Understanding Pronouns

Author/Creation: Karalyn Jones, January 2010.

Summary: Describes the nine categories of pronouns.
Learning Objectives: To describe the function of each of the nine categories of pronouns.

PronounsareoneofthebasicpartsofspeechinEnglishtheyrefertoorstandinforanoun.Thebasicrulefor
usingpronounseffectivelyistomakesureyouveclearlyidentifiedthenoun,calledtheantecedent,thatthe
pronounisstandinginfor.

Therearemanyrulesforusingpronounsbecausetherearecountlessnounstheycanstandforandmanyways
theycanbeusedinasentence.Knowingtheninecategoriesofpronouns,whichiswhatyoullfindinthis
handout,willgiveyouanexcellentstartonunderstandingthoserules.Whatfollowsisabasicexplanationofeach
oftheninecategories:personal,possessive,reflexive,intensive,relative,interrogative,demonstrative,indefinite,
andreciprocal.

Notethatapronouncanbeincludedinmorethanonecategory.Pronounsarecategorizedaccordingtotheir
function,andsomecanfunctioninmultipleways.

Personal Pronouns
Personalpronounsarepronounsthatrefertopeopleorthings.Thesepronounscanbefurthercategorizedinto
singularorplural;first,second,orthirdperson;andsubjectiveorobjectivecase(i.e.functioningasthesubjector
anobjectinasentence,respectively).Thereisathirdcase,possessive,thatwewillhandleseparatelybelow.

Person
Singular
Plural
Case
FirstPerson
I
we
Subjective
me
us
Objective
SecondPerson
you
you
Subjective
you
you
Objective
ThirdPerson
he,she,it
they
Subjective
him,her,it
them
Objective
Note.FromThingsYourGrammarNeverToldYou,byM.Schartonand
J.Neuleib,2001,NewYork:Longman.Copyright2001byPearsonEducation.

Note
Thefirstpersonindicatesthepersonspeakingorwriting.
Thesecondpersonindicatesthepersonbeingspokenorwrittento.
Thethirdpersonindicatestheperson,people,thingorthingsbeingspokenorwrittenabout(Person,2000).

Examples:
Iamnotgoingtotheparty.[Firstperson,singular,subjective]
Thefightendswithme.[Firstperson,singular,objective]

Wecouldntdiscovertherootoftheissue.[Firstperson,plural,subjective]
Couldyouprovideuswithsomeprivacy?[Firstperson,plural,objective]

Youmakemesmile.[Secondperson,singular,subjective]
IsJimmytakingyou?[Secondperson,singular,objective]

Youmustpasstheexambeforeemploymentcanbeconsidered.[Secondperson,plural,subjective]
Samson,Incisheretohelpyou.[Secondperson,plural,objective]
*Notethatinthesecondperson,youisbothsingularandpluralandusedinboththesubjectiveandobjectivecase.

Shetaughtthemtoidentifypatternsinanunusualway.[Thirdperson,singular,subjective]
Theballwouldhavehithim.[Thirdperson,singular,objective]

Theywereunsureoftheirconclusions.[Thirdperson,plural,subjective]
Shetaughtthemtoidentifypatternsinanunusualway.[Thirdperson,plural,objective]

Possessive Pronouns
Thethirdpronouncaseispossessive.Possessivepronounsfunctionasadjectivesthatindicateownershipor
relationshipJonesismyfavoriteperson.Theycanbeidentifiedasfirst,second,orthirdpersonandsingularor
pluralaswell.

Note:Donotuseapostropheswithpossessivepronouns.

Singular
Plural
FirstPerson
my,mine
our,ours
SecondPerson
your
your,yours
ThirdPerson
his,hers,its their,theirs

Note:Theformsthatendinstypicallycomeafteraverb.

Examples:
Weareleavingourlivesinthehandsoftherescueteam.[Firstperson,plural]
Theothersopinionsareirrelevant;theonlyonethatmattersisyours.[Secondperson,singular]
Theirconclusionsoversteppedtheboundsoftheirresearch.[Thirdperson,plural]
Icannotfinditscase.[Thirdperson,singular]

Reflexive Pronouns
Assuggestedbytheirtitle,thesenounsreflectthereadersattentionbacktothesubjectofthesentenceSara
completedtheprojectbyherself.Reflexivepronounsareusedintwomainsituations:whenthesubjectand
directobjectarethesamethingandwhenthesubjectandobjectofaprepositionarethesame.

Singular
Plural
FirstPerson
myself
ourselves
SecondPerson
yourself
yourselves
ThirdPerson
himself,
themselves
herself,itself

Note:TheformsHisself,theirselves,andthemselfarenotwordsintheEnglishlanguage.

