Definition
A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun.
- Amit is absent because he is ill.
Kinds of Pronoun
1) Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns are those which stand for three persons. Grammar knows:
- First Person: the person speaking. Pronouns used: I, we.
- Second Person: the person spoken to. Pronoun used: you.
- Third Person: the persons other than the above two. Pronouns used: He, she, it, they.
Rule: A personal pronoun must be of the same number, gender and person as the noun for which it stands.
Every man must love their own country.
Every man must love his own country.
Rule: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.
I am not one of those who believe everything I see.
I am not one of those who believe everything they see.
Rule: When a pronoun stands for a collective noun, it must be in the neuter gender and
- singular number, if the collective noun is viewed as a whole.
- plural number, if the collective noun conveys the idea of separate individuals.
The committee decided the matter without leaving its seats.
The committee decided the matter without leaving their seats.
Rule: When two or more singular nouns are joined by and refer to
- separate persons, the pronoun used for them must be plural.
- the same person, the pronoun used for them must be singular.
Both Manas and Appu showed his fondness for his father.
Both Manas and Appu showed their fondness for their father.
Rule: When two singular nouns joined by and are preceded by each or every, the pronoun must be singular.
Every teacher and every student got their dress ready.
Every teacher and every student got his dress ready.
Rule: When two or more singular nouns are joined by or, either... or or neither... nor, the pronoun is generally singular.
Neither Mani nor Guni has brought their identity card.
Neither Mani nor Guni has brought his identity card.
The 123 rule of joint pronoun
When a pronoun refers to more than one noun or pronoun of different persons, it must be of the first person plural in preference to the second, and of the second person plural in preference to the third.
You and I, husband and wife, have to look after your home.
You and I, husband and wife, have to look after our home.
123 is a shorthand to remember the above rule — 1 for first person, 2 for second, 3 for third.
231 manners
Generally the second person should come before the third and the third person before the first.
I, you and he had forgotten our roots.
You, he and I had forgotten our roots.
Rule: When expressing a negative idea the sequence of personal pronouns should be 123.
you, I and he are guilty of committing theft.
I, you and he are guilty of committing theft.
Rule: The complement of the verb “to be”, when it is expressed by a pronoun, should be in the nominative case.
It is him whom we are looking for.
It is he whom we are looking for.
Rule: If a pronoun is used as the object of a verb or of a preposition, it should be in the objective case.
Let you and I take a dip into holy water.
Let you and me take a dip into holy water.
2) Reflexive Pronouns
When the action done by the subject reflects or turns back upon the subject. The subject and the object refer to the same person or thing.
- He killed himself.
- Emphatic pronouns: For emphasis — I myself went to finalise the deal.
Rule: When the following verbs are used reflexively a reflexive pronoun must be put after them:
absent, acquit, apply, avail, enjoy, exert, forget, over-reach, pride, resign.
I absented from the class.
I absented myself from the class.
Rule: The following verbs are usually not followed by a reflexive pronoun:
bathe, break, burst, feed, form, gather, hide, keep, lengthen, make, move, open, qualify, rest, roll, speed, steal, stop, turn.
I bathed myself in the river.
I bathed in the river.
Rule: A reflexive pronoun can not be used as a substitute for the subject.
Mohan and myself decided to join politics.
Mohan and I decided to join politics.
3) Demonstrative Pronouns
Pronouns that are used to point out the objects to which they refer, e.g., this, these, that, those, such.
- This is a book.
Rule: When two things already mentioned are referred to, “this” refers to the thing last mentioned, “that” to the first mentioned.
India and England shared a relationship of exploitation; this was the slave and that the master.
India and England shared a relationship of exploitation; this was the master and that the slave.
Rule: “It” comes before the phrase/clause it refers to; “this” follows the phrase/clause it refers to.
This is true that bell-bottoms were once in fashion.
It is true that bell-bottoms were once in fashion.
4) Indefinite Pronouns
Refers to a person or a thing in a general way, not to any person or thing in particular: one, none, all, some, somebody, nobody, few, many, any, other, anybody, anyone, everyone.
