Pronouns

Common Indefinite Pronouns

All, several, one, neither, everybody, both, something, others, each one, any, some, one another, nobody, everyone, each, anyone, few, each other, anybody, somebody, oneself, none, everything, nothing, many, either, anything, someone, other, no one

Intensive Pronouns

Also known as emphatic refers back to another noun or pronoun in a sentence to emphasize it (to emphasize that it is the thing carrying out the action) myself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves not always used just for people, can be used for other nouns, like animals TIP: to see if it is an intensive pronoun, remove it from the sentence and see if you get the same effect just by emphasizing the subject with your voice

Who/Whoever

Always the subject of a verb - use when the pronoun performs the action indicated by the verb Who won the marathon? I wonder who came up with that idea!

indefinite pronouns (singular)

Another anybody anyone anything each either enough everybody everyone everything less little much neither one nobody No one nothing other somebody someone something

Collective noun examples

Audience family faculty public band school class government society committee group team company jury tribe

Plural Indefinite Pronouns

Both few fewer many others several

Indefinite Pronoun

Do not refer to a specific person or thing and are usually singular not specific about what they refer to if you use another pronoun to refer to an indefinite pronoun (as the antecedent) the pronoun must be singular to have agreement used for non-specific things - largest group of pronouns

Relative Pronoun Sentence Examples

Dr. Adam Sissons, who lectured at Cambridge for Moore than twelve years, should have known the difference. The man who first saw the comet reported it as a UFO.

Reflexive Pronoun

Ends in -self or -selves and refers to another noun or pronoun in the sentence (usually the subject) myself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves also known as emphatic pronouns used with another noun (or pronoun) when something does something to itself

Object Pronoun

Functions as object of a verb or preposition

Subject Pronoun

Functions as subject in sentence

Possessive Pronoun Sentence Examples

Have you seen her book? My book is on the shelf. John is wearing his new sweater.

Third Person Singular Pronouns

He, she, it, him, her, her, his, her, its

First Person Singular Pronouns

I, me, my, mine

Common Pronouns

I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Agreement in Number

If the pronoun takes the place of a singular noun, the pronoun must also be singular Incorrect: If a student wants to return a book to the bookstore, they must have a receipt. Correct: If a student wants to return a book to the bookstore, he or she must have a receipt. If it seems wordy to use he or she, change the antecedent to a plural noun. Correct: If students want to return a book to the bookstore, they must have a receipt.

Indefinite Pronoun Agreement Examples

Incorrect: Everyone should do what they can to help. (Everyone is singular, they is plural.) Correct: Everyone should do what he or she can to help. Incorrect: Someone left their backpack in the library. (Someone is singular, their is plural.) Correct: Someone left his or her backpack in the library.

Compound Object Pronoun Examples

Incorrect: I have a good feeling about Janice and I. Correct: I have a good feeling about Janice and me. It is correct to write Janice and me as opposed to me and Janice. It is more polite to refer to yourself last.

Collective Noun Agreement Examples

Incorrect: Lara's company will have their annual picnic net week. (Company is a collective noun, so it is singular, their is plural) Correct: Lara's company will have its annual picnic next week.

Compound Subject Pronoun Examples

Incorrect: Me and Harriet visited the Grand Canyon last summer. Correct: Harriet and I visited the Grand Canyon last summer. Jenna accompanied Harriet and me on our trip. Tip: remove the other subject in the compound subject, leave only the pronoun and see if the sentence makes sense. If it does, you are using the correct pronoun. Always refer to yourself after someone else.

Pronoun agreement in person examples

Incorrect: When a person goes to a restaurant, you should leave a tip. (Person is 3rd, you is 2nd) Correct: When a person goes to a restaurant, he or she should leave a tip. Correct: When we go to a restaurant, I should leave a tip.

Subjective Personal Pronoun

Indicates the pronoun is acting as the subject of the verb I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Examples of Pronouns as Objects

Marie leaned over and kissed him. (Kissed who?) Jane moved it to the corner. (Moved what?)

Absolute Possessive Pronoun Examples

Mine yours his hers ours theirs

Possessive Pronoun Examples

My Your his her its our their

Pronoun as object of preposition

Near them, the children played. My mother stood between us. Them and us answer questions - near whom? Between whom?

Indefinite Pronoun Sentence Examples

Nearly anyone can beat me at checkers. Everyone, I think wants to feel loved. Somebody must have seen the driver leave. We are all in this together. I have nothing to hide.

