List of Adjectives

Click here for a list of over 1,100 adjectives. The list of adjectives is something of wonder. Behold the modest adjective. It can leap tall buildings in a single bound. It makes the average citizen smarter and kinder. It keeps you in the cleanest car on the block. Such potent words should be used wisely. Read on and learn how to use your adjective powers for good. An adjective's job is to modify a noun or pronoun. They are always near the noun or pronoun they are describing. Be careful how you use adjectives such as interesting, beautiful, great, wonderful, or exciting. Many adjectives like these are overused and add little definition to a sentence. Instead, show your reader or listener what you are talking about by using verbs and nouns creatively. Sprinkle fewer well-chosen adjectives for interest. Adjectives are often used to describe the degree of modification. The adjective forms are positive, comparative, and superlative. This tree is tall. (positive) That tree is taller. (comparative) The last tree in the row is the tallest. (superlative) A handful of adjectives have irregular forms of positive, comparative, and superlative usage. These include good/better/best, bad/worse/worst, little/less/least, much-many-some/more/most, far/further/furthest. My lunch was good, hers was better, and yours was the best. Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns. They commonly describe something in terms of nationality, religious affiliation, or culture. Like proper nouns, proper adjectives have their first letter capitalized. Some examples of proper adjectives include: American French Japanese Latino Asian Australian Catholic Lutheran Jewish The following lists are just a sampling of adjectives in the English language. They are categorized by the type of attribute they describe. Use your dictionary or thesaurus to add to each list or use the complete list below this one.

Appearance Adjectives adorable beautiful clean drab elegant

Color Adjectives red orange yellow green blue

Condition Adjectives alive better careful clever dead

Feelings (Bad) Adjectives angry bewildered clumsy

fancy glamorous handsome long magnificent old-fashioned plain quaint sparkling ugliest unsightly wide-eyed

purple gray black white

easy famous gifted helpful important inexpensive mushy odd powerful rich shy tender uninterested vast wrong.

defeated embarrassed fierce grumpy helpless itchy jealous lazy mysterious nervous obnoxious panicky repulsive scary thoughtless uptight worried Sound Adjectives cooing deafening faint hissing loud melodic noisy purring quiet raspy screeching thundering voiceless whispering

Feelings (Good) Adjectives agreeable brave calm delightful eager faithful gentle happy jolly kind lively nice obedient proud relieved silly thankful victorious witty zealous Time Adjectives ancient brief

Shape Adjectives broad chubby crooked curved deep flat high hollow low narrow round shallow skinny square steep straight wide.

Size Adjectives big colossal fat gigantic great huge immense large little mammoth massive miniature petite puny scrawny short small tall teeny teeny-tiny tiny

Taste/Touch Adjectives bitter delicious

Touch Adjectives boiling breeze

Quantity Adjectives abundant empty

early fast late long modern old old-fashioned quick rapid short slow swift young

fresh greasy juicy hot icy loose melted nutritious prickly rainy rotten salty sticky strong sweet tart tasteless uneven weak wet wooden yummy

broken bumpy chilly cold cool creepy crooked cuddly curly damaged damp dirty dry dusty filthy flaky fluffy freezing hot warm wet

few full heavy light many numerous sparse substantial

Why do you need a list of adjectives? Adjectives can turn the ordinary in to the extraordinary. When used properly, they can add vivid interest to your conversation or written communication. However, there can be too much of a good thing. Please keep your adjectives effective by choosing them wisely.

Comprehensive List of Adjectives

A aback abaft abandoned abashed aberrant abhorrent abiding abject ablaze able abnormal aboard aboriginal abortive B bad barbarous bashful bawdy beautiful befitting belligerent beneficial bent berserk best better bewildered big C cagey calculating callous calm capable capricious careful careless caring cautious ceaseless certain changeable charming D daffy daily damaged damaging damp dangerous dapper dark dashing dazzling dead deadpan deafening dear E eager early earsplitting earthy easy eatable economic educated efficacious efficient eight elastic elated elderly

