Pronoun Rules
There are a few important rules for using pronouns. As you read through these rules and the examples in the next section, notice how the pronoun rules are followed. Soon you’ll see that pronouns are easy to work with.
Subject pronouns may be used to begin sentences. For example: We did a great job.
Subject pronouns may also be used to rename the subject. For example: It was she who decided we should go to Hawaii.
Indefinite pronouns don’t have antecedents. They are capable of standing on their own. For example: No one likes the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard.
Object pronouns are used as direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions. These include: you, me, him, her, us, them, and it. For example: David talked to her about the mistake.
Possessive pronouns show ownership. They do not need apostrophes. For example: The cat washed its whiskers.
Examples of Pronouns
In the following examples, the pronouns are italicized.
We are going on vacation.
Don’t tell me that you can’t go with us.
Anybody who says it won’t be fun has no clue what they are talking about.
These are terribly steep stairs.
We ran into each other at the mall.
I’m not sure which is worse: rain or snow.
It is one of the nicest Italian restaurants in town.
Richard stared at himself in the mirror.
The laundry isn’t going to do itself.
Someone spilled orange juice all over the countertop!
Pronoun Exercises
The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
This is __________ speaking.
John
He
He john
Am
Greg is as smart as __________ is.
I
me
she
we
The dog chewed on __________ favorite toy.
it’s
it is
its’
its
It could have been __________ .
Jerry
anyone
better
more difficult
Terry is taller than __________ am.
I
me
she
we
Answers
B. This is he speaking.
C. Greg is as smart as she is.
D. The dog chewed on its favorite toy.
B. It could have been anyone.
A. Terry is taller than I am.
List of Pronouns
As you read through this list of pronouns, remember that each one of these pronouns is a word that can be used to take the place of a noun. Think about ways to use the pronouns on this list in sentences, as this will increase your understanding.
I
We
Me
Us
You
She
He
Her
Him
They
Them
It
That
Which
Who
Whom
Whose
Whichever
Whoever
Whomever
This
These
That
Those
Anybody
Anyone
Anything
Each
Either
Everyone
Everybody
Everything
Nobody
Neither
No one
Nothing
Somebody
One
Someone
Something
Few
Many
Both
Several
Any
All
Some
Most
None
Myself
Yourself
Ourselves
Yourselves
Herself
Himself
Themselves
Itself
Who
What
Which
Whose
Demonstrative pronouns can be used in place of a noun, so long as the noun being replaced can be understood from the pronoun’s context. Although this concept might seem a bit confusing at first, the following examples of demonstrative pronouns will add clarity.
Demonstrative Pronouns Examples
In the following examples, demonstrative pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.
This was my mother’s ring.
That looks like the car I used to drive.
These are nice shoes, but they look uncomfortable.
Those look like riper than the apples on my tree.
Such was her command over the English language.
None of these answers are correct.
Neither of the horses can be ridden.
Demonstrative Pronouns Exercises
The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how demonstrative pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
____________ was such an interesting experience.
That
These
Those
Such
Are ___________ your shoes?
That
Them
Those
This
You’ll have to get your own pen. ______________ is mine.
That
Those
Such
This
There is no end to ___________.
Such
Those
This
None
Because of their bad behavior, ____________ of the children were given allowances.
None
That
Those
Them
____________ of them had seen it before.
Those
Neither
Such
This
Is ____________ yours?
This
Those
These
Such
Everyone ate early. When we arrived, ____________ was left.
That
Such
None
Neither
Please give me one of ____________.
That
Those
This
Such
____________ are nice-looking.
This
That
These
Such
Answers
A – That was such an interesting experience.
C – Are those your shoes?
D – You’ll have to get your own pen. This is mine.
C – There is no end to this.
A – Because of their bad behavior, none of the children were given allowances.
A – Neither of them had seen it before.
A – Is that yours?
C – Everyone ate early. When we arrived, none was left.
B – Please give me one of those.
C – These are nice-looking.
Demonstrative Pronouns List
Such
This
That
These
Those
None
Neither
Like its name suggests, a possessive pronoun indicates ownership.