Examples:
SituationONE:Jamesshothimselfinthefoot.
SituationTWO:Italktomyselfquiterelentlessly.Youaremoreafraidofyourselfthananyoneelse.

Intensive Pronouns
ThesehavethesameformasreflexivepronounsbutareusedtoemphasizethesubjectTheythemselveswere
unsure.Note:Awaytodistinguishbetweenreflexiveandintensivepronounsistoremovethepronounfromthe
sentenceifthesentencestillmakessense,thepronounisintensive.

Examples:
Weourselveswouldhaveneverconsidereditanoption.
IhaveclimbedEverestthreetimesmyself.

Relative Pronouns
Relativepronounsintroducedescribingclauses.Theyarecategorizedintothoseusedforpeople(who,whom,and
whose)andthoseusedforthings(whichandthat).Peoplepronounsareeithersubjectiveorobjectiveandeither
restrictiveornonrestrictive,andthingpronounsareeitherrestrictiveornonrestrictive.

NonRestrictive
Restrictive
Subjective
Objective Possessive

which
That
who/whose
whom
whose

which

Thepronounwhomtendstobeatrickyone.Oneruleofthumbforusingwhomistoaskwhetheritisfollowedby
anotherpronounifthereisapronounornounafterthewhom,whomisprobablythecorrectchoice.(Ex.The
writerwhomhedislikedwaspresenting.)Anotherwaytodetermineifyouneedwhomratherthanwhoisto
determinewhetheritcomesafteraprepositionAsforwhomsheconfidedin,nooneknew.

Note:Nonrestrictivemeansthephrasecanberemovedfromthesentencewithoutchangingthesentences
overallmeaning.Formoreinformation,checkouttheAcademicCenterhandouttitledRelativeClauses.

Examples:
Flagansreport,whichwaspublishedatthesametimeasKains,presentsamarkedlydifferentperspective.[non
restrictivethedescriptionisntneededtoidentifythereportandthedetailisnotthefocusofthesentence]
FlagansreportthatwaspublishedatthesametimeasKainspresentsamarkedlydifferentperspective.
[Restrictiveinthisversion,thephraseisneededtoidentifywhichreportisbeingdiscussed.]
Writingisaprocessthatinvolvesmanysteps.[restrictivethedescriptionisneededtospecifytheessential
natureoftheprocessbeingdiscussed,andthedescriptionisthefocusofthesentence]
Alexconsultedanauthorwhomhemetataconference.[objectivewhomistheobjectfortheverbmetanditis
restrictive.]
Writerswholettheirpurposesupersedetheiraudiencenevermeettheirpurpose.[subjectivewhoisthesubject
oftheclausewholettheirpurposesupersedetheiraudience.Andtheclauseisrestrictive:thediscussionisabout
thoseparticularwriters,theoneswholettheirpurposesupersedetheiraudience.]

Interrogative Pronouns
Thesepronounshavethesameformasrelativepronounsbutareusedtointroduceaquestioninstead.

Examples:
Whichonedoyouwant?
Whoseisthis?
Whomareyoulookingfor?
Whoisit?


Demonstrative Pronouns
Thesefourpronounsthis,that,these,thoseareusedtopointtoaspecificnounornounsandidicateaposition
relativetothespeaker.

Examples:
Arethosetheshoesyouwanted?[Pointstoaspecificpairinaspecificlocationawayfromthespeaker.]
Arethesetheshoesyouwanted?[Pointstoaspecificlocationnearthespeaker.]
Theseideasarewhatledtothefall.[Referstopreviouslyidentifiedideas]

Note:Anakedthisisademonstrativepronounthatdoesntclearlyrefertosomethingdiscussed.Considerthe
following:

Icouldnthavebeenmorewrongabouttheconditionofmypaper.ThisindicatedhowfarIstillneededtocomeas
awriter.

Doesthepronounthisrefertothewritersbeingwrongortotheconditionofthewriterspaper?Theeasiestway
tofixanakedthisistoincludeanounthatspecifieswhatthepronounisreferringto:
ThismisevaluationindicatedhowfarIstillneededtocomeasawriter.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinitepronounsareconsideredindefinitebecausetheydonotreferdirectlytoaclearlyspecifiednoun.While
theyoftensuggestanumberoramount(some,all,everyone,few),themeasureisnotspecific.Thesepronouns
canbetrickybecausesomeofthemcanbebothsingularandplural.