abounding abrasive abrupt absent absorbed absorbing abstracted absurd abundant abusive acceptable accessible accidental accurate acid acidic acoustic acrid actually ad hoc adamant adaptable addicted adhesive adjoining adorable adventurous afraid aggressive agonizing agreeable ahead ajar alcoholic alert alike alive alleged alluring aloof amazing ambiguous ambitious amuck amused amusing ancient angry animated

billowy bite-sized bitter bizarre black black-andwhite bloody blue blue-eyed blushing boiling boorish bored boring bouncy boundless brainy brash brave brawny breakable breezy brief bright bright broad broken brown bumpy burly bustling busy

cheap cheerful chemical chief childlike chilly chivalrous chubby chunky clammy classy clean clear clever cloistered cloudy closed clumsy cluttered coherent cold colorful colossal combative comfortable common complete complex concerned condemned confused conscious cooing cool cooperative coordinated courageous cowardly crabby craven crazy creepy crooked crowded cruel cuddly cultured cumbersome curious

debonair decisive decorous deep deeply defeated defective defiant delicate delicious delightful demonic delirious dependent depressed deranged descriptive deserted detailed determined devilish didactic different difficult diligent direful dirty disagreeable disastrous discreet disgusted disgusting disillusioned dispensable distinct disturbed divergent dizzy domineering doubtful drab draconian dramatic dreary drunk dry dull dusty dusty

electric elegant elfin elite embarrassed eminent empty enchanted enchanting encouraging endurable energetic enormous entertaining enthusiastic envious equable equal erect erratic ethereal evanescent evasive even excellent excited exciting exclusive exotic expensive extra-large extra-small exuberant exultant

annoyed annoying anxious apathetic aquatic aromatic arrogant ashamed aspiring assorted astonishing attractive auspicious automatic available average awake aware awesome awful axiomatic

curly curved curvy cut cute cute cynical

dynamic dysfunctional

F fabulous faded faint fair faithful fallacious false familiar famous fanatical fancy fantastic far far-flung fascinated fast fat faulty fearful fearless feeble feigned female

G gabby gainful gamy gaping garrulous gaudy general gentle giant giddy gifted gigantic glamorous gleaming glib glistening glorious glossy godly good goofy gorgeous graceful

H habitual half hallowed halting handsome handsomely handy hanging hapless happy hard hard-to-find harmonious harsh hateful heady healthy heartbreaking heavenly heavy hellish helpful helpless

I icky icy idiotic ignorant ill illegal ill-fated ill-informed illustrious imaginary immense imminent impartial imperfect impolite important imported impossible incandescent incompetent inconclusive industrious incredible

J jaded jagged jazzy jealous jittery jobless jolly joyous judicious juicy jumbled jumpy juvenile

fertile festive few fierce filthy fine finicky first five fixed flagrant flaky flashy flat flawless flimsy flippant flowery fluffy fluttering foamy foolish foregoing forgetful fortunate four frail fragile frantic free freezing frequent fresh fretful friendly frightened frightening full fumbling functional funny furry furtive future futuristic fuzzy

grandiose grateful gratis gray greasy great greedy green grey grieving groovy grotesque grouchy grubby gruesome grumpy guarded guiltless gullible gusty guttural

hesitant hideous high highfalutin high-pitched hilarious hissing historical holistic hollow homeless homely honorable horrible hospitable hot huge hulking humdrum humorous hungry hurried hurt hushed husky hypnotic hysterical

inexpensive infamous innate innocent inquisitive insidious instinctive intelligent interesting internal invincible irate irritating itchy

K kaput keen kind kindhearted kindly knotty knowing knowledgeable known

L labored lackadaisical lacking lame lamentable languid large last late laughable lavish lazy lean learned left legal lethal level lewd light like likeable limping literate little lively lively living lonely long longing long-term loose lopsided loud loutish lovely loving low lowly lucky ludicrous lumpy lush luxuriant lying lyrical

M macabre macho maddening madly magenta magical magnificent majestic makeshift male malicious mammoth maniacal many marked massive married marvelous material materialistic mature mean measly meaty medical meek mellow melodic melted merciful mere messy mighty military milky mindless miniature minor miscreant misty mixed moaning modern moldy momentous motionless mountainous

N naive nappy narrow nasty natural naughty nauseating near neat nebulous necessary needless needy neighborly nervous new next nice nifty nimble nine nippy noiseless noisy nonchalant nondescript nonstop normal nostalgic nosy noxious null numberless numerous nutritious nutty

