The Pronoun

The Pronoun

       Words are divided into different kinds or classes, according to their use; according to their work they do in a sentence. They are called Parts of Speech. They are eight in a number.  Pronoun is one of the parts of speech.

 “A word that is used instead

of a noun is called pronoun”. 

       The pronoun is replaced the noun, hence a pronoun is a substitute word and its chief use is to save the repetition of a noun. e.g. He she, you, I, my, mine, me, your, myself,   In following sentences, underlined words are pronouns.

Vinayak is my friend. He is very clever.

I visited Delhi. This is the capital of India. 3. I did it myself.

       Pronouns are divided into following kinds. 

(1) Personal pronoun (2) Reflexive pronoun (3) Demonstrative pronoun (4) Indefinite

(5)Interrogative (6) Distributive (7) Relative (8) Reciprocal. Let’s discuss each kind of pronouns.

(1) Personal Pronouns:-

          “A Pronoun used for threes persons is known as personal pronoun.”  Personal pronouns are concerned with a person or persons. They stand for the three persons.

A pronoun used for the person speaking is known as the first person pronouns. e.g. I, we, me, us.  1. I am a teacher.

A person used for the person spoken to is known the 2^nd person pronoun. e.g. you.

1. I saw you yesterday.

 “A pronoun used for the person spoken of is known as the third person. e.g. he, she, it, they, them, her. 1. He is waiting for you. 2.  It was evening.

2. Reflexive Pronoun:-

          “A pronoun used with ‘self’ or ‘selves’ to reflect the action of the verb on the subject is known as a reflexive pronoun.” e.g. myself, yourself, yourselves, ourselves, itself, themselves are reflexive pronoun. The reflexive pronouns are used as alternative to personal pronouns. When a reflective pronoun is used for the sake of emphasis, it is known as Emphatic Pronouns.

1. We ourselves talked to the P.M. 2. You are starving yourself.

3. Demonstrative pronoun

          “A pronoun used to point out the person or thing we talk about is known as a Demonstrative Pronoun.” e.g. this that, such, these, those are the demonstrative pronouns. They can also be used as demonstrative adjective. They are used in place of in-enimate things.

1. This is my friend’s house. 2. This pen is mine. 3. That boy is lazy.

4. That bag is mine. 5. Such is my fate.

 ‘This’ is used for thing, a person, animal that is near. ‘That’ is used for a thing, person, animal that is some distance away. ‘Such’ is used for a thing or thing mentioned or implied.

4. Indefinite & Distribute Pronoun:-

          A pronoun used to talk about a person or thing indefinitely is known as Indefinite Pronouns. e.g. one, none, anyone, anybody, somebody, everybody, nobody, all, another, no other, nothing, few, both, many, several, are example of the indefinite pronouns.

1. One has to be careful about ones health. 2.  Nobody helped me. 5. Somebody broke this glass.

3.  Nothing is as sweet as honey. 4. All new comers are warmly wel-come.

  A pronoun used to talk about each and every person separately is known as Distribute Pronouns. e.g. each, either, every, neither, one, everybody, everything are example of the Distribute pronouns. 1. Each of us has a book. 2. Every Indians is brave. 3. Everyone cheated her.

5. Relative Pronoun:-

          “A pronoun used to combine sentences or clauses together is known as relative pronoun.” e.g. who, whom, which, whose, what, that are relative pronoun.

          ‘Who’ ‘Whom’ is used for persons as a subject, as a object, in the possessive case.

The man who cheated you is my friend. 2. The woman whom I met is your lover.

3.   The girl whose father died wanted to marry.

 ‘which’ is used for creatures and non-living things. e.g. 

1. This book which I was reading. The cat which ran away belongs to my neighbour.

‘That’ is used for persons, creatures and thing. e.g. It is a beautiful picture that I have never seen.

 ‘What’ is used for things only also it does not refer anything before it. e.g.

1. Man is not what he is. 2. What he told us is not true

Zero Pronoun:-

Omission of pronoun is called Zero Pronoun. In some sentences, relative pronouns are omitted such are called Zero Pronoun. In above sentence, relative pronoun which are omitted.

That is the table, I cleaned yesterday.

6. Interrogative Pronoun:-

  A Pronoun used to make a question is known as an Interrogative Pronoun. e.g. who, whose, which, whom, what are used for asking question. So they are called interrogative pronouns. In following sentences interrogative pronouns are underlined. 

1. Who is this lady?  2. Whose is this box? 3. What is your father?

5. Which would you like to see the film ‘Ghajini’ or ‘Om Shanti Om?

7. Reciprocal Pronouns:-

          “A Pronoun used to talk about mutual relationship is known as Reciprocal Pronouns. e.g. each other, one another are examples of reciprocal pronouns.  ‘Each other’ is used to talk about two persons. One another is used to talk about more than two persons or things. In following sentences underlined words are reciprocal pronoun.

Vinayak and Radha love each other.  2. They cheated one another.