Pronoun
Pro means 'for' or 'acting as.'
A pronoun is used as a substitute for a noun or a noun phrase. In other words, it has all the characteristics of a noun: it can function as a subject/object/complement in a sentence.
A pronoun is used to avoid the repetition of nouns or noun phrases:
1. Seema went to the market because seema wanted to buy a pen. i.e. Suresh went to the market because he wanted to buy a pen.
2. Walking a form of exercise. Walking is easier than swimming. i.e. Walking is a form of exercise. It is easier than swimming.
Kinds of Pronouns
There are nine kinds of pronouns:
i) Personal Pronouns
ii) Possessive Pronouns
iv) Demonstrative Pronouns
v) Reflective Pronouns
vii) Relative Pronouns
viii) Interrogative Pronouns
ix) Indefinite Pronouns
Personal pronouns
I, we, you, he, she, it, they
These seven pronouns are called personal pronouns. On the basis of their role in a speech act,
these can be divided into three:
First Person, Second Person, Third Person
Possessive pronouns
my, our, your, his, her, their, its (determiners)
mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs, its (predicative use)
They are used to express ownership/possession/relationship.
Determiners are followed by a noun. This is my room.
The possessive pronoun in its predicative use cannot be followed by a noun.
We don't say: This is mine room.
We say: The room is mine.
Reciprocal pronouns
each other, one another
These are used to express mutual/reciprocal relationship: They love each other/one another.
Like any other pronoun, each other and one another have no intrinsic reference; therefore they have to have an antecedent. But unlike other pronouns, these cannot normally appear as the subject of a main clause because the antecedent should be in the sentence itself. Typically these occur as object of a verb or a preposition in a sentence that has a plural subject.
1. No two artists approve of each other's works.
But we cannot say: 2. If there are two children of the same age it is always good to put them in the same class. Each other can help in doing the homework.
But we can say: The children can help each other in doing the homework. Even though there are enough contextual clues in (2) as to the antecedent of each other the sentence is not possible.
Note: Traditional grammar makes a distinction between each other and one another. It requires that each other be used of only two people/things and one another of more than two. In current English both are used interchangeably, with a slight preference for each other.
Demonstrative pronouns
this, that, these, those
They are used to point to (demonstrate) people or things they stand for:
1. This is our new house.
2. That is the bridge built by the British
. Demonstrative pronouns have number contrast: this these that those
The basic function of demonstratives is to indicate the nearness or distance of the person or object referred to, from the speaker.
Reflexive pronouns
Form:
A reflexive pronoun is formed by attaching self/selves to the objective form of the pronoun: myself, ourselves, yourself/selves, himself, herself, themselves, itself
a) A reflexive pronoun is used as a substitute for a noun in the objective case i.e., as a direct object: Govind saw Govind in the mirror.
Govind saw himself in the mirror.
This is used to avoid an awkward construction 'Govind ... Govind' .
Note: .Reflexive means 'bent back', i.e. 'bending the subject back to the subject.' A reflexive pronoun is used when the subject and the object refer to the same person or thing.
This can be seen from the agreement between the subject and the reflexive object:
I saw myself in the mirror.
We dressed ourselves in the kitchen.
You sent yourself a birthday card.
They wrote themselves a 'Thank you' note.
He hurt himself while playing.
Relative pronouns
who, whom, which, what, that A relative pronoun relates or refers back to a noun or pronoun called its antecedent. It also joins clauses. So it is a pronoun as well as a conjunction.
Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses and noun clauses:
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
I don't know who is standing at the gate.
Which is used also as a sentence relative pronoun to introduce the relative c in a sentence: They eat snakes, which is unusual.
Interrogative pronouns
Who, whom, whose, which, what
The forms of relative pronouns and interrogative pronouns are identical, but their functions are different: the former join clauses, the latter ask questions.
a) Who can come as the subject or as the object in a clause. Here who refers only to persons, not to things:
Who discovered America? (as subject)
Who did you invite for lunch? (as object)
Who are you talking about? (as object of the preposition)
Indefinite pronouns
each, every, all Each refers to two or more people or things, whereas every refers to three or more. Further, each presupposes a set (supplied by the context), every does not.
Rajeev walked into the room and gave a sweet to everyone (not, each)
At times a definite article can intervene between all and the noun.
All the girls want to imitate Karen.
Each of you should attend the function.
Everyone of them came to see me in hospital.
