PRONOUNS
A pronoun is a word
that takes the place of or refers to a noun. A different pronoun is required
depending on two elements: the noun being replaced and the function that noun
has in the sentence.You may recall that a noun is
a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
- PERSONAL PRONOUNS
A personal pronoun is a pronoun that is associated primarily with a particular
person, in the grammatical sense. Personal pronouns may take on various forms
depending on number (singular or plural for the most part). They may also take
different forms depending on case, gender, or formality. It is important to
note that personal pronouns may refer to objects, animals, or people.
1. Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns replace nouns that are the subject of their clause. In the
3rd person, subject pronouns are often used to avoid repetition of the
subject's name.
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2. Object Pronouns
Object pronouns are used to replace nouns that are the direct or indirect
object of a clause.
Object Pronoun
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Example
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1st person singular
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me
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Give the book to me.
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2nd person singular
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you
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The teacher wants to talk to you.
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3rd person singular, male
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him
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Jake is hurt because Bill hit him.
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3rd person singular, female
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her
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Rachid recieved a letter from her last week.
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3rd person singular, neutral
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it
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Mark can't find it.
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1st person plural
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us
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Don't be angry with us.
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2nd person plural
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you
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She wants to ask you.
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3rd person plural
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them
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Tell them to hurry up!
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- POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES (DETERMINERS)
Possessive adjectives are not pronouns, but rather determiners. It is
useful to learn them at the same time as pronouns, however, because they are
similar in form to the possessive pronouns. Possessive adjectives function as
adjectives, so they appear before the noun they modify. They do not replace a
noun as pronouns do.
Possessive Adjective (Determiner)
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Example
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1st person singular
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my
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Did mother find my shoes?
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2nd person singular
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your
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I like your style.
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3rd person singular, male
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his
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Can Jake bring over his baseball cards?
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3rd person singular, female
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her
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Samantha will fix her bike tomorrow.
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3rd person singular, neutral
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its
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The cat broke its leg.
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1st person plural
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our
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This is our house.
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2nd person plural
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your
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Your tickets are on the table.
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3rd person plural
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their
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Where is their school?
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- POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
Possessive pronouns replace possessive nouns as either the subject or the
object of a clause. Because the noun being replaced doesn't appear in the
sentence, it must be clear from the context.
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Possessive Pronoun
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Example As Subject
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1st person singular
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mine
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Look at these pictures. Mine is the big one.
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2nd person singular
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yours
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I found John's key but I couldn't find yours.
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3rd person singular, male
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his
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All the essays were good but his was the best.
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3rd person singular, female
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hers
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John found his passport but Mary couldn't find hers.
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3rd person singular, neutral
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1st person plural
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ours
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Your photos are good. Ours are terrible.
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2nd person plural
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yours
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Yours are red.
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3rd person plural
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theirs
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These aren't John and Mary's children. Theirs have black
hair.
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Possessive Pronoun
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Example As Object
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1st person singular
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mine
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I like your flowers. Do you like mine?
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2nd person singular
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yours
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My flowers are dying. Yours are lovely.
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3rd person singular, male
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his
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That bag looks like his.
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3rd person singular, female
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hers
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These shoes are not hers.
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3rd person singular, neutral
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1st person plural
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ours
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That car is ours.
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2nd person plural
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yours
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I don't like this family's garden but I like yours.
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3rd person plural
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theirs
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John and Mary don't like your car. Do you like theirs?
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- REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the clause because the
subject of the action is also the direct or indirect object. Only certain types
of verbs can be reflexive. You cannot remove a reflexive pronoun from a
sentence because the remaining sentence would be grammatically incorrect.
Reflexive Pronoun
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Example
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1st person singular
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myself
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I told myself to calm down.
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2nd person singular
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yourself
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You cut yourself on this nail?
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3rd person singular, male
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himself
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He hurt himself on the stairs.
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3rd person singular, female
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herself
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She found herself in a dangerous part of town.
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3rd person singular, neutral
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itself
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The cat threw itself under my car!
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1st person plural
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ourselves
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We blame ourselves for the fire.
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2nd person plural
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yourselves
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You can make yourselves at home.
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3rd person plural
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themselves
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The children can take care of themselves.
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