The Pronoun

A pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns or pronouns.

Writers and speakers often use pronouns to avoid repeating a name or a word.
EXAMPLE Lisa has a dog. Will Lisa walk the dog this afternoon? [Repeating
the name Lisa and the word dog sounds awkward.]
Will she walk it this afternoon? [The pronoun she replaces Lisa and
the pronoun it replaces dog.]

EXERCISE A. Highlight the underlined word that is a pronoun in the following

sentences. Each sentence has two words underlined, and only one of them is a
pronoun.
EXAMPLE Mel and Chi helped themselves to a plate of spaghetti. [The word
themselves is a pronoun because it is used in place of Mel and
Chi.]
1. The lead singer warmed up her voice before the show, but the other members of the
choir did not warm up theirs. [Which word is used in place of voices?]
2. Dr. Ito said, “Where did I put my glasses?”
3. When you are finished, please put the book back on the shelf where you found it.
4. Steve, you said that you were taking an art class at the community college. Did you
finish it yet?
5. Nelson and I laughed when we saw the remote-controlled car jump over the ramp.

Personal Pronouns
A personal pronoun refers to the one speaking (first person), the one spoken to (second
person), or the one spoken about (third person).
FIRST PERSON: We need you to leave. This property is ours. [The personal
pronouns We and ours refer to the people speaking.]
SECOND PERSON: This is Tim’s plate. The other one is yours. [The personal
 pronoun yours refers to the person to whom someone is
speaking.]
THIRD PERSON: Joanie is the club’s treasurer; she likes to keep track of
money. [The personal pronoun she refers to the person,
Joanie, about whom someone is speaking.]

EXERCISE B. Highlight each personal pronoun in the sentences that follow. Some
sentences have more than one personal pronoun.
EXAMPLE Teresa, would you like to demonstrate your science project to me?
[The second person pronoun you replaces Teresa and the first
person pronoun me replaces the speaker.]
6. When Deb and Roland ran for the student council, they both won. [Which word is
used in place of Deb and Roland?]
7. What a good speaker she was!
8. Jennifer Gonzales just said, “I would like to volunteer at the clothing drive this
weekend.”
9. Because the cat was sleepy, it took its nap after dinner.
10. Justin asked his uncle to check the spark plugs and change them.

Antecedents
The word that a pronoun stands for (or refers to) is called the pronoun’s antecedent.
The antecedent can come before or after a pronoun.
BEFORE PRONOUN As for Ryan, he wants a new bike helmet. [The
pronoun he stands for Ryan. Ryan is the antecedent
of he.]
AFTER PRONOUN For himself, Ryan wants a new bike helmet. [The
pronoun himself stands for Ryan, even though
himself
comes first. Ryan is the antecedent of himself.]
Sometimes the antecedent is not stated.
EXAMPLES I will meet you at the library. [I refers to the speaker,
and you refers to the person spoken to.]
Who is the new neighbor? [The speaker doesn’t know
who who is.]
Somebody needs to shut the door before the dog
escapes! [The indefinite pronoun Somebody does not
have an antecedent.]

EXERCISE C. Underline the pronoun in each of the following sentences. Then, highlight
the pronoun’s antecedent. If a pronoun does not have an antecedent, write none on the
line.
EXAMPLE Yes, Tim did all the research himself. [Himself is a pronoun
because it refers to another word, Tim. Tim is the word that himself
refers to, so Tim is the antecedent of himself.]
11. ________ Will Rosa be playing first violin tonight, or will she be out of town? [Which
word is used in place of another word? Which word is being replaced by
another word?]
12. _________The moon has craters. They are all over its surface.
13. _________What is black and white and read all over?
14.__________During the ceremony, the president himself cut the ribbon.
15. __________Kangaroos carry their young in a special pouch.
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns, Demonstrative Pronouns, and
Interrogative Pronouns
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun refers to the subject and functions as a complement or the
object of a preposition.
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS I addressed the envelope to myself. [Myself is a
reflexive pronoun that refers to I. Myself is the object
of the preposition to.]
Give yourself a break. [Yourself is a reflexive
pronoun that refers to the subject you. Even though
you does not appear in the sentence, it is understood
to be the subject. Yourself is an indirect object of the
verb Give.]
An intensive pronoun emphasizes a noun or another pronoun.
INTENSIVE PRONOUNS Dad himself told the story. [The intensive pronoun
himself emphasizes Dad.]
The twins made this whole mess themselves. [The
intensive pronoun themselves emphasizes twins.]
Notice that reflexive and intensive pronouns take the same form.
FIRST PERSON myself, ourselves
SECOND PERSON yourself, yourselves
THIRD PERSON herself, himself, itself, themselves
TIP: If you’re not sure whether a pronoun is reflexive or intensive, use this test:
(1) Read the sentence aloud, leaving out the pronoun.
(2) Ask yourself whether the basic meaning of the sentence stayed the same.
(3) If the meaning stayed the same, the pronoun is probably intensive. If the meaning
changed, the pronoun is probably reflexive.
EXERCISE A. Identify the underlined pronoun in each of the following sentences. Write
REF on the line for each reflexive pronoun and INTEN for each intensive pronoun.
EXAMPLE The ninth-grade actors played all the major roles themselves.
[Themselves is an intensive pronoun because it emphasizes actors.
The sentence would still make sense if themselves were left out.]
1.__________The biggest squirrel kept the best food for itself. [Would the sentence still
make sense if itself were left out?]
2.__________Give yourself some credit, brother.
3.__________Juanita reminded herself to drink plenty of water before the soccer game.
4.__________Actually, the motor itself is fine.
5.__________My grandfather himself made this chair for Mom many years ago.

