8 Kinds Of Pronouns With Examples! Did you know that English has eight different kinds of pronouns? Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns, and each type of pronoun has its own unique set of rules. In this blog post, we’ll explore each kind of pronoun in detail, with examples for each. So let’s get started!
What is the Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or noun phrase. Pronouns are used to make writing and speaking more concise. For example, instead of saying “I saw the man who was walking his dog,” you could say “I saw him.” There are many different types of pronouns, including personal pronouns, reflexive pronouns, relative pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns. Pronouns can be singular or plural, male or female, and they can take different forms depending on whether they are being used as the subject, object, or possessive form of a sentence. Although they are often small words, pronouns play an important role in our language.
Definition of Pronoun
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence. Pronouns are used to avoid repeating the same noun over and over again. For example, if someone is talking about a girl named Sarah, they might use the pronoun “she” instead of repeating Sarah’s name. There are many different types of pronouns, including subject pronouns, object pronouns, and possessive pronouns.
Each type has its own function in a sentence. Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence, while object pronouns are used when the pronoun is the object of the sentence. Possessive pronouns are used to show ownership. For example, the pronoun “my” would be used to show that something belongs to the speaker. Pronouns are an essential part of communication, and we use them every day without even realizing it!
Pronouns Table
8 Types of Pronouns
1. Relative pronoun
2. Reflexive pronoun
3. Reciprocal pronoun
4. Possessive pronoun
5. Personal pronoun
6. Interrogative pronoun
7. Indefinite pronoun
8. Demonstrative pronoun
Relative Pronoun
A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a relative clause and connects it to the rest of the sentence. The four main relative pronouns are “who,” “whose,” “whom,” and “which.” For example, consider the following sentence: “The book, which was published in 2014, quickly became a bestseller.” In this sentence, the relative pronoun “which” introduces the relative clause “which was published in 2014.” Relative clauses often provide additional information about the noun that precedes them.
In the sentence above, the relative clause provides information about the book. It is important to note that relative pronouns can only be used to introduce relative clauses; they cannot be used to introduce other types of clauses. For example, it would be incorrect to say, “I read a book that was published in 2014.” In this sentence, “which” does not introduce a relative clause; instead, it introduces an independent clause. As a result, this sentence is grammatically incorrect.
Reflexive Pronoun
A reflexive pronoun is a word that refers back to the subject of the sentence or clause. Reflexive pronouns are typically formed by adding -self or -selves to a singular or plural pronoun. For example, the singular reflexive pronoun “myself” would be used as follows: “I hurt myself.”
The plural reflexive pronoun “ourselves” would be used like this: “We hurt ourselves.”
In the examples above, the reflexive pronouns “myself” and “ourselves” refer back to the subjects of the sentences (“I” and “we”), respectively. Reflexive pronouns are typically used when the subject of a sentence is also the object.
For example, consider the following sentence: “John washed himself.” In this sentence, the subject (“John”) is also the object (“himself”). Reflexive pronouns are not always used for this purpose, however. They can also be used for emphasis, as in the following sentence: “I did it myself.”
Reciprocal Pronoun
A reciprocal pronoun is a word that refers back to two or more subjects that are acting toward each other. The two main reciprocal pronouns are “each other” and “one another.”
For example, consider the following sentence: “John and Sarah love each other.” In this sentence, the reciprocal pronoun “each other” refers back to the two subjects of the sentence (“John” and “Sarah”).
Reciprocal pronouns are typically used when two or more people are doing the same thing to each other. For example, the following sentence uses the reciprocal pronoun “one another”: “The students helping each other with their homework.”
Possessive Pronoun
A possessive pronoun is a word that shows ownership. Possessive pronouns are typically formed by adding -‘s to a singular noun or -s’ to a plural noun. For example, the possessive pronoun “my” would be used as follows: “That is my book.” The possessive pronoun “ours” would be used like this: “This is our house.”
In the examples above, the possessive pronouns “my” and “ours” show that the speaker owns the book and house, respectively. Possessive pronouns can also be used to show that someone or something belongs to someone else. For example, the following sentence uses the possessive pronoun “his” to show that the dog belongs to John: “John’s dog is very friendly.”
Personal Pronoun
A personal pronoun is a word that represents a specific person or thing. Personal pronouns are typically divided into three categories: first person, second person, and third person. The first-person point of view is used when the speaker is talking about himself or herself. For example, the first-person pronoun “I” would be used as follows: “I am going to the store.” The first-person plural pronoun “we” would be used like this: “We are going to the store.”
The second-person point of view is used when the speaker is talking to someone else. For example, the second-person pronoun “you” would be used as follows: “You are going to the store.” The second-person plural pronoun “y’all” would be used like this: “Y’all are going to the store.”
The third-person point of view is used when the speaker is talking about someone or something else. For example, the third-person singular pronoun “he” would be used as follows: “He is going to the store.” The third-person singular pronoun “she” would be used like this: “She is going to the store.”
There are also some personal pronouns that can be used for both singular and plural subjects. For example, the pronoun “it” can be used as follows: “It is going to the store.” The pronoun “they” can be used like this: “They are going to the store.”
Interrogative Pronoun
An interrogative pronoun is a word that is used to ask a question. The most common interrogative pronouns are “who,” “what,” and “which.” For example, the following sentence uses the interrogative pronoun “who”: “Who is going to the store?” The following sentence uses the interrogative pronoun “what”: “What is going to the store?”
The interrogative pronoun “which” can be used in two different ways. It can be used to ask a question about a specific thing or group of things. For example, consider the following sentence: “Which book is yours?” In this sentence, the speaker is asking about a specific book. The interrogative pronoun “which” can also be used to ask a question about a group of things. For example, consider the following sentence: “Which books are yours?” In this sentence, the speaker is asking about a group of books.
Indefinite Pronoun
An indefinite pronoun is a word that refers to a person or thing that is not specifically identified. Indefinite pronouns are typically divided into three categories: singular, plural, and collective.
The most common singular indefinite pronouns are “someone,” “anyone,” “no one,” and “nothing.” For example, the following sentence uses the indefinite pronoun “someone”: “Someone is at the door.” The following sentence uses the indefinite pronoun “anything”: “I would do anything for you.”
The most common plural indefinite pronouns are “some,” “any,” “few,” and “several.” For example, the following sentence uses the indefinite pronoun “some”: “Some of those books are mine.” The following sentence uses the indefinite pronoun “few”: “Few of those books are mine.”
The most common collective indefinite pronouns are “all,” “both,” and “many.” For example, the following sentence uses the indefinite pronoun “all”: “All of those books are mine.” The following sentence uses the indefinite pronoun “both”: “Both of those books are mine.”
Demonstrative Pronoun
A demonstrative pronoun is a word that is used to point out a specific person or thing. The most common demonstrative pronouns are “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” For example, the following sentence uses the demonstrative pronoun “this”: “This is my book.” The following sentence uses the demonstrative pronoun “that”: “That is your book.”
The demonstrative pronoun “these” can be used to refer to a group of things. For example, consider the following sentence: “These books are mine.” In this sentence, the speaker is referring to a group of books. The demonstrative pronoun “those” can also be used to refer to a group of things. For example, consider the following sentence: “Those books are yours.” In the sentence above, the speaker is referring to a collection of books.
Types of Pronouns Infographics
