PARTS OF SPEECH: PRONOUNS

Learning the Nine Types of Pronouns

Understanding and using pronouns correctly can be a challenge because of their many categories, functions, and confusing names, but success is possible, so read on! A pronoun is a word such as we, them, or anyone that replaces a noun or another pronoun. Pronouns must match the number and gen er of the noun they stand for and be in a !ase (form) that matches its function. Pronouns have the same functions as nouns: hey may act as sub"e!ts and sub"e!t !omp#ements, ire!t ob"e!ts, in ire!t ob"e!ts, and ob"e!ts of prepositions. he noun that a pronoun refers to is called the ante!e ent of the pronoun. !n the sentence "#eorge wrote the essay in class and typed it later$ the noun essay is the antecedent of the pronoun it. !f you cannot point to the antecedent of a pronoun in your writing, you need to change the wording so that your meaning will be clear to the reader. %or more on antecedents as well as number and case agreement, gender bias, and other specific pronoun issues, see other resources. &ere is an e'planation of the nine types of pronouns: A$ PERSONAL PRONOUNS: Persona# pronouns refer to spe!ifi! persons% p#a!es% or things$ &$ Sub"e!ti'e Case: A personal pronoun should be in the sub(ective case (form) if the pronoun functions as a subject or subject complement. A sub(ect pronoun usually comes before the verb) a sub(ect complement pronoun follows a lin*ing verb. Singular %irst person: I +econd person: you hird person: he/she/it Plural we you they Examples: We are successful. (+ub(ect) They li*e pi,,a. (+ub(ect) he winners were -im and I. (+ub(ect complement)

($ Ob"e!ti'e !ase: !f a pronoun stands for any other noun than a sub(ect or sub(ect complement, use the ob(ective case. .b(ect pronouns can be direct ob(ects (/.), indirect ob(ects (!.), or ob(ects of prepositions (.P). 0otice that you and it are in both lists. %irst person: +econd person: hird person: Singular me you him/her/it Plural us you them Examples: he secretary notified us today. (/.) 1y aunt wrote me a letter. (!.) %or her, ! would do anything. (.P)

)$ POSSESS*+E PRONOUNS: Possessi'e pronouns a!t as a "e!ti'es that sho, o,nership$ &$ These possessi'e pronouns a!t as adjectives showing ownership: Singular my your his/her/its Plural our your their Examples: My friend found his dog. Their cat sharpened its claws.

%irst person: +econd person: hird person:

0ote: /o not confuse the pronoun its with the contraction it s, which means it is. ($ These possessi'e pronouns stan for an adjective possessive pronoun plus a noun: 2'ample: hat bac*pac* is mine. ("mine$ 3 "my bac*pac*$) %irst person: +econd person: Singular mine yours Plural ours yours Example: he decision is yours to ma*e. (yours 3 "your decision$)

hird person:

his/hers

theirs

C$ *N-EF*N*TE PRONOUNS: *n efinite pronouns are noun substitutes that are not spe!ifi! . efinite/ in meaning$ &$ *n efinite pronouns fa## into t,o !ategories: 4ist 5. Pronouns that refer to a non6specific noun: anybody, anyone, anything, everybody, everyone, everything, nobody, none, no one, nothing, somebody, someone, something 2'ample: !othing gets accomplished without some effort. 4ist 7. Pronouns that refer to a specific noun whose meaning is clear only because of a previous mention or because of words that follow the indefinite pronoun: all, another, any, both, each, either, few, many, neither, one, some, several. 2'amples: Se"eral are planning to fly to 0ew 8or*. ( he identity of the group that is flying to 0ew 8or* would have already been mentioned.) /o you want some of these boo*s9 (#oo$s ma*es clear the meaning of some.) 0ote: he indefinite pronouns in 4ist 7 function simply as ad(ectives when they are are directly followed by nouns. 2'amples: Se"eral students received awards. 1y mother ba*ed some pies for the picnic. ($ *n efinite pronouns may be singu#ar or p#ura#$ he verbs (underlined) must match in number. another anybody anyone anything each either everybody everyone everything both few many several neither nobody no one nothing one somebody something someone 2'amples: here are four groups of students, and each has its own assignment. Something une'pected is happening.

Singular

Plural

2'amples: #oth of the documents were signed. Many in the audience agree with the spea*er.

