Having trouble with pronouns? No worries, this is your ultimate guide to all there is to know about pronouns, their types and appropriate usage in sentences.

1. ENGLISH
What are Pronouns?
Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns. To make our text easier
to read and avoid repeating the nouns, we replace them with pronouns.
There are different types of pronouns, and we will discuss them all here, in -
depth, with examples. So, you never have to wonder what pronouns are ever
again. Even if you don’t know what pronouns are, trust me, you have used
them in your daily life. Honestly, up till now, we have used them more than
nine times!
They are words like I, you, me, we, your, etc.

2. Now, if you wish, go back to the above passages and see if you can identify
them!
For Example:
“Sandra lives down the street. Sandra and I met while taking a walk to the
community park. Sandra and I clicked immediately. Sandra is my kindred
spirit.
Sandra loves pets, and Sandra gets along with my labrador, Ms. Sparkles.”
In the passage above, we have used the noun “Sandra” repeatedly, which
makes the text very cluttered and hard to read.
However, replacing the repetitive noun with pronouns will make our text
more legible.
“Sandra lives down the street. We met while taking a walk to the community
park. We clicked immediately.
She is my kindred spirit. She loves pets, and Sandra gets along very well
with my labrador, Ms. Sparkles.”
Importance of Pronouns:
With the example above, you see the importance of pronouns and how vital
it is to use them in our text to be more comprehendible.
Pronouns do a lot more for your text than you can imagine; they not only
transform your phrases into sentences, they make your paragraphs more

3. comprehensible and varied. Although we know a lot about pronouns
subliminally, learning more about how to use pronouns and their different
types can help you become a better writer.
Types of Pronouns:
There are different types of pronouns. They are used to replace not only
proper nouns but common nouns too. And to use pronouns appropriately,
you need to be familiar with different rules and conventions.
There are 10 types of pronouns:
1. Personal Pronouns
Pronouns referring to specific individuals or groups are called personal
pronouns. Think of them as stunt doubles of grammar! They stand in place of
people and animals that star in our sentences. They let us speak and write
economically, without having to repeat proper nouns again and again.
Personal pronouns are further divided into three categories:
First Person Pronouns:
It is always used to refer to the speaker. They include:
• I
• Me
• We
• Us
Second Person Pronouns:
Second person pronouns refer to the person being talked to.

4. These include just one pronoun, i.e., “You.”
Third Person Pronouns:
Third-person pronouns refer to the person being spoken of.
These pronouns include:
• It
• He/Him
• She/Her
• They/Them
Antecedents

5. If personal pronouns are stunt doubles, then antecedents are the main
actor, i.e., noun. Pronouns are so versatile; take the example of “it,” we can
use it as a pronoun for trees, cities, animals, and vehicles.
Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the noun first and then use the
pronoun. You don’t have to introduce nouns when using 1st person
pronouns.
However, to add a dramatic or poetic touch to your writing, you can
introduce the antecedent at the end of the text.
Are you confused by using the same singular and plural second -person
pronouns?
One big problem in the English language is using the same word “you” for
the second person pronoun.
So when we say,
Would you like to come over for lunch?
It is unclear whether you invited one person or an entire dinner party?
In spoken English, we can use words like “you all” (American) or “you lot”
(British), but again we can’t write these on a f ormal platform.Other
languages usually have different second -person pronouns for singular and
plural items. But since we have one, it’s better if we add a contact to clarify
it to the reader.
2. Relative Pronouns

6. To connect independent clauses with relati ve clauses, we use relative
pronouns. These include:
• which
• who
• whom
• That
• what
Whom and who are used with people. Whereas, witch, what, that are used
with animals or things.
For example:
This is the person who changed my life.

7. Who vs. Whom—Subject and Object Pronouns
A lot of writers get confused with the use of who and whom. The difference
is simple:
We use “who” with the subject of the sentence.
For Example:
Who emailed me this video?
Whereas “whom” is used with a preposition or verb object.
To whom was this email sent?
3. Demonstrative Pronouns

8. Pronouns used to refer to a noun or noun phrase introduced in the text are
demonstrative pronouns. These are also divided into categories based on
their location in time.
These include:
• That
• This
• These
• Those
That and those are used to refer to objects far away, whereas this and these
are used to refer to objects nearby. However, “this” is singular, whereas
“these” is used for plural nouns or noun phrases.
For example:
I received a letter from a stranger in my mail. This is so strange!
If you like walnut brownies, you should try these.
Melinda has a nice collection of dresses; you should try those.