Possessive pronouns do not contain apostrophes.
A possessive pronoun is used to avoid repeating information that has already been made clear. These useful pronouns make sentences less confusing, as you’ll see when you read the following sentences containing examples of possessive pronouns.
Examples of Possessive Pronouns
The following sets of sentences illustrate how possessive pronouns provide clarity. Possessive pronoun examples are italicized.
This is my cat, not your cat. (Sounds repetitive)
This cat is mine, not yours.
I didn’t have my book so Jenny lent me her book. (Sounds repetitive)
I didn’t have my book, so Jenny lent me hers.
Your car is a lot faster than my car. (Sounds repetitive)
Your car is a lot faster than mine.
Common Noun Examples
Possessive pronouns are often accompanied by common nouns. The following are some examples of common nouns that are frequently used in the same sentences as possessive pronouns.
I
It
You
Me
This
That
Him
Her
They
We
Them
In the following example sentences, the common noun is in bold, and the possessive pronoun is in italics.
I lost my watch.
This is her birthday.
I’m going to give you your money back
Possessive Pronoun Exercises
The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how possessive pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
The mother cat and __________ kittens napped in the sunshine.
A. His
B. Your
C. Hers
D. Her
Answer: D. The mother cat and her kittens napped in the sunshine.
I like cream cheese on _________ bagels.
A. My
B. Mine
C. Your
D. Our
Answer: A. I like cream cheese on my bagels.
________ grandfather used to take us fishing.
A. Mine
B. My
C. Our
D. Ours
Answer: C. Our grandfather used to take us fishing.
Elaine bought ________ dress at the mall.
A. Yours
B. Mine
C. Her
D. Hers
Answer: C. Elaine bought her dress at the mall.
The car lost _________ rear bumper in an accident.
A. It’s
B. Its
C. His
D. Her
Answer: B. The car lost its rear bumper in an accident.
The horse swished _________ tail to keep flies away.
A. It’s
B. Its
C. Its’
D. The
Answer: B. The horse swished its tail to keep flies away.
This dessert is ___________ but you can have it.
A. My
B. Mine
C. Yours
DDelicious
Answer: B. This dessert is mine but you can have it.
Please return _________ money at once.
Mine
Your
My
Its
Answer: C. Please return my money at once.
______ car is so dirty I can’t even tell what color it is.
Your
Yours
Hers
Ours
Answer: A. Your car is so dirty I can’t even tell what color it is.
When the cat saw the dog, it stopped in ______ tracks.
My
Its
His
Hers
Answer: B. When the cat saw the dog, it stopped in its tracks.
Possessive Pronouns List
The following list of possessive pronouns is accompanied by a list of corresponding subjects. While other subjects may be substituted, the following examples give the possessive pronouns context.
Subject
Possessive Pronoun
It
Its
I
My, Mine
You
Your
She
Her, Hers
He
His
We
Our, Ours
They
Their, Theirs
You (plural)
In English grammar, a reflexive pronoun indicates that the person who is realizing the action of the verb is also the recipient of the action. While this might seem strange at first glance, the following examples of reflexive pronouns and the accompanying list of reflexive pronouns will help you gain thorough understanding. In fact, you will probably notice that you yourself use reflexive pronouns frequently when speaking or writing.
Examples of Reflexive Pronouns
In the following examples of reflexive pronouns, the reflexive pronoun in each sentence is italicized.
I was in a hurry, so I washed the car myself.
You’re going to have to drive yourself to school today.
He wanted to impress her, so he baked a cake himself.
Jennifer does chores herself because she doesn’t trust others to do them right.
That car is in a class all by itself.
We don’t have to go out; we can fix dinner ourselves.
You are too young to go out by yourselves.
The actors saved the local theatre money by making costumes themselves.
Reflexive Pronoun Exercises
The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how reflexive pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
Each morning, I brush my teeth and stare at ______________ in the mirror.
Himself
Herself
Myself
Itself
Answer: C. Each morning, I brush my teeth and stare at myself in the mirror.
