3. PRONOUNS
What is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that replaces or takes the place of a noun to avoid repetition in a sentence.
Example:
Instead of: Amina is smart. Amina studies hard.
We say: Amina is smart. She studies hard. “She” replaces “Amina” therefore “she” is the pronoun.
Types of Pronouns
- Personal Pronouns. Replace people or things. Show who is speaking.Examples: I, me, you, he, him, she, her, it, we, us, they, them.
I am a student. The teacher called me.
- Possessive Pronouns: Show ownership/belonging. Examples,: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
That book is mine
- Possessive Adjectives: Come before a noun to show ownership. Examples : my, your, his, her, its, our, their .
This is my bag.
- Reflexive Pronouns: Action reflects back to the subject; Examples: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
She hurt herself
- Demonstrative Pronouns: Point to specific things. Examples: this, that, these, those. This is my pen.
Those are your books.
- Interrogative Pronouns: Ask questions. Examples: who, whom, whose, which, what.
Who is coming?
- Relative Pronouns: Join two sentences/clauses. Examples: who, whom, whose, which, that.
The girl who won is my sister.
- Indefinite Pronouns: Refer to non-specific people/things. Examples: anyone, anybody, everyone, someone, nobody, all, some, few.
Everyone must come.
- Reciprocal Pronouns: Show mutual action. Examples: each other, one another .
The students helped each other
Note: Possessive adjectives vs Possessive pronouns = adjective + noun = pronoun alone
Important Rules
Agreement: Pronoun must agree with the noun in number and gender.
Correct: The boy lost his book.
Wrong: The boy lost their book.
Case: Use subject pronouns for subjects, object pronouns for objects.
Correct: She and I went. The teacher praised him and me.
- 10. Reflexive Pronouns : Used when subject and object are the same person.
I made it myself.
Practice Questions with Answers and Explanations
- Identify the type of pronoun
Q1. This is the house that Jack built.
A: Demonstrative Pronoun.
Explanation: “This” points to a specific house near the speaker.
Q2. The students must do the work by themselves.
A: Reflexive Pronoun.
Explanation: The action “do” reflects back to “the students”.
Q3. Whose pen is this?
A: Interrogative Pronoun.
Explanation: “Whose” is used to ask a question about ownership.
Q4. That is hers.
A: Possessive Pronoun.
Explanation: “Hers” shows ownership and stands alone without a noun.
Q5. The man who called you is my uncle.
A: Relative Pronoun.
Explanation: “Who” joins two ideas: “The man is my uncle” + “The man called you”.