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What Are Pronouns

Pronouns substitute other nouns. Also, these are very effective cohesive device.

If a story is about a mother Simona, the story will sound repetitive if name ‘Simona’ is repeated again and again.


Examples:

  • Simona is a great mom. Simona puts Simona’s children as Simona’s first priority. Although, sometimes Simona finds it hard to balance Simona’s parental and work responsibilities; yet, Simona manages Simona’s life well.

The passage sounds very repetitive and it lacks coherence and flow. Also, it sounds like we are not talking about one person but more than one who have similar name. However, in the beginning of the passage, it is appropriate to use noun so reader knows whom writer is talking about.


If name is replaced with pronoun, it will make more sense, coherence and flow.


it will be like this:


  • Simona is a great mom. She puts her children as her first priority. Although, sometimes she finds it hard to balance her parental and work responsibilities; yet, she manages her life well.

Personal Pronouns

The personal pronouns are She and her, I and me, you, he and him, it, we and us, they and them.


Examples:

  • Please mail it to I. (Wrong)
  • Please mail it to me. (Correct)
  • Ms. Queeneth observed they working hard. (Wrong)
  • Ms. Queeneth observed them working hard. (Correct)
  • Is this treat for we? (Wrong)
  • Is this treat for us? (Correct)

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are used to connect relative clauses to independent clauses. Often, they introduce additional information about something mentioned in the sentence.

Relative pronouns include that, what, which, who, whose and whom. Traditionally, who refers to people; whereas which and that refer to animals or things.


Examples:

  • The man who drove the car was not identified.
  • All the cats that were adopted today will be loved.
  • My lipstick, which is nearly a year old, still runs well.

Whether you need commas with who, which, and that depends on whether the clause is restrictive or non-restrictive.

Who / Whom—Subject and Object Pronouns

Who and whom are most confused pronouns. Who is a subject pronoun, like I, he, she, we, and they .Whom is an object pronoun, like me, him, her, us and them. When the pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition, the object form (whom) is used.

Whom is trickier, because it usually comes before the verb or prepositions that modifies it.


Examples:

  • Whom did you speak to earlier?
  • A lady, whom I have never met before, was talking about you.
  • Whom should I tell is calling?

Tip to use who/whom

Substitute who/whom with personal pronoun to see which one goes in a specific sentence.

Find the place where the personal pronoun would normally go and see whether the subject or object form makes more sense.


Examples:

  • Who/whom did you speak to earlier?

Replace who/whom with he/him earlier?


Observe if object pronoun (him) goes well in the sentence then use (whom)

Examples:

  • Did you speak to him?
  • Whom did you speak?

Use of pronoun I

There is always a confusion to use pronoun I. Remember I is a subject and me is an object pronoun. See the difference in the following examples.


Examples:

  • Joe is celebrating with Simona and I this afternoon. (Wrong)
  • Joe is celebrating with Simona and me this afternoon. (Correct)
  • There are no secrets between you and I.(Wrong)
  • There are no secrets between you and me. (Correct)

The correct pronoun is me instead of I. It can be checked if you remove other name.


Demonstrative Pronouns

That, this, these and those are demonstrative pronouns. They take the place of a noun or noun phrase that has already been mentioned.

This is used for singular items that are nearby.

These is used for multiple items that are nearby. The distance can be physical or metaphorical.


Examples:

  • Here is a report. Who could have submitted this?
  • What a wonderful idea! This is the best thing I have heard all day.

That is used for singular items that are far away.

Those is used for multiple items that are far away. Again, the distance can be physical or metaphorical.


Examples:

  • That Swan in the pond swims so gracefully.
  • The fashion brand has introduced some new lines last week. Did you try those?

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are used for a person or thing that is not specifically identified. Some common indefinite pronouns are one, other, none, some, anybody, everybody, and no one.


Examples:

  • Everybody was happy to attend New Year party.
  • It matters nothing to some.
  • Nobody knows the secret I knew.

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

Reflexive pronoun is used when both the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person or thing. These are also used to emphasize.


Examples:

  • Joe patted herself for the courage she showed.
  • They booked themselves a room at the resort.
  • I built this laptop myself.

  • “I built this laptop” and “I built this laptop myself” mean almost the same thing. But “myself” emphasizes that I personally built the laptop—I didn’t engage or hire someone else to do it for me.

    • Possessive Pronouns

    Possessive pronouns come in two categories: limiting and absolute.

    Limiting pronouns are: My, your, its, his, her, our, their and whose. They are used to show that something belongs to an antecedent.


    Examples:

    • Simona is a great mom. She puts her children as her first priority. Her children also give their best to please their mom.

    The absolute possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, theirs, and ours.

    The absolute forms substitute for the thing that belongs to the antecedent.


    Examples:

    • Are you finished with your work? Joe already finished hers.
    • The blue bike is mine.

    Some possessive pronouns are easy to mix up with similar-looking contractions.

    Examples:

    • Such as its and it’s. They both have different meaning.

    Keep in mind, possessive personal pronouns do not include apostrophes.

    Interrogative Pronouns

    Interrogative pronouns are used in questions. The interrogative pronouns are who, what, whom, whoever, which, and whose.


    Examples:

    • Who wants Dior Perfume?
    • What is your name?
    • Which colour do you like the most?
    • Whose pencil is this?

    Antecedents

    An antecedent is a noun or noun phrase that you mention at the beginning of a sentence or story and later replace with a pronoun. Pronoun it refers to anything, feelings, and places. Therefore, antecedent helps the reader to know for whom the pronoun is used.


    Examples:

    • Simona and Zaki are twins. He likes to play hockey and she likes to play with dolls.

    Antecedent (Simona and Zaki) makes it clear for the reader that pronoun he is used for Zaki (boy) and she is used for Simona (girl)