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Pronouns
What Are Pronouns in English Grammar?
Pronouns are words that replace nouns. I, you, he, she, it, we, and they are all examples of common pronouns. In the example sentences below, the pronouns are highlighted, and the nouns they replace are in bold.- Sarah is my sister. She is also my best friend.
- If Martians exist, they are not "little green men" but tiny microbes.
- Snow is precipitation in the form of ice crystals. It originates in clouds when temperatures are below the freezing point.
Table of Contents
- Easy Examples of Pronouns
- Why Do We Need Pronouns?
- The Antecedent of a Pronoun
- Different Types of Pronoun
- (1) Personal Pronouns
- (2) Possessive Pronouns
- (3) Relative Pronouns
- (4) Demonstrative Pronouns
- (5) Emphatic Pronouns
- (6) Reflexive Pronouns
- (7) Indefinite Pronouns
- (8) Interrogative Pronouns
- (9) Reciprocal Pronouns
- Video Lesson
- Printable Test

Easy Examples of Pronouns
In these examples, the nouns being replaced are in bold, and the pronouns are shaded:- Jack met Jill in Boston. He first saw her in a Chinese restaurant. (In this example, the pronoun "he" replaces the noun "Jack," and the pronoun "her" replaces the noun "Jill.")
- Visitors descend on New York's Central Park. They swarm across it like locusts. (Here, the pronoun "they" replaces the noun "visitors," and the pronoun "it" replaces the noun phrase "New York's Central Park.")
Why Do We Need Pronouns?
Pronouns provide brevity. They prevent us from having to repeat the nouns. Imagine how wearisome a long prose would be if writers had to use the full nouns every time.The Antecedent of a Pronoun
We can't talk about pronouns without mentioning antecedents. The antecedent of a pronoun is the noun, noun phrase, or noun clause being replaced by the pronoun.- Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world. (Actress Marilyn Monroe) (The pronoun "she" replaces the noun phrase "a girl," which is antecedent of "she.")
- Maria loves Saturday. It is the day she gets her pocket money. ("Saturday" is the antecedent of "it." "Maria" is the antecedent of "she.")
- The 8-mile walk passes through meadows and woodland. It takes in many points of interest including the local airfield, which played an important role during World War 2. ("The 8-mile walk" is the antecedent of "it." "The local airfield" is the antecedent of "which." Unlike the others we've encountered so far, "which" isn't a personal pronoun. As you will see, the term "pronoun" covers many words, some of which do not fall easily under the description "words that replace nouns.")
Different Types of Pronoun
For most of us, the pronouns that leap to mind upon hearing "pronoun" are the personal pronouns (e.g., "I," "you," "he," "she," "they"), but these are just one type of pronoun.Pronoun Type | Examples | |
---|---|---|
1 | Personal pronouns | I, you, he, she, it, we, they |
2 | Possessive pronouns | mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs |
3 | Relative pronouns | which, who, that |
4 | Demonstrative pronouns | this, that, these, those |
5 | Emphatic pronouns | myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves |
6 | Reflexive pronouns | myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves |
7 | Indefinite pronouns | none, several, many, some, any, somebody, nobody |
8 | Interrogative pronouns | which, who, what |
9 | Reciprocal pronouns | each other, one another |
(1) Personal Pronouns
- Man is what he believes. (Russian playwright Anton Chekhov) ("He" takes the place of the noun "man.")
- My wife bought some batteries, but they weren't included. (Comedian Steven Wright) ("Some batteries" is the antecedent of the pronoun "they.")
(NB: This quotation plays on the idea that batteries are never included when power-powered items are bought.)
- Get the facts first, then distort them. (American author Mark Twain)
- Conscience is the only incorruptible thing about us. (Henry Fielding) (Often, the antecedent is not mentioned but understood from context. Here, the antecedent of "us" is the unstated "mankind.")
(Point 1) The subjective pronoun "I" can't be the object of a verb or the object of a preposition.
- They found my wife and I under a snowdrift.
- I sent condolences from my wife and I.
- Keep this between you and I.
(Point 2) This is good stuff for learning a foreign language.