Dad and I painted the trailer _______________.
Myself
Himself
Itself
Ourselves
Answer: D. Dad and I painted the trailer ourselves.
The children made holiday decorations by ________________.
Itself
Ourselves
Themselves
Their selves
Answer: C. The children mad holiday decorations by themselves.
Paul copies his friend’s homework instead of doing it _______________.
Itself
Himself
Myself
Yourself
Answer: B. Paul copies his friend’s homework instead of doing it himself.
Please make ________________ at home while you wait.
Themselves
Himself
Yourselves
Herself
Answer: C. Please make yourselves at home while you wait.
Reflexive Pronouns List
As you read through the following list of reflexive pronouns, consider ways to use them in sentences like the ones in the preceding section.
Myself
Yourself
Herself
Himself
Itself
Yourselves
Ourselves
Themselves
There are only a few relative pronouns in the English language. The most common are which, that, whose, whoever, whomever, who, and whom. In some situations, the words what, when, and where can also function as relative pronouns. Because there are only a few of them, there are also just a few rules for using relative pronouns. Keep them in mind as you write.
Relative clauses are typically introduced by relative pronouns, and that the relative pronoun can function as a possessive pronoun, an object, or a subject.
When relative pronouns introduce restrictive relative clauses, no comma is used to separate the restrictive clause from the main clause.
In American English, the relative pronoun whom is used rarely. You may notice this in conversations, but it is best to use the term when writing to ensure that your work is grammatically correct.
Relative Pronouns Examples
The following sentences contain examples of relative pronouns. The relative pronoun in each example is italicized.
The cyclist who won the race trained hard.
The pants that I bought yesterday are already stained.
The four team leaders, whomever the committee selects, will be at tomorrow’s meeting.
Spaghetti, which we eat at least twice a week, is one of my family’s favorite meals.
Where did you buy the dress that you wore last week?
The book, when it was finally returned, was torn and stained.
The store on the corner, where we usually buy all of our art supplies, burned to the ground.
Relative Pronouns Exercises
The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how relative pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
The festival, ______________ lasted all day, ended with a banquet.
That
Who
Which
What
I am looking for someone __________ can watch my dog while I go on vacation.
Which
Who
Whom
Whoever
The police needed details _____________ could help identify the robber.
Who
Whatever
That
What
I’d like to take you to a café _______________ serves excellent coffee.
What
Whatever
Which
Whichever
The clubhouse, in __________ the dance was held, housed about 200 people.
Which
Where
That
Whom
You can choose one person, __________ you like, to share the cruise with you.
Whomever
That
Which
Whom
I saw the shoes __________ you bought last week on sale for less this week.
When
That
Who
Whom
The winners, __________ known, will receive money and other prizes.
Whoever
Who
When
That
This is the place __________ we met.
When
Where
Who
That
The baby, ________ nap had been interrupted, wailed loudly.
Whosw
Whomever
Whom
Who
Answers
C – The festival, which lasted all day, ended with a banquet.
B – I am looking for someone who can watch my dog while I go on vacation.
C – The police needed details that could help identify the robber.
C – I’d like to take you to a café which serves excellent coffee.
A – The clubhouse, in which the dance was held, housed about 200 people.
A – You can choose one person, whomever you like, to share the cruise with you.
B – I saw the shoes that you bought last week on sale for less this week.
C – The winners, when known, will receive money and other prizes.
B – This is the place where we met.
A – The baby, whose nap had been interrupted, wailed loudly.
List of Relative Pronouns
Who
Whom
That
Which
Whoever
Whomever
Whichever
Subject pronouns can be singular or plural, and they can be masculine, feminine, or gender neutral. The masculine or feminine subject pronoun is used when gender is known; when referring to an inanimate object, the gender-neutral form “it” is used. The subject pronoun “it” can be used to refer to animals of unspecific gender, and it is also appropriate to use the subject pronoun “it” to describe a baby of unknown gender. “It” is also used to talk about the weather, temperature, or time.
