English Grammar/Basic Parts of Speech/Pronouns

Definition

A pronoun replaces a noun in a sentence. The noun that is replaced is called an antecedent.

Pronouns can be classified in following different ways:

Note: The possessive forms my, your, his, her, its, our and their function as adjectives when they modify a noun.

Nominative case - the pronoun is used as a subject or predicate nominative/subjective complement.
Example:
I am beautiful.(subject)
The winner is she.(predicate nominative/subjective complement)
Objective case - the pronoun is used as a direct object, indirect object or object of the preposition.
Example:
We met them in Florida. (direct object)
You have to award him the medal. (indirect object)
Are you finally going out with her? (object of the preposition)
Possessive case - the pronoun is used to show ownership or possession.
Example:
That folder is mine.
These paintings are theirs.

Compound personal pronouns are formed by adding -self or -selves to some personal pronouns.

Reflexive pronoun may be used as a direct object or indirect object. It usually comes after the verb.

Intensive pronoun is used to emphasize that the action is done by the antecedent.

Relative pronouns like that, which, who, whom and whose are used to introduce most adjective clauses and to connect them to the main clause.

That refers to either a person, animal or thing.
Which refers to animals or things.
Who refers to persons. It is usually used when the noun it refers to is the doer of the action or when the noun it refers to is the subject within the clause.
Whom refers to persons. It is usually used when the noun or pronoun it refers to is the receiver of the action or when the noun or pronoun is used as the object within the clause.
Whose refers to persons, animals or things. It is used to denote possession.

Demonstrative pronouns like this, that, these and those are used to point out specific persons or things.

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. They are who, whom, whose, which and what.

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that do not refer to a particular person or group of persons.

both

few

many

several

all	enough	most	plenty
any	more	none	some

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