They say India will reach on top of the world one day. they is an indefinite pronoun.
Rule: In referring to anybody, everybody, everyone, anyone, each etc., the pronoun he or she is used according to the context. When not talking categorically of females, the masculine pronoun is used.
Each can buy whatever she wants with her own money.
Each can buy whatever he wants with his own money.
Rule: The indefinite pronoun “one” should be used throughout, if used at all.
One should take care of his house.
One should take care of one's house.
Rule: None is used in the singular or plural as the sense may require.
Each boy was accompained by an adult but there were none with the orphan.
Each boy was accompained by an adult but there was none with the orphan.
Rule: Anyone should be used when more than two persons or things are spoken of.
I could not meet either of my three brothers at home.
I could not meet anyone of my three brothers at home.
5) Distributive Pronouns
Refer to persons or things one at a time: each, either, neither.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| each | everyone of a number of persons or things taken singly |
| either | the one or the other of two |
| neither | not the one nor the other of two |
Rule: A distributive pronoun is used as a singular.
Either of the choices fit the answer.
Either of the choices fits the answer.
Rule: Each may come after the object of the verb only if the object contains a number.
The boys narrated stories each.
Each of the boys narrated stories.
6) Relative Pronouns
Refers or relates to some noun going before (its antecedent) and also connects two statements. Example: She worked in the kitchen which was like a bedroom.
Rule: The relative pronoun “that” has the same form in the singular and the plural.
They those worship money only are deprived of life's other rewards.
They that worship money only are deprived of life's other rewards.
Rule: That may be used as an adverbial accusative meaning on which, in which or at which.
I remember the day which he came.
I remember the day which he came on. or, I remember the day that he came.
Rule: “That” is preferred to who/which
- after adjectives in the superlative degree.
- after all, same, any, none, nothing, only.
- after interrogative pronouns who, what.
- after antecedents, one denoting a person and the other an animal or a thing.
It was the best food which we ever tasted.
It was the best food that we ever tasted.
Rule: The word but after a negative often has the force of a relative pronoun and is equivalent to who... not / which... not.
There is no city but does not have a huge population.
There is no city but has a huge population.
Rule: As the relative pronoun refers to a noun or pronoun, it must be of the same number and person as its antecedent.
I, who is your captain, shall never desert you.
I, who am your captain, shall never desert you.
Rule: The case of the relative pronoun depends upon its relation to the verb in the clause in which it occurs.
I was the boy whom they thought committed the theft.
I was the boy who, they thought, committed the theft.
Rule: If a relative pronoun is used in both subjective and objective cases, we cannot put one pronoun in place of two.
I have an uncle who I love and is a management guru.
I have an uncle whom I love and who is a management guru.
Rule: The relative pronoun should be placed as near as possible to its antecedent.
The office was located in the heart of the town which had state-of-the-art interior decoration.
The office which had state-of-the-art interior decoration, was located in the heart of the town.
Rule: No conjunctions should be placed before the relative pronoun except to join together two relative clauses referring to the same antecedent.
He had a cow, and which gave him milk.
He had a cow, which gave him milk.
Rule: A pronoun (or noun) in the possessive case should not be used as the antecedent to a relative pronoun.
India became dependant on his batting who scored runs with a passion.
India became dependant on batting of him who scored runs with a passion.
Rule: The relative pronoun is sometimes wrongly omitted when it is the subject of a clause.
He has a resilience would see him through anything.
He has a resilience that would see him through anything.
Rule: The relative pronoun “what” is used without an antecedent.
I mean that what I say.
I mean what I say.
Rule: When the antecedent is the same, the consequent should be as or that; when the antecedent is such, the consequent should be as.
The book was such that he could read.
The book was such as he could read.
Rule: Pronoun of the third person plural should not be used as antecedent to who and that.
They who are students of the school need not buy tickets.
Those who are students of the school need not buy tickets.
7) Interrogative Pronouns
The pronouns used for asking questions are called interrogative pronouns.
Rule: Which implies selection concerning a limited number; used of both persons and things.
What of the pictures do you like best?
Which of the pictures do you like best?