0ote: :hen these indefinite pronouns are followed by a prepositional phrase, the pronoun should agree in number with the noun that is the ob(ect of the preposition. Singular or Plural %depending on the noun it stands for( all any either none some more most 2'amples: Some of the p#anning is finished. Some of the app#es are ripe. ;emember that the verb must agree in number with the bolded ante!e ent. &Planning' ta*es a singular verb and "apples$ ta*es a plural verb.

-$ RELAT*+E PRONOUNS: A re#ati'e pronoun !onne!ts .re#ates/ an a "e!ti'e !#ause or a noun !#ause to the rest of the senten!e$ &$ Re#ati'e pronouns that intro u!e a "e!ti'e !#auses: :hen a relative pronoun introduces an ad(ective clause, the pronoun refers to a noun already mentioned in the main clause of the sentence. who whose whom which that

2'amples (Ad(ective clauses are underlined): he mystery novel that she recently completed will be published ne't year. (That refers bac* to no"el and acts as a direct ob(ect in the ad(ective clause.) &ealing is more rapid for patients who have a positive attitude. (Who refers bac* to patients and acts as the sub(ect of the ad(ective clause.) ($ Re#ati'e pronouns that intro u!e noun !#auses: who whoever whom whomever what whatever which whichever whose that

and

:ithin a sentence, a noun clause may function as a sub(ect, complement, appositive, or ob(ect of a verb or preposition. he relative pronoun acts as a sub(ect or ob(ect within the noun clause, though the normal word order may be changed. 0ote: Who and whoe"er are used as sub(ect pronouns, whom and whome"er are used as ob(ect pronouns. (0oun clauses are underlined.) 2'amples: Whoe"er uses the *itchen should wash the dishes. ( he noun clause is the sub(ect of the sentence. Whoe"er is the sub(ect of the noun clause.) he criminal got what he deserved. ( he noun clause is the direct ob(ect of the verb got. :ithin the noun clause, what is the direct ob(ect of the verb deserved, even though it comes before the verb.)

E$ *NTERRO0AT*+E PRONOUNS: An interrogati'e pronoun intro u!es a 1uestion$ who whoever whom whomever what whatever which whichever whose

0otice the similarity of this list to the relative pronoun list. 4i*e relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns can have different grammatical functions. As in all <uestions, the word order may not be normal. 2'amples: Whose boo*s are those9 (ad(ective modifying boo$s) Whom will 1r. =roder select as head of the committee9 (direct ob(ect of the verb will select) !n which of his two poems does the author e'press himself most effectively9 (ob(ect of the preposition in) F$ -E2ONSTRAT*+E PRONOUNS: The four emonstrati'e pronouns point out nouns$ They often a!t as &$/ a "e!ti'es% in i!ating ,hi!h person.s/% p#a!es.s/% or thing.s/ are being referre to or as ($/ noun substitutes ,hen the noun is un erstoo $ this that these those

2'amples: These problems are easy to solve. (ad(ective modifying problems)

/o you li*e this wallpaper9 (ad(ective modifying wallpaper( 8ou li*e these apples, but ! prefer those. (These acts as an ad(ective modifying apples) those acts as a pronoun that stands for the noun apples.) 0$ *NTENS*+E PRONOUNS: *ntensi'e pronouns emphasi3e nouns or other pronouns$ They imme iate#y fo##o, the noun they emphasi3e$ !f an intensive pronoun is omitted, the sentence will still ma*e sense grammatically. Singu#ar: P#ura#: myself ourselves yourself yourselves himself herself themselves itself

2'amples: he ban* president himsel) called to apologi,e for the error. (*imsel) emphasi,es presi+ent.) +he hersel) was not as concerned as others were about the problem. (*ersel) emphasi,es she.) H$ REFLE4*+E PRONOUNS: Ref#e5i'e pronouns rename sub"e!ts of a!tion 'erbs$ They fun!tion as 'arious types of ob"e!ts$ !f the refle'ive pronoun is omitted, the sentence will not ma*e sense. 0ote that the following list is the same as the list of intensive pronouns above. Singu#ar: P#ura#: myself ourselves yourself yourselves himself herself itself themselves

2'amples:

he logger cut himsel) with his a'. (direct ob(ect of the verb cut) -im poured hersel) a cup of coffee. (indirect ob(ect of the verb cut) he old man was tal*ing loudly to himsel). (ob(ect of the preposition to)

*$ REC*PROCAL PRONOUNS: Re!ipro!a# pronouns refer to in i'i ua# parts of a pre!e ing p#ura# noun$ each other one another 2'amples: he children waved goodbye to each other as they parted. he students helped one another study before the test.