PRONOUNS
Pronouns are
words that substitute for nouns.Every pronoun must have a clear antecedent (the word for which the pronoun stands).
KINDS OF PRONOUNS
SINGULAR
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PLURAL
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subjective
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objective
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possessive
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subjective
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objective
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possessive
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1st person
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I
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me
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my, mine
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we
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us
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our, ours
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2nd person
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you
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you
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your, yours
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you
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you
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your, yours
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3rd person
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he
she
it
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him
her
it
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his
her, hers
its
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they
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them
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their, theirs
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Personal pronouns
have the following characteristics:
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1.
three persons (points of view)
1st person - the one(s) speaking (I me my mine
we us our ours)
2nd person - the one(s) spoken to (you your yours) 3rd person - the one(s) spoken about (he him his she her hers it its they their theirs)
Examples
2.
three genders
feminine (she her hers)
masculine (he him his) neuter (it its they them their theirs)
Examples
3.
two numbers
singular (I me my mine you your
yours he him his she her hers it its)
plural (we us our ours you your yours they them their theirs)
Examples
4.
three cases
subjective (I
you he she it we they)
possessive (my mine your yours his her hers our ours their theirs) objective (me you him her it us them)
Examples - subjective
case
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Examples - possessive case
Examples - objective case
NOTE: Because of pronoun case, the pronoun's form changes with its
function in the sentence. Follow this link to pronoun case for more information.
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Demonstrative
pronouns can also be used as determiners.
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Example:
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Hand
me that hammer. (that describes
the noun hammer)
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Demonstrative
pronouns can also be used as qualifiers:
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Example:
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She
wanted that much money? (that describes
the adjective much)
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C. Reflexive / Intensive Pronouns : the
"self" pronouns
These pronouns can be used only to reflect or intensify a word
already there in the sentence.
Reflexive / intensive pronouns CANNOT REPLACE personal pronouns.
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Examples:
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I
saw myself in the mirror. (Myself is
a reflexive pronoun, reflecting the pronoun I.)
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I’ll
do it myself. (Myself is an intensive pronoun,
intensifying the pronoun I.)
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Note: The following words are substandard and should
not be used:
theirselves theirself hisself ourself
Singular:
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one
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someone
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anyone
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no
one
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everyone
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Each
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somebody
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anybody
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nobody
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everybody
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(n)either
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something
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anything
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nothing
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everything
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Examples:
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Somebody is coming to dinner.
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Neither of us believes a word Harry says.
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Plural:
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Examples:
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Both are expected at the airport at the
same time.
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Several have suggested canceling the meeting.
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Singular with non-countables / Plural with countables:
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Examples:
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Some of the dirt has
become a permanent part of the rug.
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Some of the trees have
been weakened by the storm.
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Indefinite pronouns use apostrophes to indicate possessive case.
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Examples:
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The
accident is nobody’s fault.
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How
will the roadwork affect one's daily commute?
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Some indefinite pronouns may also be used as determiners.
one, each, either, neither, some,
any, one, all, both, few, several, many, most
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Note the differences:
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Each person has a chance.
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(Each is a
determiner describing person.)
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Each has a chance.
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(Each is an indefinite
pronoun replacing a noun.)
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Both lawyers pled their cases well.
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(Both is a
determiner describing lawyers.)
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Both were in the room.
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(Both is an indefinite
pronoun replacing a noun.)
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E. Interrogative Pronouns:
Interrogative pronouns produce information questions that require
more than a “yes” or “no” answer.
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Examples:
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What do you want?
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Who is there?
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Relative pronouns introduce relative (adjectival) clauses.
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Note:
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Use who,
whom, and whose to refer to people.
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Use that and which to
refer to things.
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