Pronoun

Definition

• A pronoun is word which

substitutes a noun or noun
phrase and avoids the repetition
of it. So, a pronoun is used
instead of a noun which is
already used in a sentence.
 1-Personal Pronouns

• Personal pronouns are used to

stand for persons. They are
divided into three other parts.
 Case of Personal Pronoun
A- Subjective Pronouns:

A pronoun which is used as the subject of a

verb in a sentence is called Subjective
pronoun. It is also called Nominative Pronoun.
E.g. I killed a snake.
He plucks a flower.
They won the match.
 B- Objective Pronouns:

These pronouns are used to replace objective or

accusative nouns, so they are called accusative
pronouns too.
E.g.
I saw him yesterday.
Ali gave a red rose to her.
Please give me your book.
 C: Possessive Pronouns

• A pronoun that indicates possession,

ownership or close relationship between the
nouns it represents
Examples:
That is my book.
The painting was theirs.
It is your cat.
 2-Demonstrative Pronouns

These pronouns are used to point out the

person(s) or thing(s) they refer. They are
divided into two parts which are: Definite
Demonstrative Pronouns and Indefinite
Demonstrative Pronouns.
 A: Definite Demonstrative Pronouns

These pronouns are used to replace the nouns,

which are definite to the listener. They are :
This, that, these, those, the former, the later, one,
ones, such, the same, none.
Note:
a-None and such can replace singular and plural
nouns
Ex: None but Ali goes to the party.
None go the party.
B- The former and the later :
When we want to tell some thing about two already mentioned things,
we use the former in place of the first noun and the later in place of
the second.
Ex: Ahmad and Ali are two talented teachers. The former is bad
tempered but the later is kind.

C-One and Ones: They are used to replace countable nouns. One is
used instead of singular countable nouns and ones is used instead
plural nouns.
Examples:
One book is enough for her.
My books are boring but the ones you bought are interesting.
d-The same:
– The baby was crying. Whatever she did, he tried to do the same.
 B: Indefinite Demonstratives:

These pronouns replace indefinite nouns, which are

not specific, but the listener or reader can
understand them from the context or speech.
Examples:
Everybody must attend the meeting in the due
time.
They say he is dishonest.
We sometimes tell a lie and don’t know the
reason.
One should try not to lie.
 3- Distributive Pronouns

Distributive pronouns are (both, each, either ad

neither). They distribute persons or things one at
a time.
a- Both means (one and the other). It takes a plural
verb e.g.
Both were present.
b- Each means (a number of things or persons
considered individually). It takes a singular verb.
E.g.
Each knows it.
Either means (one of two)
e.g.
Either will do it for me.
d- Neither means (not one and not the other).it
is followed by an affirmative verb.
E.g. I tried both keys but neither worked.
 4-Interrogative Pronouns

These pronouns are (what, who, whose, which, whom). It

should be noted that these pronouns are similar in
form to (relative pronouns). However, the work they do
is different, for they are used to ask a question.
Note::
a-These pronouns are also used in asking indirect
questions .e.g. I asked who was speaking.
b- Sometimes (ever) is connected to these pronouns to
show emphasis. E.g. whatever are you doing, I don’t
care.
 5-Reciprocal Pronouns

One another and Each other are called reciprocal

pronouns .In fact, they are compound pronouns.
Each other is used in speaking of two persons and
one another in speaking of more than two.
Examples:
1- Ahmad and Ali were talking to each other.
2- The students were talking with one another.
 6- Indefinite Pronouns
• Indefinite pronouns are words which replace
nouns without specifying which noun they
replace. They are:
• Something, somebody, someone, anything,
anybody, anyone, nothing, nobody, none,
everything, everybody, everyone, some, any,
much, many, a few, few, a little, little, else,
enough, more, most, other, others, several,
less, least, all.
 Examples.

• All were there.

• None but fools will believe it.
• Everything is here.
• Others are absent today.
• She will buy another.
• I sent a book to each.
• Many of them like me.
• I like the best (one).
• Several were broken.
• I had enough.
 Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are the pronouns which refer back to the

subject of the sentence or clause. They either end in “Self”
as in singular form or “Selves” as in the plural form.
E.g. Myself, Himself, yourself, Herself, Itself,

Ourselves, Yourselves, Themselves

1- Can you feed yourself?

2- He blamed himself.
3- They cannot help themselves.
 Emphasizing Pronouns
• An emphatic pronoun is a
personal pronoun that is used to emphasize
its referent.
• They are the same as reflexive pronoun.
e.g.
1-Ali himself killed the snake.
2-You yourself are responsible for the
consequences.
 8- Relative Pronouns
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.
Examples:
1-I meet Ahmad, who just returned from Kabul.
2-I can’t understand the things, which you are
saying.