AlwaysSingular
SometimesSingular
Always
SometimesPlural
Plural
another/other
noone/nobody
all
both
anyone/anybody
nothing
any
few
anything
one
more
many
each
somebody/someone most
others
either/neither
something
none
several
everyone/everybody
some

everything

little/much

FromUsingIndefinitePronouns,2006,EnglishPlus+.RetrievedMay13,2008,fromGrammarSlammer!:
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000027.htm

Examples:
Someonehastotakeoutthetrash.(singular)
Neitheroftheparticipantswascomfortable.(singular)
Mostoftheaudiencerespondstothistypeofpersuasion.(plural)
Eachofthestudentsidentifiesafewofhis/herfavoritehobbies.(singular;plural)

Note:Forthepronounsthatcanbebothsingularandplural,theirnumberdependsonthenountheyreferto:
Moreofthestudentsleaveearlythissemester.(plural)
Noneofhiscerealwasfinished.(singular)

Email at tutor@uhv.edu

University West, room 129

(361) 570-4288

Onafinalnotewiththesepronouns,considertheplacement.Ifthepronounisincludedimmediatelybeforea
noun(i.e.Alldogsgotoheaven.),thenthepronounactsasanadjective.Theverbofthesentencemustagree
withthenounthatisitssubject(dogs).

Reciprocal Pronouns
Thesepronounsareactuallyphrasesmadeupofpairsofpronounsoneanotherandeachother.Thesepronouns
indicatearelationshipbetweentheindividualsofthepluralsubjectsuchthattheindividualmembersofthe
subjecttakeeachotherastheirobjects(Perelman,Barrett,&Paradis,2001,para.1).

Examples:
Theathletesdefendedoneanotherbothonandoffthefield.
JaneandBillarefondofeachother.

Practice Exercises

Exercise1
Eachofthesentencesbelowcontainsapronoun.Identifytheperson(first,second,orthird)ofthepronounand
whetherthepronounissingularorpluralandsubjectiveorobjective.

1.Christophercouldntfindit.
2.Leaveittohertofindthediscrepancies.
3.TowhomshouldKylespeakthen?
4.Intheend,theywouldhaverathergonethroughthechaostwiceoverthanloseallthattheyhadgained.

Answers:
1.Christophercouldntfindit.[Third,singular,objective]
2.Leaveittohertofindthediscrepancies.[Third,singular,objective]&[Third,singular,objective]
3.TowhomshouldKylespeakthen?[Singular,objective]Note:persondoesntapplytowhom.
4.Intheend,theywouldhaverathergonethroughthechaostwiceoverthanloseallthattheyhadgained.
[Third,plural,subjective]&[Third,plural,subjective]

Exercise2
Eachofthesentencesbelowcontainsanitalicizednounornounphrase.Identifythepronounthatcould
substituteforthenounornounphraseinthesentence.

1.ThepackageshouldbepostmarkedbyFriday.
2.Thekeystosuccessdependonthesuccessyoureafter.
3.Dr.SeusssSleepBookisKirksfavoritebook.
4.Apitcherofwaterhaspotentialenergy.
5.Dr.Hodges,thedoctoryoumetinDallas,spokeattheLyceumtoday.

Answers:
1.ThepackageshouldbepostmarkedbyFriday.[It,That]
2.Thekeystosuccessdependonthesuccessyoureafter.[They]
3.Dr.SeusssSleepBookisKirksfavoritebook.[his]
4.Apitcherofwaterhaspotentialenergy.[It,That]
5.Dr.Hodges,thedoctoryoumetinDallas,spokeattheLyceumtoday.[whom]

Email at tutor@uhv.edu

University West, room 129

(361) 570-4288

Exercise3
Eachofthesentencesorphrasesbelowcontainsapronoun.Determinewhetherthepronounisusedcorrectly,
andidentifytheappropriatepronounifitisnot.

1.Iwouldhavegladlyleftitallbehind.
2.Thiscouldhaveledtothatdemise.
3.Towhoitmayconcern:
4.Dillmorethemselvesquestionedthewisdominsuchanact.

Answers:
1.Iwouldhavegladlyleftitallbehind.Correct.
2.This_____couldhaveledtothatdemise.Nakedthis.Anyofseveralnounscouldbeincludedheretomakethis
sentencecorrect.
3.Towhomitmayconcern:
4.Dillmorehimselfquestionedthewisdominsuchanact.

References
Person.(2000).CityUniversityofNewYork.RetrievedMay22,2008,fromTheCUNYWriteSite:
http://writesite.cuny.edu/grammar/general/person/
Scharton,M.,&Neuleib,J.(2001).Thingsyourgrammarnevertoldyou.NewYork:Longman.

Email at tutor@uhv.edu

University West, room 129

(361) 570-4288