Collective Noun

Nouns that suggest more than one person, place, or thing and treats these people, places, and things as a singular unit group of something treated as a singular object Pronouns used with Collective Nouns must be singular

Pronoun Agreement

Occurs when the pronoun and the antecedent match or agree with each other agreement in number and case between a pronoun and its antecedent. Ex. Mary and Susie saw their cousins over the holiday. The pronoun "their" is plural. It agrees with the nouns "Mary and Susie."

Interrogative Pronoun

Pronouns used in questions - not easy to see how they replace nouns Represents the thing that the question is about Interrogative pronouns ending in -ever are used for emphasis or to show surprise - quite rare

Demonstrative Pronoun

Pronouns used to demonstrate (or indicate) this, that, these, those used to replace specific people or things that have been previously mentioned (or are understood form the context) This and that are singular; these and those are plural.

Personal Pronouns

Replace nouns representing people (more often than not) I, you, he, she, it, we, they, who

Who vs. Whom TIP

Replace who/whom in sentence with he/him if you are unsure which to use. If you can use him, you need to use whom.

Whom/Whomever

Serves as objects - used when a pronoun does not perform an action - use when the pronoun is the direct object of a verb or the object of a preposition Whom did Frank marry the third time? (DO of Verb) From whom did you buy that old record player? (Object of Preposition)

Examples of Pronouns as Subjects

She loves the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall. Every summer, they picked up litter from national parks.

Absolute Possessive Pronoun

Show possession but unlike possessive pronouns, they can sit by themselves these stand alone and do not modify nouns

Singular Pronouns as subject/object

Subject: I, you, he, she, it Object: me, you, him, her, it

Plural Pronouns as subject/object

Subject: we, you, they Object: us, you, them

Absolute Possessive Pronoun Sentence Examples

The tickets are as good as ours. Shall we take yours or theirs?

Antecedent

The word or words a pronoun refers to The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns

These can go either way: all any more most none some such

Reciprocal Pronoun Sentence Examples

They like one another. They talk to each other like they are babies.

Intensive Pronoun Sentence Examples

They themselves need to decide what is right for them. John bakes all the bread himself. The cat opened the door itself.

Third Person Plural Pronouns

They, them, their, theirs

Demonstrative Pronoun Sentence Examples

This is the one I left in the car. Shall I take those? This is not the best thing for everyone concerned.

Interrogative Pronoun Sentence Examples

To whom are you speaking? The laundry, which is always piling up, gets folded every day. Who told you to do that? Which driver won the race?

Compound Object Pronoun

Two or more pronouns joined by a conjunction or a preposition that function as the object of the sentence

Compound Subject Pronoun

Two or more pronouns joined by a conjunction or preposition that function as the subject of the sentence

Reciprocal Pronouns

Used for actions or feelings that are reciprocated; each other and one another express a mutual action or relationship TIP: If the antecedent is two things, use each other; if it is more than two, use one another. Use when at least one thing reciprocates another's action (antecedent is always plural) Each other and one another are singular entities - when showing possession, the ' comes before the -s ('s) each other's, one another's Pixie and Dixie love each other. Our four cats love one another.

Relative Pronouns

Used to add more information to a sentence - introduces adjective clause, which follows a noun to identify it or tell us something interesting about it

Possessive Pronoun

Used to show possession - used as adjectives - also known as possessive adjectives - adjectives to nouns shows ownership

Pronoun Agreement in Person

Using a consistent person is less likely to confuse the reader Singular Pronouns 1st person: I, me, my, mine 2nd person: you, you, your, yours 3rd person: he, she, it Him, her, it His, her, its Plural Pronouns 1st person: we, us, our, ours 2nd person: you, you, your, yours 3rd person: they Them Their, theirs

Objective Personal Pronoun

Versions used when personal pronouns are objects me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Personal Pronoun Sentence Examples

We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. I bought some batteries, but they weren't included. She was skating in the park when she fell. This book belongs to me, and that book belongs to him.

Relative Pronoun Examples

Which that who whom whose where

Interrogative Pronoun Examples

Who Which What Where How Whom Whose Whoever Whomever Whichever Whatever

When to us Who or Whom

Who and Whom are not interchangeable. They are pronouns. Who is a subject pronoun. The subject performs the action. Whom is an object pronoun. Object received the action. TIP: Who = he. Whom = Him. Who bought the bread? He bought the bread. Joe always buys bread for whom? Joe buys bread for him.

Pronoun

Words that are substituted for nouns Makes the use of nouns less repetitive Can make writing more clear and precise Keeps writing from being tedious to read

Reflexive Pronoun Sentence Examples

You should do these exercises yourself if you really want to understand grammar. The dog bit itself. Are you talking to yourself?

Second Person Singular & Plural Pronouns

You, you, your, yours (they are the same for both)

First Person Plural Pronouns

we, us, our, ours