Demonstrative and Interrogative Pronouns

A demonstrative pronoun points out a person, a place, a thing, or an idea.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS this that these those
EXAMPLES Tim made that. [That points out a certain
object in this sentence, so it is a demonstrative
pronoun.]
This is Tim’s sister. [This points out a certain
person, so it is a demonstrative pronoun.]
An interrogative pronoun introduces a question.
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS which who whom whose what
EXAMPLES Which is Tim’s sandwich? [Which introduces a
question, so it is an interrogative pronoun.]
Who made the sandwich? [Who introduces a
question, so it is an interrogative pronoun.]
EXERCISE B. Identify the underlined pronoun in each of the following sentences. Write
DEM on the line for each demonstrative pronoun and INTER for each interrogative
pronoun.
EXAMPLES ___INTER__ What did you say? [What introduces a question.]
____DEM__ This was my first trip out of state. [This points out trip.]

6.____________ Manuel, isn’t this our homework assignment? [Does the pronoun
introduce a question or point out a noun?]
7.____________What, of all things, is a zeppelin? [Does the pronoun introduce a
question or point out a noun?]
8.____________Actually, these are rather cool math problems.
9.____________However did you think of that?
10.___________Who let the cat out?
11.___________Which of them looks better on me?
12.___________Yes, those are the boxes for the sale.
13.___________Whose are these coins on the floor?
14.___________Where on earth did you find that, Kyle?
15.___________Whom has the coach chosen this time?
Relative and Indefinite Pronouns
Relative Pronouns
A relative pronoun introduces a subordinate clause.
RELATIVE PRONOUNS that which who whom whose
SUBORDINATE CLAUSES Hilda is the one who broke the school record. [The
clause who broke the school record does not express a complete thought. Who is
the subject of the clause, and broke is the verb.]
The road, which has just been paved, is not open. [The clause which has just
been paved does not express a complete thought. Which is the subject of the
clause, and has been paved is the verb.]

EXERCISE A. Highlight the relative pronoun in each of the following sentences. Hint:
The subordinate clause has already been underlined for you.
Example 1. That island, which lies off the coast of Maine, is quite small. [Which is a
relative pronoun because it introduces the subordinate clause which lies
off the coast of Maine.]
1. Is that article about the person who invented the safety pin? [Which word introduces
the subordinate clause?]
2. Locate the control key, which should be pressed with S.
3. A valve controls the water that flows into the reservoir.
4. Ladies and gentlemen, here is the man whom you have been waiting for all evening!
5. Wow! Those flamenco dancers must wear out every pair of shoes that they own.

EXERCISE B. Underline the subordinate clause in each of the following sentences.

Then, highlight the relative pronoun.
Example 1. Do you know anyone who can fix a bicycle? [The word group who can fix
a bicycle is a subordinate clause. It does not express a complete thought,
but who is its subject and can fix is its verb.]
6. Wasn’t Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood the first woman who pled cases to the Supreme
 Court? [Which word group begins with the relative pronoun who and does not
express a complete thought?]
7. We studied the architect’s model, which had been constructed of foam board.
8. Tina is the one whom we selected.
9. The boat that has the red sail is theirs.
10. Did first prize go to the science project that you and I liked best?

Indefinite Pronouns
An indefinite pronoun refers to a person, a place, a thing, or an idea that
may or may not be specifically named.

COMMON INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

all another any anybody anything
both each either everyone everything
few many more most much
neither nobody no one nothing one
other several some someone something

EXAMPLE Many of the children had read the book. [Many does not refer to specific
children.]
REMINDER Some words in the list of indefinite pronouns can also be used as
adjectives. When you say many children, you are using many as an
adjective.

EXERCISE C. For each of the following sentences, underline each indefinite pronoun.
Hint: Do not underline a word that is used as an adjective to describe another word.
Examples 1. Everything depends on communication. [Everything is an indefinite
pronoun because it refers to a thing that is not specifically named.]
2. Each word adds something to the ability to communicate. [Something
 is an indefinite pronoun because it refers to a thing that is not
specifically named. Each has not been underlined because it is an
adjective describing word.]
11. Many of our English words come from other languages. [Which word refers to some
things that are not specifically named?]
12. Each day, more of these words are added to the language. [Which word refers to
some things that are not specifically named?]
13. No one knows all of them.
14. Everybody knows some, however.
15. Several came from Native Americans.
16. The Spanish language gave names to some of our cities.
17. Can you name any?
18. The French have contributed much as well.
19. Each of these loanwords teaches us more about the world.
20. The growth of the English language can be stopped by nothing.

Adapted from www.frenglish.ru