O oafish obedient obeisant obese obnoxious obscene obsequious observant obsolete obtainable oceanic odd offbeat old old-fashioned omniscient one onerous open opposite optimal orange ordinary organic ossified outgoing outrageous outstanding oval overconfident overjoyed overrated overt overwrought

muddled mundane murky mushy mute mysterious

P painful painstaking pale paltry panicky panoramic parallel parched parsimonious past pastoral pathetic peaceful penitent perfect periodic permissible perpetual petite petite phobic physical picayune pink piquant placid plain plant plastic plausible pleasant plucky pointless poised polite political

Q quack quaint quarrelsome questionable quick quickest quiet quirky quixotic quizzical

R rabid racial ragged rainy rambunctious rampant rapid rare raspy ratty ready real rebel receptive recondite red redundant reflective regular relieved remarkable reminiscent repulsive resolute resonant responsible rhetorical rich right righteous rightful rigid ripe ritzy roasted robust

S sable sad safe salty same sassy satisfying savory scandalous scarce scared scary scattered scientific scintillating scrawny screeching second second-hand secret secretive sedate seemly selective selfish separate serious shaggy shaky shallow sharp shiny shivering shocking short shrill

T taboo tacit tacky talented tall tame tan tangible tangy tart tasteful tasteless tasty tawdry tearful tedious teeny teeny-tiny telling temporary ten tender tense tense tenuous terrible terrific tested testy thankful therapeutic thick thin thinkable third thirsty

poor possessive possible powerful precious premium present pretty previous pricey prickly private probable productive profuse protective proud psychedelic psychotic public puffy pumped puny purple purring pushy puzzled puzzling

romantic roomy rotten rough round royal ruddy rude rural rustic ruthless

shut shy sick silent silent silky silly simple simplistic sincere six skillful skinny sleepy slim slimy slippery sloppy slow small smart smelly smiling smoggy smooth sneaky snobbish snotty soft soggy solid somber sophisticated sordid sore sore sour sparkling special spectacular spicy spiffy spiky spiritual spiteful splendid spooky spotless spotted

thirsty thoughtful thoughtless threatening three thundering tidy tight tightfisted tiny tired tiresome toothsome torpid tough towering tranquil trashy tremendous tricky trite troubled truculent true truthful two typical

spotty spurious squalid square squealing squeamish staking stale standing statuesque steadfast steady steep stereotyped sticky stiff stimulating stingy stormy straight strange striped strong stupendous stupid sturdy subdued subsequent substantial successful succinct sudden sulky super superb superficial supreme swanky sweet sweltering swift symptomatic synonymous

ubiquitous ugliest ugly ultra unable unaccountable unadvised unarmed unbecoming unbiased uncovered understood undesirable unequal unequaled uneven unhealthy uninterested unique unkempt unknown unnatural unruly unsightly unsuitable untidy unused unusual unwieldy unwritten upbeat uppity upset uptight used useful useless utopian utter uttermost

vacuous vagabond vague valuable various vast vengeful venomous verdant versed victorious vigorous violent violet vivacious voiceless volatile voracious vulgar

wacky waggish waiting wakeful wandering wanting warlike warm wary wasteful watery weak wealthy weary wellgroomed well-made well-off well-to-do wet whimsical whispering white whole wholesale wicked wide wide-eyed wiggly wild willing windy wiry wise wistful witty woebegone womanly wonderful wooden woozy workable worried worthless wrathful wretched wrong wry

