10 Kinds of Pronouns with Definition and Examples

Welcome to this blog where we will explore the fascinating world of pronouns. Pronouns are a crucial part of language, and without them, communication would be much more difficult. They allow us to refer to people, objects, and ideas in a concise and efficient manner.

In this blog, we will take a deep dive into the different kinds of pronouns and their uses in the English language. We will explore the definition and examples of each type of pronoun, including personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, reflexive pronouns, and many more. By the end of this blog, you will have a better understanding of the different types of pronouns and how they are used in various contexts. So, let’s get started!

10 Types of Pronouns in English

What Is A Pronoun? A Short Intro!

A word that can replace a noun in a sentence is called a pronoun.

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or a noun phrase. Pronouns are essential to language because they allow speakers and writers to refer to people, places, things, or ideas without having to repeat the noun over and over again.

In short, pronouns allow us to shorten our sentences and make them easy to speak and sound repetitive.

For example, instead of saying “John went to the store, and John bought a bag of chips,” we can say “John went to the store, and he bought a bag of chips.” In this example, “he” is a pronoun that takes the place of “John.”

There are different types of pronouns, each with its own set of rules and uses. By using pronouns effectively, we can communicate more efficiently and make our language more concise and precise.

List of Pronoun

Here is a list of common English pronouns:

• Personal pronouns:
  • Subjective case: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
  • Objective case: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
  • Possessive case: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
• Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
• Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those
• Indefinite pronouns: anyone, anything, anywhere, everyone, everything, everywhere, nobody, nothing, nowhere, somebody, something, somewhere, some, any, none, all, both, each, either, neither, many, few, several, some others.
• Interrogative pronouns: who, whom, whose, what, which
• Relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, that, which, where, when
• Reciprocal pronouns: each other, one another
• Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs

It’s worth noting that there are additional pronouns beyond this list, including gender-neutral pronouns such as “they/them” and “ze/zir”.

We use different pronouns in our writing and our daily speech and some of the pronouns we use in our daily life are listed below.

• I, Me, you, he, she, it, we, they, us, them, who, what, this, that, anyone, nobody, something

Pronoun Example

• We looked at Zaki at his house but he wasn’t there.
• I took my bike to the mechanic to get it fixed.
• This is the best car I saw.

Types of Pronouns

There are 10 main types of pronouns in English:

1. Demonstrative pronouns
2. Indefinite pronouns
3. Intensive pronouns
4. Interrogative pronouns
5. Object pronouns
6. Personal pronouns / Subject pronouns
7. Possessive pronouns
8. Reciprocal Pronouns
9. Reflexive pronouns
10. Relative pronouns

Let us start with demonstrative pronouns;

1. Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used to indicate or point out specific persons, places, or things. They are called “demonstrative” because they demonstrate or indicate the location or identity of the noun or noun phrase that they replace. Here are the four demonstrative pronouns in English and examples of their usage:

1. This: refers to a singular object or person that is near to the speaker.

• This is a really nice day. (referring to the current day)
• Can you pass me this book? (referring to a book that is close to the speaker)

2. That: refers to a singular object or person that is away from the speaker.

• That restaurant is really good. (referring to a restaurant that is not close to the speaker)
• Can you give me that pen over there? (referring to a pen that is not close to the speaker)

3. These: refers to plural objects or persons that are near to the speaker.

• These shoes are too tight. (referring to shoes that are close to the speaker)
• Can you help me carry these boxes? (referring to boxes that are close to the speaker)

4. Those: refers to plural objects or persons that are away from the speaker.

• Those buildings look old. (referring to buildings that are not close to the speaker)
• Can you see those birds flying in the sky? (referring to birds that are not close to the speaker)

Note that demonstrative pronouns can also be used as determiners (i.e., modifying a noun) rather than as pronouns (i.e., replacing a noun). For example:

• This book is really interesting. (determiner)
• This is really interesting. (pronoun)

Read More: Examples of Demonstrative Pronouns

2. Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are used to refer to people, places, or things in a general or non-specific way. They do not refer to a particular person, place, or thing. Here are some common indefinite pronouns in English with examples:

1. Anyone, anybody, anything: used to refer to any person, thing, or event.

• Anyone can join the club if they pay the membership fee.
• Is there anything else you would like to add to the discussion?