Knowing personal-pronoun terminology will help with learning a foreign language. If you're a native English speaker, whether you know it or not, you currently select a personal pronoun having first determined its:- Number. Is the personal pronoun representing something singular or plural?
- Person. Is the personal pronoun representing something in the first person, i.e, the speaker himself or a group that includes the speaker (I, we), the second person, i.e., the speaker's audience (you), or the third person, i.e., everybody else (he, she, it, they)?
- Gender. Is the personal pronoun representing something male, female or neuter?
- Case. Is the personal pronoun functioning as a subject or an object?
- Don't use a term like "my wife and I" unless it's the subject of a verb.
- Never say "between you and I."
(2) Possessive Pronouns
- I always check if the art across the street is better than mine. (Artist Andy Warhol)
- Humans are the only animals that have children on purpose with the exception of guppies, who like to eat theirs. (Satirist P J O'Rourke)
- Is that the Queen's hat? No, it's her crown. ("Her" replaces "the Queen." That's why it's classified as a pronoun.)
Don't put an apostrophe in "yours," "hers," "ours," or "theirs."
By far the most common mistake related to possessive pronouns is including an apostrophe with "yours," "hers," "ours," or "theirs." There are no apostrophes in any possessive pronouns.- There are gods above gods. We have ours, and they have theirs. That's what's known as infinity.
(French poet Jean Cocteau)
- Don't put an apostrophe in "yours," "hers," "ours," or "theirs."
(3) Relative Pronouns
- Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. (President of South Africa Nelson Mandela)
- An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support. (Canadian politician John Buchan)
- The United Nations, whose membership comprises almost all the states in the world, is founded on the principle of the equal worth of every human being. (UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan)
- The man Dickens, whom the world at large thought it knew, stood for all the Victorian virtues even as his novels exposed the greed and cruelty of the Victorian age. (Author Robert Gottlieb)
(Question 1) Do you put a comma before "which" or "who"?
The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no. This applies to all relative pronouns, not just "which" and "who." (Actually, it doesn't apply to "that," but we'll cover "that" later.) Look at these two examples using "who":- The man who won last week's lottery gave all his money to a donkey sanctuary.
- My neighbour, who won last week's lottery, gave all his money to a donkey sanctuary.
- My neighbour who won last week's lottery gave all his money to a donkey sanctuary.
- The dog which bit the postman has returned.
(but Americans would dislike it)
- The dog that bit the postman has returned.
(for everybody)
So, "which" can head a restrictive adjective clause (without commas) or a non-restrictive one (with commas), but, if you're in the US, use "that" for the former.
- My dog gives a trust which / that is total.
- My dog gives total trust, which /
thatis very endearing.
(Only "which" works with a non-restrictive adjective clause.)
- How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?
(Charles De Gaulle)
(This translation of De Gaulle's quotation is fine, but for many "that" would've read better.)
- War should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose toils and treasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruits.
(US President Madison)
(The first adjective clause is non-restrictive (just "additional information" about the people). The second is restrictive (specifies the government). Get it?)
(Question 2) Can you use "whose" for inanimate things?
Yes. "Who" is used for people. "Which" is used for things. "Whose" is used for people and things.- Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.
(Author Erma Bombeck)
("Whose" has been used with a person. That's normal.)
- An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.
(French poet Victor Hugo)
("Whose" has been used with something inanimate ("idea"). That's acceptable.)
(Question 3) When do you use "whom"?
Here's the rule: Use "who" when it's the subject of verb (the verb is shown in bold), otherwise use "whom."- Never lend your car to anyone who calls you mum.
- Never lend your car to anyone whom you have given birth to.
(Author Erma Bombeck)
("Whom" is not the subject of a verb. "You" is.)
(Question 4) Can you use "that" for people?
"That," like "whose," can be used for people or things.- The dog that bit the postman.
- The postman that bit the dog.
(but not popular)
(Question 5) What's the difference between "whose" and "who's"?
"Who's" is a contraction. It is short for "who is" or "who has." If you can't expand your "who's" to one of those, then use "whose."- A weed is a plant who's virtues have never been discovered.
(should be "whose")
- If you'd happily put your adjective clause in brackets, then it doesn't specify its noun. Offset it with commas.