List of Prepositions
You think you don't need a list of prepositions? Would you know a preposition if you met one? Click here for our "huge list of prepositions". English speakers use prepositions in both formal and everyday communication. Without them, the English language would sound short and choppy. If you have a child starting grammar lessons, read through the list of prepositions and take a quick refresher class on prepositions. Prepositions connect nouns, pronouns, and phrases with other words in a sentence. It gives information about location, direction, space, or time. Prepositions are usually part of a phrase because they often have a noun or pronoun after them. Here are two examples of prepositions in sentences. The dog jumped over the fence. I will go to the doctor. The main job of prepositions is to create relationships between words. How is the dog related to the fence? It jumped over the fence. How am I related to the doctor? I am going to the doctor Prepositional phrases can also act like adverbs or adjectives. Remember that adverbs describe verbs (actions and being), and adjectives describe nouns and pronouns (ideas, people, places, and things). As an adverb - The children crossed the street with caution. The prepositional phrase "with caution" describes the way the children crossed the street. As an adjective - He lives in the house with the red roof. The prepositional phrase "with the red roof" describes the house in a specific way. Children will see prepositions in their early reader books. In Kindergarten and first grade, children are focused on word recognition and reading skills. Basic sentence structure is taught, but it is too early for children that young to learn parts of speech. Below is a list of prepositions new readers can recognize easily:

List of Basic Prepositions

as at but by down for from in into like near next of off on onto out over past plus

minus since than to up with

As children develop their reading skills, they will learn the spelling and definitions of more complex words. They are introduced to prepositions and other parts of speech between the second and fourth grade. The following list shows some more advanced prepositions:

List of Advanced Prepositions

aboard about above across after against along around before behind below beneath beside between beyond during except following inside minus onto opposite outside round since through toward under underneath unlike until upon without Older elementary and middle school students are exposed to a variety of prepositions. This includes compound words and single words used in complex sentences. according to along with alongside among

apart from as for atop because of by means of concerning despite except for in addition to in back of in case of in front of in place of in spite of instead of on top of out of regarding throughout till up to via within worth Of course, the English language is full of exceptions. Some prepositions seem to break the rules, yet make sense in everyday language. These are called idioms. A few common examples include the following:

List of Idioms
according to capable of familiar with impatient with rewarded for superior to Prepositions are not always easy to identify in spoken and written language. However, they play a big part in making the English language colorful and interesting. Use this list of prepositions as a quick guide to help your student learn about prepositions.

List of the Most Common Prepositions

A through D aboard about above

E through M except excepting

N through R near next

S through W save since

absent across after against along alongside amid amidst among anti around as at atop

excluding of off on on top of onto opposite out of outside over than through till times to toward towards

following for from

in in front of inside instead of into

past per plus

before behind below beneath beside besides between beyond but by

like regarding round

under underneath unlike until up upon

mid minus

versus via

with within without

concerning considering

despite down during

List of Nouns
Using a list of nouns when children are beginning to read is helpful in making teaching easier. Nouns are one of the first parts of speech that children learn when they begin to read. Use the following list of nouns for each age group to help your child learn about the ideas things, people and places that surround them.

Kinds of Nouns in the English Language

Nouns have different types or classes. There are proper and common nouns,noncount and count nounts, collective nouns, and concrete and abstract nouns. Even though there are different kinds of nouns, a noun can fall into more than one class. An example of this would be: Kathleen dated three different Davids in college. Davids in that sentence would fall into the classes of proper, count and concrete. To further explain the kinds of nouns, you can use this guide and remember thatthe lists of nouns below contain all of these types : KINDS OF NOUNS Proper Nouns and Common Nouns Proper nouns are nouns that represent a unique entity (like a specific person or a specific place). Common nouns which describe an entire group of entities (examples would be the nouns village or women). Proper nouns as a general rule are capitalized in the English language. Common nouns as a general rule are not capitalized. Sometimes the same word can function as both a common noun and a proper noun, where one such entity is special. For example the common noun god refers to all deities, while the proper noun God specifically refers to the monotheistic God.

Countable and Uncountable or Noncount Nouns Countable nouns are common nouns that can become a plural. They can combine with exact numbers (even one, as a singular) or indefinite numbers (like "a" or "an"). Uncountable (or noncount) nouns are different from by the simple fact that they can't become plural or combine with number words. Examples from English include "indigestion" and "furniture".

Collective Nouns Collective nouns name groups consisting of more than one individual or entity. The group is a single unit, but it has more than one member. Examples include "family", "committee", "corporation","faculty", "army", and "school".

Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns Concrete nouns refer to their ability to register on your five senses. If you can see, hear, smell, taste, or feel the item, it's a concrete noun.

Abstract nouns on the other hand refer to abstract objects such as ideas or concepts, like the nouns "politeness" or "hatefulness".

