Pronouns don\u2019t have to be overwhelming. Once you\u2019ve nailed the basics, you\u2019ll get them right nine times out of ten and stop letting errors undermine your confidence. Keep reading to learn all about different types of pronouns in English including personal, possessive and reflexive ones.<\/p>\n
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What are pronouns in English?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
As the name suggests, a pronoun is a type of noun. We use them to replace regular nouns in a sentence to avoid awkward-sounding repetition.<\/p>\n
To see what we mean, read the following two sentences aloud:<\/p>\n
John gave John a moment to think before John finished John\u2019s test.<\/p>\n
John gave himself<\/strong> a moment to think before he<\/strong> finished his<\/strong> test. <\/p>\nDon\u2019t you think the second sentence sounds a lot smoother than the first?<\/p>\n
Pronouns need to match the gender and amount of the noun they represent. Going back to the example above, you can see we\u2019ve only used singular masculine pronouns (he, him, his and himself) because we\u2019re talking about one man.<\/p>\n
There are different types of pronouns. The one you choose depends on its function in the sentence, i.e. what it\u2019s trying to tell you about the person or thing.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dig a little deeper into the different types of pronouns and how to use them.<\/p>\n
Personal pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Personal pronouns directly represent the person or thing we want to talk about. They can be either subject or object pronouns, depending on their role in the sentence.<\/p>\n
![\"Personal](\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Personal-Pronouns.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe use subject pronouns when the person or thing is performing the action. When this is the case, the pronoun usually comes before the main verb, e.g.<\/p>\n
John is outside. He<\/strong> is making a phone call to someone.<\/p>\nWe use object pronouns when the person or thing is the object of the action. In this case, the pronoun usually comes after the main verb, e.g.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t John on the phone with Sally? I think he\u2019s calling her<\/strong>.<\/p>\nPossessive pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Possessive pronouns show ownership or belonging. They\u2019re all based on the possessive adjectives you see before a word so the spellings are similar.<\/p>\n
![\"Possesive](\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Possesive-Pronouns.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe use possessive pronouns to replace a combination of possessive adjectives and nouns, e.g.<\/p>\n
That is my coat.<\/p>\n
That is mine<\/strong>.<\/p>\nPossessive adjectives can be the subject or object of a sentence, e.g.<\/p>\n
Yours<\/strong> is the yellow umbrella.<\/p>\nI borrowed hers<\/strong>.<\/p>\nNote that English speakers rarely use the word \u2018its\u2019 as a standalone<\/strong><\/span><\/em> possessive pronoun. That\u2019s because we usually use \u2018it\u2019 to talk about objects or animals.<\/p>\nReflexive pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
We use reflexive pronouns when the noun is both the subject and the object of the sentence.<\/p>\n
![\"Reflexive](\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Reflexive-Pronouns.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nReflexive pronouns are only used for a few specific meanings:<\/p>\n
To show actions done to oneself, e.g.<\/p>\n
I burnt myself <\/strong>on the cooker.<\/p>\nFor emphasis, e.g.<\/p>\n
She did all her homework herself<\/strong>.<\/p>\nWith certain verbs, e.g.<\/p>\n
Why can\u2019t you just enjoy yourself<\/strong> for once?<\/p>\nIndefinite pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
We can use indefinite pronouns to refer to people, things, places and amounts without specifying what exactly.<\/p>\n
Indefinite pronouns have prefixes<\/strong><\/span><\/em> with different meanings:<\/p>\nWe use \u2018every\u2019 when we want to refer to every member of a group without exception. E.g.<\/p>\n
Everything<\/strong> in the universe is made up of atoms.<\/p>\nWe use \u2018any\u2019 when it doesn\u2019t matter which member of the group. E.g.<\/p>\n
Anybody<\/strong> is welcome to join our club.<\/p>\nWe use \u2018some\u2019 when it\u2019s a single member of the group but we can\u2019t specify who or what. E.g.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go somewhere<\/strong> new this weekend.<\/p>\nAnd we use \u2018no\u2019 to refer to the absence of any members of a group. E.g.<\/p>\n
Well done! Nobody<\/strong> failed the test.<\/p>\nAdditionally, we can use the pronouns \u2018any\u2019, \u2018some\u2019 and \u2018none\u2019 to refer to amounts in the same way.<\/p>\n
Spare cash? No, sorry. I don\u2019t have any<\/strong>.<\/p>\nSome<\/strong> stayed behind to clean up.<\/p>\nI checked for messages but there were none<\/strong>.<\/p>\nReciprocal pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
