

Robert only trusts Ned who is a friend of him.

Ned is the governor of the kingdom which is vast.

They have a slogan that is “winter is coming”.

Don’t make comments that are not appropriate in this situation.

I don’t know whose car is this.

I know whom you are dating.

I heard stories that were not good at all.

Give me the book which is on the table.

The person whom you met yesterday is a doctor.

I bought a cricket bat which belonged to Bradman.

The questions that have been asked cannot be answered.

I don’t know whose bat it was.

We made a deal which is satisfactory.

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS:

Demonstrative pronouns normally indicate the closeness of or distance from the speaker, either literally or symbolically.  This, these, that, and those are the demonstrative pronouns. They also work as demonstrative adjectives when they modify a noun. However, demonstrative pronouns do not modify anything rather replace the nouns/noun phrases.

Sometimes neither, none and such are also used as demonstrative pronouns.

Example:

That is a long way to go. (demonstrative pronoun)

This is my car. (demonstrative pronoun)

Hand me that cricket bat. (demonstrative adjective)

Neither is permitted to enter the building.

Such are ways of life.

Interrogative Pronouns:

Interrogative pronouns produce questions. They are what, which, who, whom, and whose.

Who, whom, and whose refer to questions related to a person or animal; what refers to an idea, object, or event; and which can indicate either a person/s or a thing/s.

Example:

What was the name of your dog?

Which is your favorite movie?

Who works for you?

Whom do you prefer in this competition?

There’s a new bike on the lawn. Whose is it?