2. Everyone, everybody, everything: used to refer to all people, things, or events.

• Everybody in the class passed the test.
• Everything in the store is on sale today.

3. Someone, somebody, something: used to refer to an unspecified person, thing, or event.

• Somebody left their bag on the train.
• Can you give me something to drink?

4. No one, nobody, nothing: used to refer to the absence of a person, thing, or event.

• Nobody was at home when I arrived.
• There was nothing left to eat in the refrigerator.

5. Any, some, all, both, several, many, few: used to refer to an indefinite number of people, things, or events.

• Any student who needs extra help can see the teacher after class.
• Both of my parents are doctors.
• Several people have already applied for the job.
• Many books have been written on this topic.
• Few students were interested in the lecture.

Indefinite pronouns are often used with singular verbs, as they refer to a non-specific entity. However, some indefinite pronouns (such as all, both, and few) can be used with plural verbs if they refer to a specific number of people or things.

3. Intensive Pronouns

Intensive pronouns are pronouns that are used to add emphasis or intensify a sentence. They are identical in form to reflexive pronouns (i.e., formed with “-self” or “-selves”), but they serve a different grammatical function.

While reflexive pronouns reflect the action of the verb back onto the subject of the sentence, intensive pronouns are used to emphasize the subject or object of the sentence.

Here are some examples of sentences that use intensive pronouns:

• I myself cannot believe how fast time flies. (emphasizing that “I” am the one who is amazed)
• She herself painted the entire house. (emphasizing that “she” was the one who did the painting)
• The president himself gave the speech. (emphasizing that it was the president who gave the speech)
• You yourself are responsible for your actions. (emphasizing that “you” are the one who needs to take responsibility)
• They themselves decided to move to a new city. (emphasizing that “they” made the decision)

Note that intensive pronouns are not necessary for the grammatical correctness of a sentence; rather, they are used for emphasis. They can be removed from the sentence without affecting its meaning or grammatical correctness.\

Read More: Examples of Intensive Pronouns

4. Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are pronouns that are used to ask questions. They are used to introduce questions and are typically placed at the beginning of a sentence. Here are the five interrogative pronouns in English with examples:

1. Who: used to refer to a person or people.

• Who is coming to the party tonight?
• Who is the president of the United States?

2. Whom: used to refer to a person or people in a more formal or specific context.

• Whom did you invite to the wedding?
• With whom did you go to the movies last night?

3. Whose: used to ask about possession or ownership.

• Whose car is parked in the driveway?
• Whose turn is it to do the dishes?

4. What: used to refer to a thing or an action.

• What time is the meeting?
• What did you eat for breakfast this morning?

5. Which: used to ask about a choice or selection between options.

• Which dress do you prefer, the red one or the blue one?
• Which movie do you want to watch, the romantic comedy or the action thriller?

Note that interrogative pronouns are often used in conjunction with auxiliary verbs or other question words to form complex questions.

For “What time does the train leave?” or “Who are you going to the concert with?”

Read More: Examples of Interrogative Pronouns

5. Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are pronouns that are used as the object of a verb or a preposition. They are used to replace nouns as the object of a sentence, and they come in different forms depending on their grammatical function in the sentence. Here are the object pronouns in English:

1. Me: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to the speaker.

• John gave me the book.
• The gift is for me.

2. You: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to the listener or the person being addressed.

• Can you help me with this?
• I am talking to you.

3. Him: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to a male person.

• She invited him to the party.
• The teacher gave him a good grade.

4. Her: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to a female person.

• He asked her to be his girlfriend.
• The doctor treated her for the flu.

5. It: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to a non-human object or an animal.

• I saw the movie last night. It was really good.
• The dog chased the ball. It caught it in its mouth.

6. Us: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to the speaker and one or more other people.

• They are taking us to the airport.
• They are going on vacation with us.

7. Them: used as the object of a verb or a preposition when referring to two or more people or objects.

• She gave them the keys to the car.
• We need to fix them before the presentation.

Note that object pronouns can also be used as the complement of a linking verb (e.g., “It is me” or “The winners are them”) and in some cases can be used in place of a possessive adjective (e.g., “This is mine” or “This is my book”).

Read More: Examples of Object Pronouns

6. Personal Pronouns / Subject Pronouns

Personal pronouns, also known as subject pronouns, are used to replace a noun as the subject of a sentence. They indicate who or what is performing the action of the verb in the sentence. Here are the personal pronouns/subject pronouns in English:

1. I: used to refer to the speaker.

• I am going to the store.

