KINDS OF
PRONOUNS
IDENTIFYING PRONOUNS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
The What & Why of
Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that replaces or refers to a noun

Used to avoid repetition

Antecedent= is the noun that the pronoun replaces or refers to
(ante, before; cedo, go)
EXAMPLE: Juan is my cousin. He (Juan) is in your English class.

Juan = antecedent. He = pronoun.
7 KINDS OF PRONOUNS
1.
PERSONAL = refers to persons, (he, she, us)
2.
REFLEXIVE = refers back to the subject (himself)
3.
INTENSIVE = emphasizes the subject (myself)
4.
DEMONSTRATIVE = points to with gesture (that)
5.
INDEFINITE = has no definite antecedent (someone, all, some,
many)
6.
INTERROGATIVE = question words, who
7.
RELATIVE = relates 2 sentences (which)
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
have
SINGULAR
1st person
 I, me, my
2nd person
 you, you, your
3rd person

he, him, his
she, her, her
it, it, its
PLURAL
1st person
 we, us, our
2nd person
 you, you, your
3rd person

they, them, their
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
HAVE GENDER
MASCULINE
FEMININE
NEUTRAL
He
She
It, its
Him, his
Her,hers
himself
herself
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
also have
SUBJECTIVE CASE:
Are used in place of
subjects and
predicate nominatives
in sentences
1st person
 I or we
2nd person
 you
3rd person
 he, she, it
them
OBJECTIVE CASE
PROUNOUNS;
Are used in place of
words in the objective
case in sentences
1st person
us
2nd person
 you
3rd person
 them
PRONOUNS MUST AGREE IN
NUMBER, GENDER, AND CASE
 WRONG

She (Molly) could
not get (Molly’s)
HIS car to start.
(Disagreement in
gender)


RIGHT

She (Molly) could
not get (Molly’s)
HER car to start.
John and ME went
to the store. (error
in case)

John and I went to
the store.
One of the girls left
their sweater
there.
(disagreement in
number)

One of the girls left
her sweater there.
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS--reflect
back to the subject of a sentence.

I saw myself in the
mirror.

Kim wrote a note
to herself.

Dick shot himself
on the foot.

They served
themselves last.
INTENSIVE PRONOUN
An intensive pronoun emphasizes its antecedent.

I myself saw him.

She herself organized the concert.

The president himself has denied the rumor.
DEMONSTRATIVE
PRONOUNS
POINT OUT SPECIFIC
PERSONS / THINGS

I hate this.

Did Megan give you that?

She wants these.

Will you be using those?
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
 Some
like it
But here, these
hot.
are used as
Indefinite
 None wants it
adjectives:
cold.
 All are happy. Some people
like it cold.
 All are equal,
but some are All animals are
equal, but
more equal
some animals
than others.
are more
equal.
PROBLEMS WITH
PRONOUNS

Everyone and Everybody are always
SINGULAR!!

MOST, SOME, MUCH AND OTHER
PRONOUNS LIKE THESE DEPEND ON THE
ANTECEDENT TO DETERMINE NUMBER AND
AGREEMENT:
FOR EXAMPLE:

SOME OF THE BUTTER IS LEFT.

SOME OF THE GIRLS ARE STILL HERE.
PROBLEMS WITH
The story was exciting, but
PRONOUNS
they didn't explain what

happened at the end.
AMBIGUOUS
(unclear)
REFERENCE

William was very angry with
Jonathan, but no one knew
what he had said.

The catalog says that you
must pay all fees by May.

I saw the ad in the paper,
but now I can't find it.

If they do not do something
about Syria, we may find
ourselves in a war.
INTERROGATIVE
PRONOUNS
PRONOUNS USED TO INTRODUCE
QUESTIONS:

What is the answer to the last question?

Whose book is this?

Who are you?

Whom did you send to the store?
Who, Whom, Whose, What, When, Where,
RELATIVE PRONOUNS ARE


RELATIVE PRONOUN
RELATES TO A
PRECEDING WORD
(ANTECEDENT) AND
JOINS TO IT A
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
She is a woman.
2 JOBS: A PRONOUN
+ A CONNECTOR
It is historical landmark.
She runs for mayor.

She is the woman,
who runs for mayor.
You saw the house.

The house that you
saw is a historical
landmark.
Summary
7 KINDS OF PRONOUNS

PERSONAL = REFERS TO PERSONS

REFLEXIVE = ACTION BACK TO SUBJECT

INTENSIVE = EMPHASIZES ACTION

DEMONSTRATIVE = POINTS WITH A GESTURE

INDEFINITE = UNSURE SOME OR FEW

INTERROGATIVE = QUESTION WORDS

RELATIVE = JOINS SENTENCES