We use the reciprocal pronouns \u2018one another\u2019 and \u2018each other\u2019 when two or more nouns perform the same action.<\/p>\n
E.g.<\/p>\n
Kath and Jill helped each other<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThey love one another<\/strong>.<\/p>\nAs you can see, there must be multiple nouns or a plural noun at the start of the sentence. The reciprocal pronouns come after the verb.<\/p>\n
Want to learn more about pronouns? Read our full guide on how to use relative pronouns in English<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
How to avoid common pitfalls when using pronouns in English<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to make mistakes with pronouns as there are a lot of subtle differences. Words often have similar (or the same!) spelling and there are lots of complex rules.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the most common mistakes so you know what to avoid:<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t you think the second sentence sounds a lot smoother than the first?<\/p>\n
Pronouns need to match the gender and amount of the noun they represent. Going back to the example above, you can see we\u2019ve only used singular masculine pronouns (he, him, his and himself) because we\u2019re talking about one man.<\/p>\n
There are different types of pronouns. The one you choose depends on its function in the sentence, i.e. what it\u2019s trying to tell you about the person or thing.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dig a little deeper into the different types of pronouns and how to use them.<\/p>\n
Personal pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Personal pronouns directly represent the person or thing we want to talk about. They can be either subject or object pronouns, depending on their role in the sentence.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWe use subject pronouns when the person or thing is performing the action. When this is the case, the pronoun usually comes before the main verb, e.g.<\/p>\n
John is outside. He<\/strong> is making a phone call to someone.<\/p>\nWe use object pronouns when the person or thing is the object of the action. In this case, the pronoun usually comes after the main verb, e.g.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t John on the phone with Sally? I think he\u2019s calling her<\/strong>.<\/p>\nPossessive pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Possessive pronouns show ownership or belonging. They\u2019re all based on the possessive adjectives you see before a word so the spellings are similar.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWe use possessive pronouns to replace a combination of possessive adjectives and nouns, e.g.<\/p>\n
That is my coat.<\/p>\n
That is mine<\/strong>.<\/p>\nPossessive adjectives can be the subject or object of a sentence, e.g.<\/p>\n
Yours<\/strong> is the yellow umbrella.<\/p>\nI borrowed hers<\/strong>.<\/p>\nNote that English speakers rarely use the word \u2018its\u2019 as a standalone<\/strong><\/span><\/em> possessive pronoun. That\u2019s because we usually use \u2018it\u2019 to talk about objects or animals.<\/p>\nReflexive pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
We use reflexive pronouns when the noun is both the subject and the object of the sentence.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nReflexive pronouns are only used for a few specific meanings:<\/p>\n
To show actions done to oneself, e.g.<\/p>\n
I burnt myself <\/strong>on the cooker.<\/p>\nFor emphasis, e.g.<\/p>\n
She did all her homework herself<\/strong>.<\/p>\nWith certain verbs, e.g.<\/p>\n
Why can\u2019t you just enjoy yourself<\/strong> for once?<\/p>\nIndefinite pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
We can use indefinite pronouns to refer to people, things, places and amounts without specifying what exactly.<\/p>\n
Indefinite pronouns have prefixes<\/strong><\/span><\/em> with different meanings:<\/p>\nWe use \u2018every\u2019 when we want to refer to every member of a group without exception. E.g.<\/p>\n
Everything<\/strong> in the universe is made up of atoms.<\/p>\nWe use \u2018any\u2019 when it doesn\u2019t matter which member of the group. E.g.<\/p>\n
Anybody<\/strong> is welcome to join our club.<\/p>\nWe use \u2018some\u2019 when it\u2019s a single member of the group but we can\u2019t specify who or what. E.g.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go somewhere<\/strong> new this weekend.<\/p>\nAnd we use \u2018no\u2019 to refer to the absence of any members of a group. E.g.<\/p>\n
Well done! Nobody<\/strong> failed the test.<\/p>\nAdditionally, we can use the pronouns \u2018any\u2019, \u2018some\u2019 and \u2018none\u2019 to refer to amounts in the same way.<\/p>\n
Spare cash? No, sorry. I don\u2019t have any<\/strong>.<\/p>\nSome<\/strong> stayed behind to clean up.<\/p>\nI checked for messages but there were none<\/strong>.<\/p>\nReciprocal pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
We use the reciprocal pronouns \u2018one another\u2019 and \u2018each other\u2019 when two or more nouns perform the same action.<\/p>\n