Possessive Nouns A possessive noun is a noun that names who or what has something. The possessive form is used with nouns referring to people, groups of people, countries, and animals. It also refers to where someone works or plays or spends their time. Add an apostrophe and s ('s) to form the possessive of most singular nouns (ex. Bob's jacket, the cat's tail, Steven King's books). Add an apostrophe (') to form the possessive of plural nouns that end with s (ex. retailers' stores, soldiers' weapons, Americans' banks). Add an apostrophe and s ('s) to form the possessive of plural nouns that do not end with s (ex. geese's nest, children's toys, women's dresses).

Common Nouns by Grade Level

Kindergarten 1st Grade ball bat apple bed arm book banana boy bike bun bird can book cake chin cap clam car class cat clover cow club cub corn cup crayon dad crow day crown dog crowd doll crib dust desk fan dime feet dirt girl dress gun fang hall field

2nd Grade alarm animal aunt bait balloon bath bead beam bean bedroom boot bread brick brother camp chicken children crook deer dock doctor downtown drum dust

3rd Grade actor airplane airport army baseball beef birthday boy brush bushes butter cast cave cent cherries cherry cobweb coil cracker dinner eggnog elbow face

4th Grade 5th Grade advice anger answer apple arithmetic badge basket basketball battle beast beetle beggar brain branch bubble bucket cactus cannon cattle celery cellar cloth coach coast able achieve acoustics action activity aftermath afternoon afterthought apparel appliance beginner believe bomb border boundary breakfast cabbage cable calculator calendar caption carpenter cemetery channel

hat hen jar kite man map men mom pan pet pie pig pot rat son sun toe tub van

flag flower fog game heat hill home horn hose joke juice kite lake maid mask mice milk mint meal meat moon mother morning name nest nose pear pen pencil plant rain river road rock room rose seed shape shoe shop show sink snail snake snow soda sofa star step

eye family father fight flesh food frog goose grade grandfather grandmother grape grass hook horse jail jam kiss kitten light loaf lock lunch lunchroom meal mother notebook owl pail parent park plot rabbit rake robin sack sail scale sea sister soap song spark space spoon spot spy summer tiger

fireman flavor gate glove glue goldfish goose grain hair haircut hobbies holiday hot jellyfish ladybug mailbox number oatmeal pail pancake pear pest popcorn queen quicksand quiet quilt rainstorm scarecrow scarf stream street sugar throne toothpaste twig volleyball wood wrench

crate cream daughter donkey drug earthquake feast fifth finger flock frame furniture geese ghost giraffe governor honey hope hydrant icicle income island jeans judge lace lamp lettuce marble month north ocean patch plane playground poison riddle rifle scale seashore sheet sidewalk skate slave sleet smoke stage station thrill throat

circle creator creature education faucet feather friction fruit fuel galley guide guitar health heart idea kitten laborer language lawyer linen locket lumber magic minister mitten money mountain music partner passenger pickle picture plantation plastic pleasure pocket police pollution railway recess reward route scene scent squirrel stranger suit sweater temper

stew stove straw string summer swing table tank team tent test toes tree vest water wing winter woman women

toad town trail tramp tray trick trip uncle vase winter water week wheel wish wool yard zebra

throne title toothbrush turkey underwear vacation vegetable visitor voyage year

territory texture thread treatment veil vein volcano wealth weather wilderness wren wrist writer

List of Common Nouns for Various Ages

A able able account achieve acoustics act action activity actor addition adjustment advertisement advice aftermath afternoon afterthought agreement air airplane airport B babies baby back badge bag bait balance ball balloon balls banana band base baseball basin basket basketball bat bath battle C cabbage cable cactus cake cakes calculator calendar camera camp can cannon canvas cap caption car card care carpenter carriage cars D dad daughter day death debt decision deer degree design desire desk destruction detail development digestion dime dinner dinosaurs direction dirt E ear earth earthquake edge education effect egg eggnog eggs elbow end engine error event example exchange existence expansion experience expert

alarm amount amusement anger angle animal answer ant ants apparatus apparel apple apples appliance approval arch argument arithmetic arm army art attack attempt attention attraction aunt authority

