Pronouns are words that replace nouns to help us avoid repeating the same noun over and over again in sentences.
Personal Pronouns
Examples
He gave me a book and I gave him a comic book.
You bought her a gift and she thanked you.
We send them a sampler and they asked us for more.
Indefinite Pronouns
Quantifiers
Possessive pronouns
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are ones that refer back to the subject of the sentence.
Intensive pronouns are exactly the same as reflexive pronouns, but their job in the sentence is different: they’re just meant to emphasize the subject of the sentence.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Near Distance
Far Distance
The choice of demonstrative pronoun depends on the number (singular or plural) and the relative physical or temporal distance (near or far) of the noun being modified.
Demonstrative pronouns replace a specific noun that was mentioned previously.
Asia’s mountains are taller than those (ones).
That tree is cute, but this one offers more shade.
I don't want to see this movie, I prefer that one.
Look at these books! These (ones) are recent and those (ones) are old.
When the demonstrative refers to an idea or fact (neutral) you can't use "one(s)"
What's this? What are these?
That's impossible!
They were uninspired. They didn't win because of that.
Interrogative Pronouns
Exercises
Relative Pronouns
A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a dependent (or relative) clause and connects it to an independent clause.
The woman who came to the door left flowers for you.
I am not sure whom this book belongs to.
Interpretative dance, which I find a bit disconcerting, is all the rage.
Is this what you were talking about?
She finally visited the coffee shop that had such great reviews.
She apologized to the boy whose glasses got broken.
The house whose owner is on vacation has an unsightly garden.
Your talent is the reason why they hired you and that's why you´ll be successful.
No matter how I try, I can't convince her.
That introduces a restrictive (or defining) clause and which a nonrestrictive (or non-defining) clause
A restrictive clause is an essential part of its sentence; if it were taken out of the sentence, the sentence’s meaning would change. Nonrestrictive clauses are just the opposite.
The wardrobe that has the fur coats in it leads to Narnia.
If we were to excise the clause “that has the fur coats in it” from the sentence, the meaning of the sentence would change. We would no longer know which wardrobe leads to a magical land with talking animals, which was the intention of the sentence. This kind of clause gets a that. The word which, on the other hand, should introduce a nonessential clause that can be removed from a sentence without changing the sentence’s meaning.
The wardrobe, which contains several fur coats, leads to Narnia.
Here, “which contains several fur coats” is a parenthetical remark that can be removed without materially altering the sentence. Nonrestrictive (or nonessential) clauses are set off with commas, as shown in the example above.
Not every style guide agrees on whether that is an acceptable relative pronoun to use when referring to people. To some, the following sentence may sound incorrect.
The teacher that gives out candy is always the students’ favorite.
The truth is, this sentence is perfectly fine. Yet you may want to consider that your readers could disagree. Go with the safer bet, who.
The teacher who gives out candy is always the students’ favorite.
The term compound relative pronoun sounds complex, but it really isn’t. Simply put, compound relative pronouns apply universally to a number of people or things.
Please tell whoever may call that I am not available.
Whomever you hire will be fine with me.
Whichever train you take from here, you will end at Charing Cross station.
Carly will be successful at whatever she chooses to do in life.
However you try to explain it, I don't understand.