If you can find the subject of a sentence, then you can find a subject pronoun just as easily! Let’s go back to basics for a moment. Every complete sentence has a subject, a verb, and an object. The subject (or subject pronoun) is always a person, thing, place, or idea, or the plural of one of those, i.e. people, things, places, or ideas. The object or object pronoun is always on the receiving end of the action.
One of the easiest ways to identify a subject or subject pronoun is to remember that it is always going to be the who or what that has a direct effect on the action that’s taking place.
Subject Pronoun Examples
In the following examples, you can see exactly how this method works. The subject pronoun is in bold and is underlined, the verb is in italics, and the object is in bold.
We gave them a head start in the race.
You told Jerry that his score was among the best; that made him feel better.
She lost weight by cutting out junk food.
They drank water from a spring that ran right out of the mountainside.
Subject Pronouns Exercises
__________ kicked the ball so hard that his shoe came off.
She
They
He
It
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think __________ enjoy studying.
He
She
You
I
The dog stole Tara’s ice cream before __________ ran away.
You
I
They
It
__________ enjoys going to the gym early each morning.
I
She
They
We
__________ prefer hiking to movies.
She
He
We
It
__________ is raining again.
It
She
He
We
__________ puts ketchup on everything she eats.
He
She
We
It
You can have ice cream after __________ finish your dinner.
We
You
It
She
Answers:
C – He kicked the ball so hard that his shoe came off.
C – Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you enjoy studying.
D – The dog stole Tara’s ice cream before it ran away.
B – She enjoys going to the gym early each morning.
C – We prefer hiking to movies.
A – It is raining again.
B – She puts ketchup on everything she eats.
B – You can have ice cream after you finish your dinner
Interrogative pronouns can also be used as relative pronouns, which may be found in questions or indirect questions. You’ll know for certain that a pronoun is classified as an interrogative when it’s used in an inquiring way, because interrogative pronouns are found only in question and indirect questions.
The five interrogative pronouns are what, which, who, whom, and whose.
What – Used to ask questions about people or objects. Examples:
What do you want for dinner?
I wonder what we’re doing tomorrow.
What is your friend’s name?
What time are we supposed to be there?
Which – Used to ask questions about people or objects. Examples:
Which color do you prefer?
Which of these ladies is your mother?
She asked which train to take.
Which seat would you like?
Who – Used to ask questions about people. Examples:
Who is that?
Who was driving the car?
I’m wondering who will be at the party.
Who is going to take out the trash?
Whom – This interrogative pronoun is rarely seen these days, but when it shows up, it is used to ask questions about people. Examples:
Whom did you speak to?
Whom do you prefer to vote for?
You should ask whom to call.
Whom do you live with?
Whose – Used to ask questions about people or objects, always related to possession. Examples:
Whose sweater is this?
Whose parents are those?
I wonder whose dog knocked our garbage can over.
Whose phone is that?
In some cases, interrogative pronouns take on the suffix –ever. A few can also take on the old-fashioned suffix –soever, which is rarely seen in writing these days. For example:
Whatever
Whatsoever
Whichever
Whoever
Whosoever
Whomever
Whomsoever
Whosever
Interrogative pronouns are very easy to remember and use. Memorize them to make things even simpler.
Examples of Interrogative Pronouns
Sentences containing interrogative pronouns are always questions, so they always end with a question mark. In the following examples, interrogative pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.
What do you want for your birthday?
Which shirt do you think looks better on me?
Who do you think will win the playoff game?
To whom are you speaking?
Whose socks are those?
Interrogative Pronouns Exercises
Fill in the blanks with an interrogative pronoun.
__________ threw the football?
who
what
which
whose
____________ would you prefer, coffee or tea?
who
whom
which
whose
______________ time do we need to be at the airport?
which
what
whose
whom
_____________ car is that?
whom
whose
what
who
____________ is your sister’s name?
who
whom
what
whose
_____________ did you tell?
whom
what
whose
which
_____________ of these books have you read?
what
whom
whose
which
______________ wants ice cream?
what
whom
who
whose
Answer Key:
A – Who threw the football?