bead beam bean bear bears beast bed bedroom beds bee beef beetle beggar beginner behavior belief believe bell bells berry bike bikes bird birds birth birthday bit bite blade blood blow board boat boats body bomb bone book books boot border bottle boundary box boy boys brain brake branch

cart cast cat cats cattle cause cave celery cellar cemetery cent chain chair chairs chalk chance change channel cheese cherries cherry chess chicken chickens children chin church circle clam class clock clocks cloth cloud clouds clover club coach coal coast coat cobweb coil collar color comb comfort committee company

discovery discussion disease disgust distance distribution division dock doctor dog dogs doll dolls donkey door downtown drain drawer dress drink driving drop drug drum duck ducks dust

eye eyes

brass bread breakfast breath brick bridge brother brothers brush bubble bucket building bulb bun burn burst bushes business butter button

comparison competition condition connection control cook copper copy cord cork corn cough country cover cow cows crack cracker crate crayon cream creator creature credit crib crime crook crow crowd crown crush cry cub cup current curtain curve cushion H hair haircut hall hammer hand hands harbor harmony hat I ice icicle idea impulse income increase industry ink insect J jail jam jar jeans jelly jellyfish jewel join joke

F face fact fairies fall family fan fang farm farmer

G alley game garden gate geese ghost giants giraffe girl

father father faucet fear feast feather feeling feet fiction field fifth fight finger finger fire fireman fish flag flame flavor flesh flight flock floor flower flowers fly fog fold food foot force fork form fowl frame friction friend friends frog frogs front fruit fuel furniture K kettle key

girls glass glove glue goat gold goldfish good-bye goose government governor grade grain grandfather grandmother grape grass grip ground group growth guide guitar gun

hate head health hearing heart heat help hen hill history hobbies hole holiday home honey hook hope horn horse horses hose hospital hot hour house houses humor hydrant

instrument insurance interest invention iron island

journey judge juice jump

L laborer lace

M machine magic

N nail name

O oatmeal observation

kick kiss kite kitten kittens kitty knee knife knot knowledge

ladybug lake lamp land language laugh lawyer lead leaf learning leather leg legs letter letters lettuce level library lift light limit line linen lip liquid list lizards loaf lock locket look loss love low lumber lunch lunchroom

maid mailbox man manager map marble mark market mask mass match meal measure meat meeting memory men metal mice middle milk mind mine minister mint minute mist mitten mom money monkey month moon morning mother motion mountain mouth move muscle music R rabbit rabbits rail railway rain rainstorm

nation neck need needle nerve nest net news night noise north nose note notebook number nut

ocean offer office oil operation opinion orange oranges order organization ornament oven owl owner

P page pail pain paint pan pancake

Q quarter quartz queen question quicksand quiet

S sack sail salt sand scale scarecrow

T table tail talk tank taste tax

paper parcel parent park part partner party passenger paste patch payment peace pear pen pencil person pest pet pets pickle picture pie pies pig pigs pin pipe pizzas place plane planes plant plantation plants plastic plate play playground pleasure plot plough pocket point poison police polish pollution popcorn porter

quill quilt quince quiver

rake range rat rate ray reaction reading reason receipt recess record regret relation religion representative request respect rest reward rhythm rice riddle rifle ring rings river road robin rock rod roll roof room root rose route rub rule run

scarf scene scent school science scissors screw sea seashore seat secretary seed selection self sense servant shade shake shame shape sheep sheet shelf ship shirt shock shoe shoes shop show side sidewalk sign silk silver sink sister sisters size skate skin skirt sky slave sleep sleet slip slope smash

teaching team teeth temper tendency tent territory test texture theory thing things thought thread thrill throat throne thumb thunder ticket tiger time tin title toad toe toes tomatoes tongue tooth toothbrush toothpaste top touch town toy toys trade trail train trains tramp transport tray treatment tree trees trick trip

position pot potato powder power price print prison process produce profit property prose protest pull pump punishment purpose push

smell smile smoke snail snails snake snakes sneeze snow soap society sock soda sofa son song songs sort sound soup space spade spark spiders sponge spoon spot spring spy square squirrel stage stamp star start statement station steam steel stem step stew stick sticks stitch stocking stomach stone stop

trouble trousers truck trucks tub turkey turn twig twist

store story stove stranger straw stream street stretch string structure substance sugar suggestion suit summer sun support surprise sweater swim swing system

