The Different Types of Pronouns
The term pronoun covers many words, some of which do not fall easily
under the description given in the section What are Pronouns? There are many
different kinds of pronouns. In general, these do not cause difficulties for
native English speakers. The list below is mainly for reference purposes.
Demonstrative Pronouns
These pronouns are used to
demonstrate (or indicate). This, that, these and those are all demonstrative pronouns.
Examples:
Examples:
·
This is
the one I left in the car.
(In this example, the speaker
could be indicating to a mobile phone, in which case, the pronoun this replaces the wordsmobile phone.)
·
Shall I take those?
Indefinite Pronouns
Unlike demonstrative pronouns,
which point out specific items, indefinite pronouns are used for non-specific
things. This is the largest group of pronouns. All, some, any, several, anyone, nobody, each, both, few, either, none, one and no one are the most common.
Example:
Example:
·
Somebody must
have seen the driver leave.
(somebody – not a specific
person)
·
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the
stars. (Oscar Wilde)
·
I have nothing to declare except my
genius. (Oscar Wilde)
Interrogative Pronouns
These pronouns are used in
questions. Although they are classified as pronouns, it is not easy to see how
they replace nouns. Who, which, what, where and how are
all interrogative pronouns.
Example:
Example:
·
Who told
you to do that?
·
Which dog
won the race?
Personal Pronouns
The personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who. More
often than not (but not exclusively), they replace nouns representing people.
When most people think of pronouns, it is the personal pronouns that usually
spring to mind.
Example:
Example:
·
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.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns are used to
show possession. As they are used as adjectives, they are also known as possessive
adjectives. My, your, his, her, its, our and their are
all possessive pronouns.
·
Have you seen her book?
(In this example, the pronoun her replaces a word like Sarah's.)
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns are used to add
more information to a sentence. Which, that, who (including whom and whose) andwhere are all relative pronouns.
Examples:
Examples:
·
Dr Adam Sissons, who lectured at Cambridge for
more than 12 years, should have known the difference.
(In this example, the relative
pronoun who introduces
the clause who studied at
Cambridge for 12 years and refers back to Dr Adams Sissons.)
·
The man who first saw the comet reported
it as a UFO.
(In this example, the relative
pronoun who introduces
the clause who first saw the
comet and refers back to the man.)
Absolute Possessive Pronouns
These pronouns also show
possession. Unlike possessive pronouns (see above), which are adjectives to
nouns, these pronouns sit by themselves. Mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs are all absolute possessive pronouns.
Examples:
Examples:
·
The tickets are as good as ours.
·
Shall we take yours or theirs?
Reciprocal Pronouns
Reciprocal pronouns are used for
actions or feelings that are reciprocated. The two most common reciprocal
pronouns areeach other and one another.
Examples:
Examples:
·
They like one another.
·
They talk to each other like they're babies.
Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun ends ...self or ...selves and
refers to another noun or pronoun in the sentence (usually the subject of the
sentence). The
reflexive pronouns aremyself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves and themselves.
Examples:
Examples:
·
The dog bit itself.
(In this example, the intensive
pronoun itself refers
back to the noun the dog.)
·
Are you talking to yourself?
Intensive (or Emphatic) Pronouns
An intensive pronoun (sometimes
called an emphatic pronoun) refers back
to another noun or pronoun in the sentence to emphasize it (e.g., to emphasize
that it is the thing carrying out the action).
Examples:
Examples:
·
John bakes all the bread himself.
(In this example, the intensive
pronoun himself refers
back to the noun John.)
·
The cat opened the door itself.
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