9. 4. Indefinite Pronouns
The pronouns that don’t need to be introduced specifically are called
indefinite pronouns.
These pronouns include pronouns like:
• Anybody
• Everybody
• No one /Nobody
• One
• Other

10. • None
• Some
For example:
Nobody knows what I’ve been through these past couple of years.
It would be more troublesome for some than others.
5. Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are the ones that end with -self or -selves. These are
used only when the subject and object of the verb ar e the same people or
thing. A common mistake many people make is using myself instead of me,
which is wrong according to the above mentioned rule.

11. These include:
• Itself
• Myself
• Herself
• Himself
• Ourselves
• Yourselves
• Themselves
Example:
This is a family matter; we will take care of it ourselves.
They all went hiking by themselves, without taking a guide with them.

12. 6. Intensive Pronouns
Intensive pronouns might seem like reflexive pronouns, but their usage is
different. They are used to emphasize something. It is baffling for some
people to identify the difference between these two.
Let’s look at a few examples to see how intensive pronou ns are used to add
emphasis!!
She transformed her life upside down, herself!
I made these earrings myself!

13. The golden rule here to identify whether it’s a reflexive pronoun or intensive
is remembering one simple fact. If you remove the pronoun and the
sentence’s meaning remains the same, then it is most probably an intensive
pronoun.
For example:
I built a sandcastle.
7. Possessive Pronouns
Pronouns that are used to indicate possession are called possessive
pronouns.

14. These include:
• Our
• My
• Mine
• Your
• His
• Her
• Their
Examples in sentences:
This is our garage.
That locket is mine.
Is this your book?
His car broke down in the middle of nowhere.
This property belongs to her.
Their materialistic values put me off!!

15. Interesting fact: If possessive pronouns modify a noun/verb in a sentence,
they become possessive adjectives.
For example:
I crashed my car into a ditch.
I like your house.
Also, when you use a possessive pronoun indepen dently, there is no need to
mention its antecedent/noun.
For example:

16. I forgot my jacket at home, so he gave me his.
I didn’t know whose bid would win the auction, and then my friend told
me theirs did.
8. Interrogative Pronouns
We use interrogative pronouns to ask questions; these include:
• What
• Which
• Who
• Whose
Here are a few examples of interrogative pronouns in questions:
Which of these pronouns do you find the most interesting?
Who is your favorite person in the whole wide world?
Whose coat is this?

17. 9. Reciprocal Pronouns
Reciprocal pronouns are just two in English Language:
• Each other
• One another
Here’s an example of both these pronouns in sentences:
Suzie and Schmidt, the two top market analysts in our teams, are competing
with each other for the best market analyst of the year award.

18. 10. Distributive Pronouns
When we refer to people, objects, or animals as individuals, we use
distributive pronouns to set them apart from the group. They include:
• Either
• Neither
• Any
• Each
• None
Following are examples of how to use distributive pronouns in sentences.

19. If either one has something important to say, they should say it now.
What are Exclamatory Pronouns?
When pronouns express wonder, surprise, or any emotional state, the noun
is replaced by an exclamatory pronoun.
what, how, and who are a few examples of exclamation pronouns.
Here are a few examples of exclamation pronouns:
What a beautiful day!
Who could have imagined!

20. How is this even true!!
Now that we have discussed all the different types of pronouns, here’s a
cheat sheet for you to remember all these types of pronouns:
Sr.
# Types of Pronouns Pronouns in this Category
1. Personal Pronouns I/me, they/them, he/him, she/her, it, we/us, you
2. Relative Pronouns that, what, which, who, whom
3.
Demonstrative
Pronouns
that, this, these, those
4. Indefinite Pronouns one, other, some, none, everybody, anybody, no one, nobody, both
5. Reflexive Pronouns
myself, yourself/yourselves, themself/themselves, herself, himself, oneself,
itself, ourselves
6. Intensive Pronouns
myself, yourself/yourselves, themself/themselves, herself, himself, oneself,
itself, ourselves
7. Possessive Pronouns my, your, his, her, their, our, its, whose
8. Interrogative Pronouns who, what, which, whose
9. Reciprocal Pronouns each other, one another
10. Distributive Pronouns either, each, neither, any, none
Conclusion
If the English language is a big complex jigsaw puzzle, pronouns are the
most important pieces of this puzzle. So, having complete knowledge of
using pronouns correctly is integral to mastering the English language,
especially when it comes to writing. But also when you speak in real life to
your peers.If you have trouble learning the basics of English grammar, get in
touch with our expert English Tutors at MTS. They can help you learn how
to write and speak English better, enabling you to communicate your ideas
and thoughts in a better way. Additionally, you can ace your grammar tests
and written assignments to level up your academic grades.