(4) Demonstrative Pronouns
- Those are my principles, and if you don't like them...well, I have others. (Groucho Marx)
- Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That is how rich I want to be. (Comedian Rita Rudner)
- My court case isn't a trial. This is a lynching. (Pathologist Jack Kevorkian)
- Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. (Playwright George Bernard Shaw) (The whole previous sentence, i.e., the idea, is the antecedent of That.)
- Liberty means responsibility. That is what most men dread.
(ambiguous)
(Is the antecedent of "that" the whole idea as before? It's now less clear because the antecedent could be "liberty" or "responsibility.")
- The next intake of recruits will receive four presentations on the new procedures. These are scheduled to start in mid-August.
(ambiguous)
(The antecedent of "these" is ambiguous. It could be "the recruits," "the presentations," or "the procedures.")
If you find yourself starting a sentence this way, ask yourself a question like "What means?," "What explains?," or "What is why?." If the answer doesn't leap out at you, you should consider a rewrite or a demonstrative determiner and a noun to spell it out more clearly.
- The next intake of recruits will receive four presentations on the new procedures. These presentations are scheduled to start in mid-August.
(clearer)
(Using "These presentations" (a demonstrative determiner and a noun) makes it clear what "These" refers to.)
- If your sentence starts with something like "This is…," make sure it's clear what "This" refers to.
(5) Emphatic Pronouns
- The Queen herself attended the party. ("The Queen" is the noun being emphasized. "The Queen" is the antecedent of "herself.")
- Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself. ("Weiler's Law")
- Learn from others' mistakes. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself. (Anon)
An emphatic pronoun just provides emphasis, but that's a pretty important job. It's often the reason the sentence exists.
- She will attend the reception drinks herself.
- Emphatic pronouns emphasize. That itself is a good reason to learn about them.
(6) Reflexive Pronouns
- Alison does not trust herself.
- I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation. (Playwright George Bernard Shaw)
- If the world blew itself up, the last voice would an expert's saying it's impossible. (Actor Peter Ustinov)
- He did it to myself.
- I did it to myself.
- He did it to himself.
- He insulted the doctor and myself.
- Please pass any comments to the director or myself.
- He insulted me and the doctor.
- Please pass any comments to me or the director. (Note how "me" now comes first. If it didn't, these sentences would sound awkward, and that also contributes to writers going for "myself.")
Oh, and don't write "hisself"...ever. It's "himself."
- "Myself" and "yourself" are not posh versions of "me" and "you." (Only "I" can touch "myself.")
(7) Indefinite Pronouns
- A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read. (Writer Mark Twain)
- I don't know anything about music. In my line, you don't have to. (Singer Elvis Presley)
- Some people have so much respect for their superiors they have none left for themselves. (Playwright George Bernard Shaw)
- Each one of us alone is worth nothing. (Revolutionary Che Guevara) (Indefinite determiners can even modify indefinite pronouns.)
More about Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural. Here's a list:- Always Singular. another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, enough, everybody, everyone, everything, less, little, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, and something.
- Always Plural. both, few, fewer, many, others, and several.
- Singular or Plural. all, any, more, most, none, some, and such.
(Issue 1) "None" can be singular or plural.
Your retiring English teacher might tell you that "none" is always singular, but that's outdated. "None" can be singular or plural.- None of the students is expected to get an A.
- None of the students are expected to get As or Bs.
There's another factor. If you find yourself treating "none" as singular with a singular "they" or "their" (see Issue 4), go plural throughout.
- None of the students has done their homework.
(untidy)
("None" is singular (hence "has"). Using "their" is acceptable, but it's untidy.)
- None of the students have done their homework.
(tidy)
("None" is plural (hence "have"). Using "their" is natural. This is tidy.)
(Issue 2) "Either" and "neither" are singular.
Even though the pronouns "either" and "neither" naturally refer to two things, treat them as singular.- Either of the brothers are welcome to attend.
- Men's anger about religion is like two men quarrelling over a lady neither of them care for.
(1st Earl of Halifax Edward Wood)
("Neither" is singular. It should be "neither of them cares for.")
(Issue 3) Some indefinite pronouns (e.g., "all," "some") can be singular or plural.