C – Which would you prefer, coffee or tea?
B – What time do we need to be at the airport?
B – Whose car is that?
C – What is your sister’s name?
A – Whom did you tell?
D – Which of these books have you read?
C – Who wants ice cream?
There are only two reciprocal pronouns. Both of them allow you to make sentences simpler. They are especially useful when you need to express the same general idea more than once.
Each other
One another
Reciprocal pronouns are easy to use. When you want to refer to two people, you will normally use “each other.” When referring to more than two people, for example the students in a lecture hall, you will normally use “one another.”
Examples of Reciprocal Pronouns
Reciprocal pronouns help prevent repetition within sentences. In the following examples, reciprocal pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.
Maria and Juan gave each other gold rings on their wedding day.
Maria and Juan kissed each other at the end of the ceremony.
Terry and Jack were talking to each other in the hallway.
We give each other gifts during the holidays.
The students congratulated one another after giving practice speeches.
The kids spent the afternoon kicking the ball to one another.
The defendants blamed one another for the crime they were charged with.
You can test a word to see whether it’s an intensive pronoun by removing it from the sentence and checking to see if the sentence has the same impact.
Reflexive vs. Intensive Pronouns
You can tell the difference between a reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun easily: Intensive pronouns aren’t essential to a sentence’s basic meaning. Understanding this basic difference will help to prevent you from confusing the two.
Both intensive and reflexive pronouns end in the suffix –self or –selves, however reflexive pronouns are always objects that refer to a sentence’s subject. The following example shows a reflexive pronoun in action:
Jim made himself coffee.
Without the reflexive pronoun himself, it would be impossible for the reader to know who Jim made coffee for.
In the next example, himself is used as an intensive pronoun. The reader would be able to understand the sentence’s complete meaning without this pronoun, but it serves to add emphasis:
Jim made coffee for the king himself.
Here, himself refers to the king rather than to Jim. The reader is meant to be impressed that Jim made coffee for the king.
Common Intensive Pronouns
The following list contains the most commonly used examples of intensive pronouns.
Himself
Herself
Yourself
Themselves
Ourselves
Intensive pronouns might not be necessary, but they serve the important function of making your writing more interesting as well as more meaningful, particularly in formal situations. Use them sparingly to ensure that the emphasis they provide isn’t lost.
Intensive Pronoun Examples
Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to statements. In the following examples, the intensive pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.
Jesse wondered aloud whether he himself was the only one seeing what was happening.
Maria knew that she herself could make a positive impact on the world, if only she put her mind to it.
You yourself can easily transform your body: All it takes is a proper diet and plenty of exercise.
The team knew that they themselves were responsible for playing their best.
We ourselves are the ones who make the greatest impact upon the world we live in.
Intensive Pronoun Exercises
Choose the correct intensive pronoun to fill the blank in each sentence.
We built a garden shed by ______________.
Myself
Ourselves
Themselves
Himself
Jordan made _____________ a sandwich, complete with pickles.
Ourselves
Yourself
Himself
Themselves
I’m a little nervous about walking by _____________ after dark.
Myself
Ourselves
Themselves
Herself
The twins are growing up fast; they’re already walking by _____________.
Myself
Ourselves
Himself
Themselves
Jennifer sewed her dress ____________.
Myself
Himself
Ourselves
Herself
Answer Key
B – We built a garden shed by ourselves.
C – Jordan made himself a sandwich, complete with pickles.
A – I’m a little nervous about walking by myself after dark.
D – The twins are growing up fast; they’re already walking by themselves.
D – Jennifer sewed her dress herself.
Intensive vs. Reflexive Pronoun Exercises
Identify the italicized word as either a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun.
Ben built a boat for himself
Reflexive pronoun
Intensive pronoun
My mother bakes our family’s bread herself.
Reflexive pronoun
Intensive pronoun
The mayor herself appeared at the rally.
Reflexive pronoun
Intensive pronoun
Answer Key
A – Reflexive pronoun
B – Intensive pronoun
B – Intensive pronoun