PRONOUNS

Definition

A pronoun is a word, like he, she, or who, that replaces a noun in a sentence. There are many types of pronouns, including:

• Personal• Reflexive• Interrogatory • Indefinite• Demonstrative

Personal Pronouns

• Personal pronouns take the place of nouns.

• Subjective: I, you, he, she, it • Objective: me, you, him, her, it• Possessive: My, mine, your, yours,

his, her, hers, its

Examples

• Subjective: John was running down the stairs before he fell.

• Objective: Kayla will be arriving shortly; please give these flowers to her.

• Possessive: Those CDs are mine.

Interrogatory

• Interrogative pronouns introduce a question.

• Subjective: who, whoever, which, that, what

• Objective: whom, whomever, which, that, what

• Possessive: whose, whosever

Examples

• Subjective: Which books are yours?• Objective: To whom does this money

belong?• Possessive: Whose backpack is this?

Reflexive

Reflexive pronouns like herself, himself, and myself show that the subject of a sentence both performs an action and receives it as well.

• Subjective: Not applicable. A reflexive pronoun cannot act as the subject of a sentence

• Objective: myself, himself, herself, ourselves, themselves, yourself, yourselves

• Possessive: Not applicable. Reflexive pronouns can’t show possession.

Examples

• I saw myself as a professional athlete.

• He changed the light bulb himself.• They moved all the furniture

themselves.

Indefinite

Indefinite pronouns like somebody, each, everyone, and other refer to an unspecified antecedent.

• Subjective: everybody, anybody, somebody, all, each, every, some, none, one

• Objective: everybody anybody, somebody, all, each, every, some, none, one

• Possessive: everybody’s, anybody’s, somebody’s, one’s

Examples

• Subjective: Each of us is responsible to do our own work.

• Objective: This shirt could belong to anybody.

• Possessive: Somebody’s cell phone just fell in the pool.

Demonstrative

Demonstrative pronouns like this, that, these, and those refer directly to an antecedent.

Subjective: this, that, these, thoseObjective: this, that, these, thosePossessive: Not applicable.

Examples

• Subjective: This iPod is Lacey’s.• Objective: I accidently stepped on

that hamburger and smashed it.