U umbrella uncle underwear unit use

V vacation value van vase vegetable veil vein verse vessel vest view visitor voice volcano volleyball voyage

W walk wall war wash waste watch water wave waves wax way wealth weather week weight wheel whip whistle wilderness wind window wine

Y yak yam yard yarn year yoke

Z zebra zephyr zinc zipper zo

wing winter wire wish woman women wood wool word work worm wound wren wrench wrist writer writing

What is a Pronoun?
For a complete list of pronouns, click here for the "big pronoun list". Pronouns are the stunt doubles of the English language. They keep communication going with or without the nouns. Pronouns come in to keep nouns from getting repetitive or when nouns are not clearly known. They do more work than you think, so read on to learn about them. Subject and object pronouns are used in everyday language. However, it can be tricky to remember which is which. The subject always takes action. The object is part of the activity, but it does not do any acting. Here is an example: Shelby likes talking to Marvin. Shelby is the subject; she is liking and talking. Marvin is the object; all the liking and talking is done to Marvin but not by Marvin. Subject and object pronouns function in the same way. Subject pronouns include I, you, he, she, it, they, we. Object pronouns include me, you, him, her, it, us, them. See the following examples: Subject I might see you later. You have to come now. She lives in Nebraska. He makes me angry It just might work. They caught the last train. We can t see the end. Object

Sarah hit me on the arm. I need to tell you something. Larry took him aside. The message wasn t for her. Take it to the store. Summer is fun for us. Margaret took them downstairs. Possessive pronouns show who owns something described in a sentence. They include mine, his, hers, its, ours, yours, their, and theirs. Possessive adjectives are similar to possessive pronouns. However, the possessive adjective comes before the object of the sentence; the possessive pronoun is the object of the sentence. See the difference here: That is my dog. (possessive adjective, before the object dog ) The dog is mine. (possessive pronoun, which is the object) Intensive pronouns and reflexive pronouns look the same. However, they act differently in a sentence. Intensive pronouns put an emphasis on other pronouns or nouns. Reflexive pronouns rename the subject in a sentence. Look at the following examples: Intensive pronoun She herself will go to the bank. (herself emphasizes the pronoun she) Reflexive pronoun She cut herself on the arm. (herself renames the pronoun she) Intensive and reflexive pronouns include: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves. Demonstrative pronouns refer to things in relation to distance. This and these refer to things that are close by. That and those refer to things farther away. This is your shirt. That is my house on the corner. These good friends are sitting next to me. Those roads in the next town are bumpy. Indefinite pronouns replace nouns that are not specified. They include the following: all, another, any, anybody, anyone, anything, both, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, few, many, neither, nobody, none, no one, nothing, one, several, some, somebody, someone, and something. Read the example sentences for a better understanding. We gave everything to the homeless shelter All were sad to see the children go. Give a present to each as they come in. Interrogative pronouns are used to ask a question. They include who, whom, what, which, whose, whoever, whomever, whatever, and whichever. Consider the example sentences below: Which of these do you like best? Who was just in this room? Whatever happens next, I am prepared. Relative pronouns connect (relate) noun or pronoun clauses with other parts of a sentence. They include who, whom, what, which, whose, whoever, whomever, whatever, whichever, and that. See how these are used in the sentences below. The paper that she just wrote is due tomorrow. Learning is easier for people who have a good teacher. Whoever leaves the room needs to turn off the light.

Pronouns do a lot in the English language, don't they? They are the no-name workhorses, jumping in for the superstar nouns when they get exhausted. Hey, someone's got to do something about the work nobody wants to do!

A through H
A

I through O
I

S through Y
S

all another any anybody anyone anything

I it its itself

several she some somebody someone something

L B

little

both
M E

each each other either everybody everyone everything

many me mine more most much my myself

that their theirs them themselves these they this those

U N F

us

few

neither no one nobody none nothing

he

we what whatever which whichever who

her hers herself him himself his

one one another other others our ours ourselves

whoever whom whomever whose

you your yours yourself yourselves