2. You: used to refer to the listener or the person being addressed.

• You should come with me to the party.

3. He: used to refer to a male person.

• He is a great basketball player.

4. She: used to refer to a female person.

• She is a talented musician.

5. It: used to refer to a non-human object or an animal.

• It is raining outside.

6. We: used to refer to the speaker and one or more other people.

• We are going on vacation together.

7. They: used to refer to two or more people or objects.

• They are good friends.

Read More: Examples of Subject Pronouns

7. Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are words used to indicate ownership or possession of something. They stand in for a noun that has already been mentioned or is known from the context.

Here are the most common possessive pronouns in English with their definitions and examples:

1. My – used to show ownership by the speaker

• This is my car.

2. Your – used to show ownership by the person being spoken to

• Is this your pencil?

3. His – used to show ownership by a male

• That is his book.

4. Her – used to show ownership by a female

• She lost her phone.

5. Its – used to show ownership by a thing or an animal

• The dog wagged its tail.

6. Our – used to show ownership by a group that includes the speaker

• Our team won the game.

7. Their – used to show ownership by a group that does not include the speaker

• Their house is on the corner.

8. Mine – used to show ownership and avoid repeating the noun

• That pen is mine.

9. Yours – used to show ownership and avoid repeating the noun

• Is that your phone? Yes, it’s mine.

10. His/hers – used to show ownership and avoid repeating the noun

• Whose book is this? It’s his/hers.

Read More: Examples of Possessive Pronouns

8. Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns are words used to express a mutual action or relationship between two or more people or things. They indicate that two or more subjects are acting on each other or have a shared experience. The most common reciprocal pronouns in English are “each other” and “one another.”

Here are some examples of how to use reciprocal pronouns:

1. They love each other.
2. The two friends greeted one another
3. The children are always fighting with each other.
4. The team members rely on one another to complete the project.
5. The couple sends gifts to each other on their anniversary.
6. The siblings often borrow clothes from one another.
7. The neighbors help each other with yard work.
8. The students learn from one another during group projects.
9. The coworkers often go out to lunch with one another.
10. The members of the club support one another’s goals and interests.

9. Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are words used to refer back to the subject of a sentence or clause. They are formed by adding “-self” or “-selves” to certain pronouns. Reflexive pronouns are used to indicate that the action of the verb is being performed by the same person or thing that is the subject of the sentence.

Here are the most common reflexive pronouns in English with their definitions and examples:

1. Myself – used to refer to the speaker as the object of the verb

• I hurt myself while playing football.

2. Yourself – used to refer to the person being spoken to as the object of the verb

• Help yourself to some cake.

3. Himself – used to refer to a male person or animal as the object of the verb

• He blamed himself for the mistake.

4. Herself – used to refer to a female person or animal as the object of the verb

• She poured herself a cup of tea.

5. Itself – used to refer to an animal, thing or concept as the object of the verb

• The cat licked itself clean.

6. Ourselves – used to refer to the speaker and others as the object of the verb

• We had to rely on ourselves to finish the project.

7. Themselves – used to refer to multiple people or things as the object of the verb

• The children amused themselves with games and toys.

Read More: Examples of Reflexive Pronouns

10. Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are words that are used to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause. They relate the noun or pronoun preceding the relative pronoun to the clause that follows it. The most common relative pronouns in English are “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” and “that.”

Here are some examples of how to use relative pronouns:

1. Who – used for people as the subject of the dependent clause

• The woman who lives next door is a doctor.

2. Whom – used for people as the object of the dependent clause

• The man whom I met yesterday is a teacher.

3. Whose – used to show possession by the noun in the dependent clause

• The girl whose bike was stolen reported it to the police.

4. Which – used for things as the subject or object of the dependent clause

• The book which I borrowed from the library was very interesting.

5. That – used for people, animals or things as the subject or object of the dependent clause

• The car that we rented for the trip was very comfortable.

Read More: Examples of Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns can be used to introduce different types of dependent clauses, such as defining or non-defining clauses. In defining clauses, the relative pronoun provides essential information that defines the noun or pronoun it refers to. In non-defining clauses, the relative pronoun provides additional information that is not necessary for the meaning of the sentence.