Grammar 65
Types of Pronouns
E11 Pernoon
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YOU NEED TO KNOW 7
TYPES
Personal
Reflexive
Intensive
Demonstrative
Interrogative
Indefinite
Relative
Personal
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Personal pronouns represent specific
people or things. We use them
depending on:
number: singular (eg: I) or plural (eg:
we)
person: 1st person (eg: I), 2nd person
(eg: you) or 3rd person (eg: he)
gender: male (eg: he), female (eg: she)
or neuter (eg: it)
case: subject (eg: we) or object (eg: us)
Personal
“It was there I learned the power of words,”
says Julia Ortiz Cofer of her
grandmother’s storytelling sessions in
Puerto Rico.
(I is the subject of the verb learned; her
shows possession.)
Reflexive
We use a reflexive pronoun when we want
to refer back to the subject of the sentence
or clause.
Reflexive pronouns end in "-self" (singular)
or "-selves" (plural).
Reflexive
Reflexive
Then she taught herself English by
reading. (Herself is the object of the verb)
Intensive
•  Intensive pronouns are pronouns used to
put an emphasis on a statement. An
intensive pronoun uses a form similar to
reflexive pronouns.
•  However, the two are different because
the sentence will still make sense if the
intensive pronoun is taken out.
Intensive
Ortiz Cofer herself began writing poetry in
English.
(Herself is in apposition to the subject.)
Demonstrative
A demonstrative pronoun represents a
thing or things near in distance or time
(this, these) far in distance or time (that,
those)
Demonstrative
This is an example of her great skill.
(This is the subject.)
Interrogative
We use interrogative pronouns to ask
questions. The interrogative pronoun
represents the thing that we don't know (what
we are asking the question about).
There are four main interrogative pronouns:
who, whom, what, which
Interrogative
Notice that the possessive pronoun
whose can also be an interrogative
pronoun (an interrogative possessive
pronoun).
Interrogative
Who is the Patroness of Exiles?
(Who asks a question.)
Indefinite
An indefinite pronoun does not refer to any
specific person, thing or amount. It is
vague and not definite. Some typical
indefinite pronouns are:
all, another, any, anybody/anyone,
anything, each, everybody/everyone,
everything, few, many, nobody, none, one,
several, some, somebody/someone
Indefinite
All of the Cubans came to the store to
hear Spanish spoken.
(All is the subject.)
Relative
A relative pronoun is a pronoun that introduces a
relative clause. It is called a ‘relative’ pronoun
because it ‘relates’ to the word that it modifies.
Here is an example:
Example: The person who phoned me last night is
my teacher.
In the above example, "who” relates to "person,”
which it modifies introduces the relative clause
"who phoned me last night."
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Relative
She is a woman who spends her days
selling memories.
(Who refers to a woman.)
Relative
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There are five relative pronouns: who, whom,
whose, which, & that
Who (subject) and whom (object) are generally only
for people.
Whose is for possession.
Which is for things.
In non-defining relative clauses, that is used for
things.
In defining relative clauses (clauses that are
essential to the sentence and do not simply add
extra information) that can be used for things and
people.
Exercise: Identifying Pronouns
1.  In the neighborhood of The Latin Deli: An
Ars Poetica, the bodega itself is a haven
for Hispanic shoppers.
2. They come to the comfort themselves in
the presence of the Patroness of Exiles
and the foods that they love.
3. What does everyone expect?
Answers
1.  In the neighborhood of The Latin Deli: An
Ars Poetica, the bodega itself (intensive) is
a haven for Hispanic shoppers.
2. They (personal) come to the comfort
themselves (reflexive) in the presence of
the Patroness of Exiles and the foods that
they (personal) love.
3. What (interrogative) does everyone
(indefinite) expect?