Pronouns in English Grammar: A Comprehensive Guide
Pronouns: A Comprehensive Guide
What are Pronouns?
Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns. They are a limited group of words that have a formal relationship to determiners.
Form and Position
Pronouns have a limited form and occupy the same position as noun phrases because they substitute them.
Example:
- Mary plays basketball.
- She plays basketball.
Function
Pronouns have the same function as nouns because they occupy the same position. They can act as a subject, direct object, indirect object, etc.
Types of Pronouns
Central Pronouns
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns are used when they function as the subject of a verb (subject pronoun) or in other cases where the pronoun is the complement of a preposition (object pronoun).
- Subject Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they
- Object Pronouns: Me, you, her, him, it, us, you, them
Examples:
- What is she going to do?
- We want them to come.
- It’s me!
- Look at me!
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns always refer back to a noun or another pronoun, agreeing with it in gender, number, and person.
- Reflexive Pronouns: Myself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
Examples:
- I dress myself.
- They were talking to themselves.
Special Cases:
- When using the pronoun”on” (number pronoun), use”onesel” to substitute countable nouns. Example: The teapot is broken, and we do need one.
- Example: One is broken, and the other is lost.
- Reflexive pronouns can be used for emphasis. Example: I myself saw it.
- Reflexive pronouns can be used after prepositions and can alternate between object and reflexive pronouns. Example: Who is involved besides myself/me?
- Reflexive pronouns can be a prepositional complement when the preposition + reflexive pronoun has a close relationship with the verb. Example: Jane took a photo of herself.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or possession.
- Possessive Pronouns: Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs
Special Cases:
- Example: It has really made the chair its own.
- Example: My own car.
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses, which provide additional information about a noun or pronoun.
- Relative Pronouns: Who, whom, whose, which, that (zero relative pronoun), and what
Wh-Items (Who, Whom, Whose, Which, What)
Distinguish between personal and non-personal references:
- Who/Whom: Personal reference. Example: Are you the doctor who looks after my daughter? / The man to whom I spoke is my boyfriend.
- Which: Non-personal reference. Example: That is the house which is to be expanded.
- Whose: Personal or non-personal reference. Example: That is the doctor whose phone number I gave you (personal). / This is the hospital whose number I gave you (non-personal).
That (Zero Relative Pronoun)
Used neutrally with personal and non-personal references.
Example:
- The actor that pleased me is new to London.
- The actor that I admire is new to London.
Note:“Tha” is not used if the verb has a preposition. Example: The actor (that not) who I was attracted to…
Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions.
- Interrogative Pronouns: Who, whom, whose, what, when, why, where, how
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns have the same formal range and semantic contrast as both pronouns and determiners.
- Demonstrative Pronouns: This, these (proximity), that, those (remoteness)
Examples:
- We shall compare this picture here with that picture there (demonstrative determiner).
- We shall compare this here with that over there (demonstrative pronoun).
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified or non-specific people or things.
Positive Indefinite Pronouns
- Universal: Both, each (both = both, each = each one)
- Assertive: Some, several (some = some or something, several = various)
- Non-assertive: Any, either (any = some or none, either = one of two)
Negative Indefinite Pronouns
- Nobody (no one)
- Neither (none of the two)
Note: The form”in-on” corresponding with the pronoun”in-bod” has a genitive Saxon (nobody’s and everyone’s).
Another/Other/Others
Another (otro)
Another + (singular noun) = used to indicate that one has one more thing, object, or person than what one already had previously.
Example: I have a good English course, but I want to buy another course.
The Other (el otro)
The other + (singular noun) = used when one does not possess something but wants to indicate a thing, object, or person different from another group, the last thing in a group, or the last person in a group.
Example: There are 2 toys! But I want the other toy.
The Others (los otros o las otras)
“: These shoes are mine, the others are yours.