Understanding English Pronouns: A Comprehensive Guide

Posted on Aug 16, 2024 in Spanish

UNIT 4: PRONOUNS

What are Pronouns?

Pronouns are substitutes for nouns.

Form

  • They are a very limited group.
  • They are formally related to determiners. Example: Look at that day!! (Determiner) / Look at that!! (Pronoun)

Position

Pronouns 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 – as a subject, direct object, indirect object, etc.

TYPES OF PRONOUNS

Central Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

  • Subject Pronouns: Used when the pronoun functions as the subject (followed by a verb). I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they. Example: What is she going to do?
  • Object Pronouns: Used in all other cases and when the pronoun is the complement of a preposition (not followed by a verb). Me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them. Example: We want them to come. / It’s me!! / Look at me!

Reflexive Pronouns

They are always co-referential with a noun or another pronoun, agreeing with it in gender, number, and person. Myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

  • Refer to the subject. Example: I dress myself. / They were talking to themselves.
  • When we use the pronoun “one” (number pronoun), we should use “oneself” to substitute countable nouns. Example: The teapot is broken, and we do need one. “One” contrasts with “the other” or “another.” Example: One is broken, and the other is lost.
  • “Everyone” is equivalent to “themselves”/”himself.”
  • Used for emphasis. Example: I myself saw it. / I went by myself (equivalent to I went alone).
  • After prepositions because they can alternate between object and reflexive pronouns. Example: Who is involved besides myself/me?
  • It’s a prepositional complement when the “preposition + reflexive pronoun” has a close relationship with the verb. Example: Jane took a photo of herself.

Possessive Pronouns

Mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs.

  • “Its” is not used as a possessive pronoun on its own, so we need the particle “own” to accompany it. Example: It has really made the chair its own.
  • “Own” is also used for emphasis. Example: My own car.

Relative Pronouns

Who, whom, whose, which, that (zero relative pronoun), and what.

Wh-Items (Who, Whom, Whose, Which, What)

We need to distinguish between:

  • Who/Whom: Personal reference. Example: Are you the doctor who looked 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/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 reference). Example: The actor that pleased me is new to London. / The actor that I admire is new to London.
  • Not used if the verb takes a preposition. Example: The actor (that no) who I was attracted to…

Interrogative Pronouns

Who, whom, whose, what, when, why, where, how.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Have the same formal range and semantic contrast both as pronouns and as determiners. This, these (proximity), that, those (remoteness).

Example: 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

  • Positive:
    • Universal: Both, each (both means “both,” each means “each one”).
    • Assertive: Some, several (some means “some” or “some of,” and several means “various”).
    • Non-assertive: Any, either (any means “any” or “none,” and either means “one of two”).
  • Negative: Nobody and neither (nobody means “no one,” and neither means “none of the two”).

The form in “-one” corresponds with the pronoun in “-body.” They have a Saxon genitive (nobody’s and everyone’s).

Another/Other/Others

Another (Another)

Another + (singular noun) = Used to indicate that you have one more thing, object, or person than you previously had. Example: I have a good English course, but I want to buy another course.

The Other (The Other)

The other + (singular noun) = Used when you don’t possess something but want 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 two toys! But I want the other toy.

The Others (The Others)

Example: These shoes are mine, the others are yours.