E.g.<\/p>\n
Kath and Jill helped each other<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThey love one another<\/strong>.<\/p>\nAs you can see, there must be multiple nouns or a plural noun at the start of the sentence. The reciprocal pronouns come after the verb.<\/p>\n
Want to learn more about pronouns? Read our full guide on how to use relative pronouns in English<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
How to avoid common pitfalls when using pronouns in English<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to make mistakes with pronouns as there are a lot of subtle differences. Words often have similar (or the same!) spelling and there are lots of complex rules.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the most common mistakes so you know what to avoid:<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWe use subject pronouns when the person or thing is performing the action. When this is the case, the pronoun usually comes before the main verb, e.g.<\/p>\n
John is outside. He<\/strong> is making a phone call to someone.<\/p>\n We use object pronouns when the person or thing is the object of the action. In this case, the pronoun usually comes after the main verb, e.g.<\/p>\n Isn\u2019t John on the phone with Sally? I think he\u2019s calling her<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Possessive pronouns show ownership or belonging. They\u2019re all based on the possessive adjectives you see before a word so the spellings are similar.<\/p>\n We use possessive pronouns to replace a combination of possessive adjectives and nouns, e.g.<\/p>\n That is my coat.<\/p>\n That is mine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Possessive adjectives can be the subject or object of a sentence, e.g.<\/p>\n Yours<\/strong> is the yellow umbrella.<\/p>\n I borrowed hers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Note that English speakers rarely use the word \u2018its\u2019 as a standalone<\/strong><\/span><\/em> possessive pronoun. That\u2019s because we usually use \u2018it\u2019 to talk about objects or animals.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We use reflexive pronouns when the noun is both the subject and the object of the sentence.<\/p>\n Reflexive pronouns are only used for a few specific meanings:<\/p>\n To show actions done to oneself, e.g.<\/p>\n I burnt myself <\/strong>on the cooker.<\/p>\n For emphasis, e.g.<\/p>\n She did all her homework herself<\/strong>.<\/p>\n With certain verbs, e.g.<\/p>\n Why can\u2019t you just enjoy yourself<\/strong> for once?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We can use indefinite pronouns to refer to people, things, places and amounts without specifying what exactly.<\/p>\n Indefinite pronouns have prefixes<\/strong><\/span><\/em> with different meanings:<\/p>\n We use \u2018every\u2019 when we want to refer to every member of a group without exception. E.g.<\/p>\n Everything<\/strong> in the universe is made up of atoms.<\/p>\n We use \u2018any\u2019 when it doesn\u2019t matter which member of the group. E.g.<\/p>\n Anybody<\/strong> is welcome to join our club.<\/p>\n We use \u2018some\u2019 when it\u2019s a single member of the group but we can\u2019t specify who or what. E.g.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s go somewhere<\/strong> new this weekend.<\/p>\n And we use \u2018no\u2019 to refer to the absence of any members of a group. E.g.<\/p>\n Well done! Nobody<\/strong> failed the test.<\/p>\n Additionally, we can use the pronouns \u2018any\u2019, \u2018some\u2019 and \u2018none\u2019 to refer to amounts in the same way.<\/p>\n Spare cash? No, sorry. I don\u2019t have any<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Some<\/strong> stayed behind to clean up.<\/p>\n I checked for messages but there were none<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We use the reciprocal pronouns \u2018one another\u2019 and \u2018each other\u2019 when two or more nouns perform the same action.<\/p>\n E.g.<\/p>\n Kath and Jill helped each other<\/strong>.<\/p>\n They love one another<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As you can see, there must be multiple nouns or a plural noun at the start of the sentence. The reciprocal pronouns come after the verb.<\/p>\n Want to learn more about pronouns? Read our full guide on how to use relative pronouns in English<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to make mistakes with pronouns as there are a lot of subtle differences. Words often have similar (or the same!) spelling and there are lots of complex rules.<\/p>\n Here are some of the most common mistakes so you know what to avoid:<\/p>\nPossessive pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nReflexive pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nIndefinite pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Reciprocal pronouns<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
How to avoid common pitfalls when using pronouns in English<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n