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:
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 words mobile
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:
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:
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:
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.
Example
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 ) and where are
all relative pronouns.
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:
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 are each other
and one another .
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 are: myself, yourself,
herself , himself, itself, ourselves ,
yourselves and themselves.
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 emphasise
it (e.g., to emphasise that it is the thing
carrying out the action).
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.
