Introduction
Pronouns are words that replace nouns in sentences to avoid repetition and create more fluid, natural-sounding language. They help us refer to people, places, things, and ideas without constantly repeating the same nouns.
What is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or another pronoun. Pronouns help us avoid awkward repetition in our writing and speech.
Example:
Without pronouns: John went to the store because John needed to buy groceries for John's family.
With pronouns: John went to the store because he needed to buy groceries for his family.
Types of Pronouns
1. Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things. They change form depending on:
- Person (first, second, or third person)
- Number (singular or plural)
- Gender (in the third person singular)
- Case (subject, object, or possessive)
Subject Pronouns:
Used as the subject of a sentence or clause.
- First person: I (singular), we (plural)
- Second person: you (singular and plural)
- Third person: he, she, it (singular), they (plural)
Examples:
- I am studying English grammar.
- We are attending the conference next week.
- You should read this book.
- He works at a hospital.
- She teaches mathematics.
- It belongs in the museum.
- They arrived late to the party.
Object Pronouns:
Used as the object of a verb or preposition.
- First person: me (singular), us (plural)
- Second person: you (singular and plural)
- Third person: him, her, it (singular), them (plural)
Examples:
- Please give the book to me.
- The teacher asked us a question.
- I saw you at the concert.
- We invited him to dinner.
- John called her yesterday.
- The cat chased it across the yard.
- I spoke with them about the project.
2. Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession. They come in two forms:
Possessive Adjectives:
Used before nouns to show ownership.
- First person: my (singular), our (plural)
- Second person: your (singular and plural)
- Third person: his, her, its (singular), their (plural)
Examples:
- This is my book.
- Our house is on the corner.
- Is this your car?
- His office is on the second floor.
- Her presentation was excellent.
- The dog wagged its tail.
- Their children go to the local school.
Possessive Pronouns (Absolute):
Stand alone without a noun following them.
- First person: mine (singular), ours (plural)
- Second person: yours (singular and plural)
- Third person: his, hers, its (singular), theirs (plural)
Examples:
- That book is mine.
- The house on the corner is ours.
- Is this car yours?
- The office on the second floor is his.
- The excellent presentation was hers.
- The responsibility is theirs.
3. Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns point to specific things. They indicate whether the noun is singular or plural and whether it is near or far in distance or time.
Demonstrative Pronouns:
- This (singular, near)
- That (singular, far)
- These (plural, near)
- Those (plural, far)
Examples:
- This is my favorite book. (singular, near)
- That was an interesting movie. (singular, far)
- These are the documents you requested. (plural, near)
- Those were the best days of my life. (plural, far)
Common Errors with Pronouns
1. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
The pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number, gender, and person.
Incorrect vs. Correct:
Incorrect: Each student must bring their book. (singular antecedent with plural pronoun)
Correct: Each student must bring his or her book.
Also correct: All students must bring their books. (plural antecedent with plural pronoun)
2. Unclear Pronoun Reference
Pronouns should clearly refer to a specific antecedent.
Unclear vs. Clear:
Unclear: John told Robert that he had won the competition. (Who won? John or Robert?)
Clear: John told Robert, "You have won the competition."
Also clear: John told Robert that Robert had won the competition.
Practice Exercises
Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct pronoun:
- Sarah and ________ went to the museum yesterday. (I, me, mine)
- The teacher gave the books to John and ________. (I, me, mine)
- ________ car is parked outside. (They're, Their, There)
- Is this book ________? (your, yours, you're)
- The dog chased ________ tail. (it's, its, it)
Quiz
Answer Key for Practice Exercises
- Sarah and I went to the museum yesterday.
- The teacher gave the books to John and me.
- Their car is parked outside.
- Is this book yours?
- The dog chased its tail.
Quiz Answers
- B - "She" is a subject pronoun.
- C - "Mine" is a possessive pronoun.
- B - "This is what I wanted" contains the demonstrative pronoun "this."
- C - "Between you and I" should be "Between you and me" because "between" is a preposition that requires object pronouns.
- B - "Each student" is singular, but "their" is plural. It should be "his or her assignment."