PRONOUNS

Introduction:-

A Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. The Noun for which a pronoun stands is called its Antecedent.

Gulshan was successful because he worked hard.

Here the pronoun is he and its antecedent is Gulshan.

Pronouns may be divided into nine classes. (1) Personal, (2) Reflexive, (3) Emphatic, (4) Demonstrative, (5) Indefinite, (6) Interrogative, (7) Distributive, (8) Reciprocal, (9) Relative.

1. Personal Pronouns:-

The seven pronouns I, We, You, He, She, It, and they and their different forms are known as Personal Pronouns because they refer to distinctions based on person. This means the distinction between the speaker, i.e., First Person (I, We); the person spoken to, i.e., Second Person (You), and anyone or anything else i.e., Third Person (He, She, It, They).

2. Reflexive Pronouns:-

The pronouns myself, ourselves, yourselves, yourself, himself, herself, itself and themselves are called Reflexive Pronouns because they reflect the action of the verb on the subject itself,

e.g., The drunkard ruined himself.

3. Emphatic Pronouns:-

Emphatic pronouns are pronouns used for the sake of emphasis,

e.g., The little boy opened the door himself.

Note:- that, the reflexive and emphatic forms are the same, but their functions are different.

4. Demonstrative Pronouns:-

Demonstrative Pronouns point out the things or persons for which they stand. The four pronouns of this kind are this, these, that and those.

e.g., This is my wife.

These are my children.

5. Indefinite Pronouns:-

Indefinite Pronouns refer to persons or things in a vague, general manner. Words like all, some, many, and everyone belong to this class.

1) Anybody can do it.

2) Some were lucky and came back from the expedition.

6. Interrogative Pronouns:-

Interrogative Pronouns are used to ask questions.

e.g., 1) What is the price of this book?

2) Who is ready to come with me?

7. Distributive Pronouns:-

Distributive Pronouns refer to persons or things one at a time,

e.g., 1) Each of the pictures was beautiful.

2) Neither of the two brothers was present.

8. Reciprocal Pronouns:-

Reciprocal Pronouns express a mutual or reciprocal relationship.

e.g., 1) Don’t they like one another?

2) John and David admired each other.

9. Relative Pronouns:-

Relative Pronouns relate or refer to a noun that has gone before. In other words, a relative pronoun introduces an adjectival clause and relates or links it to its antecedent. The important forms of this category are who, whom, whose, that and which.

1) This is the boy who drew the picture.

2) I have got a book which is very old.