The indefinite pronouns "all," "any," "more," "most," and "some" are singular when they refer to something singular but plural when they refer to something plural.- More of them were needed.
- More of it was needed.
- Most of the crowd is leaving.
- Most of the crowd are waving their national flags.
(Issue 4) Words like "someone" and "anyone" (i.e., singular indefinite pronouns that represent people) are gender neutral, but it's not always easy to keep that neutrality.
The singular indefinite pronouns that represent people (e.g., "anyone," "each," "everyone," "no one," "nobody," "someone") are gender neutral. However, many other singular pronouns used for people (e.g., "his," "her," "he," "she") aren't gender neutral. We have the gender neutral "it" and "its," but they're not used for people. It's a gap in English grammar, and it can cause problems.- No one knows what he can do till he tries. (Latin writer Publilius Syrus) (Why he? This also applies to women.)
- From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. (Revolutionary Karl Marx) (Why his?)
(Option 1) Reword and go "all plural."
- People don't know what they can do till they try.

- From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs.
(acceptable)
- "None" can be singular or plural. Follow your instincts.
- "Either" and "neither" are singular. Don't follow your instincts.
(8) Interrogative Pronouns
- Which is worse, failing or never trying?
- What is originality? Undetected plagiarism. (Dean of St Paul's Cathedral William Inge)
- Whatever did you say?
- Whomsoever did you find?
Interrogative pronouns can also be used to create indirect questions (underlined).
- Do you know what this is? (The interrogative pronoun "what" heads an indirect question in a question.)
- I want to know what this is. (Here, "what" heads an indirect question in a statement.)
- Which feat is the greater? (This is not an interrogative pronoun. It's an interrogative determiner. The word "Which" modifies "feat." Therefore, it's a determiner.)
- When will the game start?
- Why is common sense seldom common practice? (Eliyahu Goldratt)
- How much coke have you got?
- How many skittles have you eaten?
- Who are you and how did you get in here?
- I'm a locksmith. And...I'm a locksmith. (from the TV series "Police Squad!") (The answer to the interrogative pronoun "who" is the noun phrase "a locksmith." The answer to the interrogative adverb "how" is the, albeit unstated, adverbial phrase "by virtue of being a locksmith." The answer to a question starting with an interrogative pronoun will be a noun, typically a person, place, or thing. The answer to an interrogative adverb will be an adverb, typically words that specify a time, place, reason, or manner.)
(Reason 1) Punctuating sentences correctly.
Only questions get question marks. It sounds obvious, but it's not uncommon for writers to use a question mark at the end of a non-question featuring an indirect question (underlined).- Please tell me who told you?
- Can you tell me who told you?
(Reason 2) Creating rhetorical questions.
Interrogatives can be used to ask a rhetorical question (a question for which no answer is expected). Posing a rhetorical question is an efficient and engaging way of making a point or introducing a new idea.- What is a weed? A weed is a plant whose virtues have never been discovered. (American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson)
- Do Europe's royal families pay their way?
- A sentence featuring an indirect question might not be a question, so careful with those question marks.
- Is a question a good way to introduce a topic?
(9) Reciprocal Pronouns
- When two people are like each other, they tend to like each other. (Author Tony Robbins)
- Gentlemen don't read each other's mail. (US Secretary of War Henry Stimson)
- Laws, like houses, lean on one another. (Statesman Edmund Burke)
(Question 1) Do you write "each others'" or "each other's?"
Write "each other's" and "one another's." (In other words, put the apostrophe before the "s" when you need the possessive form.)- We drink one another's healths and spoil our own. (Author Jerome K Jerome)
(Question 2) What's the difference between "each other" and "one another"?
When the antecedent of a reciprocal pronoun is two things, use "each other." When it's more than two things, use "one another."- My dog and cat love each other.
- My dog, cat, and emu love one another.
- I think a couple should complete one another, not compete with one another.
(Singer Marie Osmond)
- Friends are kind to one another's dreams.
(for lots of friends)
- Friends are kind to each other's dreams.
(for two friends)
- Old and young disbelieve one another's truths.
(Aphorist Mason Cooley)
("Each other" could be justified if you think of two discrete groups and not lots of individuals.)
- Write each other's and one another's (not each others' and one anothers').
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