Pronouns

2. Reflexive Pronouns

A Reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that refers back to the subject. We use reflexive pronouns when the subject and the object refer to the same person or thing.

Examples

He washed himself. 

I cut myself shaving. 

Did you hurt yourself? 

She looked at herself in the mirror.

We enjoyed ourselves during the vacation. 

3. Demonstrative Pronouns

A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun that points to a particular person, place or thing.

this

that

these

those

This and that are singular; these and those are plural

Examples

This is a beautiful garden. 

These are new books. 

That is an old house. 

Those are new houses.

4. Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are pronouns which are used to introduce questions. 

The common interrogative pronouns are who, whose, which and what.

Examples

Who brought the letter here? 

Whose is this umbrella? 

Which is the best solution? 

What is your number?

5. Relative Pronouns.

Relative pronouns are pronouns that introduce relative clauses or adjective clauses. Relative pronouns include who, whose, whom and that (for persons), and which, that, whose, and of which (for things).

Examples

The boy that/who brought the letter is waiting there. 

This is the house that/which we bought last week.

This is the house we bought last week. 

6. Distributive Pronouns

Distributive pronouns are pronouns referring to each individual of a class, not to the class collectively. They include each, every, either and neither.

Each , Every

Examples

Each student was given an identity card. 

The children got a special prize each. 

Priya visists her aunt every two weeks.

You are to take the tablets every four hours. 

Either, Neither

Examples

There were cars on either side of the main road. 

There's tea or coffee here. You can have either.

Two of my friends came, but neither was very helpful. 

7. Indefinite Pronouns

We use indefinite pronouns for people or things without saying exactly what they are. The indefinite pronouns are the following.

Notice that no one is written as two words. Sometimes a hyphen is used (no-one)

The pronouns ending in -one and -body refer to people and those ending in -thing refer to things. Most people prefer pronouns ending in -one to those ending in -body. 

An indefinite pronoun takes a singular verb.

Examples

Everyone has heard the rumour. 

Everything was OK. 

Has anyone replied yet?

She saw something on the kitchen floor.

He called someone in the evening.

She didn't see anything on the kitchen floor.

He didn't call anyone in the evening.

8. Reciprocal Pronouns

The pronouns each other and one another are called reciprocal pronouns, which express mutual action or relation. They show that two people or groups do similar things to each other. They are used in the same way.

Examples

They loved/embraced / kissed each other. 

They wear each other's shirts. 

They couldn't stop arguing with each other.

Practice Exercises

I. Find the personal pronouns and their antecedents in the following sentences.

Example

Tom is hard-working. He will pass the exam. 

He: personal pronoun 

Tom: antecedent

1. My sisters are nurses in the US. They are rich. 

2. Most of my friends are rich, but they are lazy.

3. Our teacher encourages us because she is very loving.

4. I borrowed a novel from the library. I finished it yesterday. 

5. Ancy's parents are affectionate. They help her a lot. 

6. I bought a dictionary yesterday. It is very useful. 

7. Tom is an accountant in my office. He is hard-working. 

8. The boys are watching TV. They watch TV every evening.

9. Alice is coming. She seems to be happy. 

10. Yinu is reading a book. He loves books. 

II. Choose the appropriate possessive form to complete the sentence.

Example

This is (my/mine) dictionary; (your/yours) is not here. my, yours

1. This purse is (her / hers). (My/Mine) is on the table.

2. I saw the money. I liked (it's / its) long tail. 

3. I've seen several elephants, but I haven't touched (their / theirs) trunks.

4. Deepa had a dog. (Its / It's) name was Sipy.

5. (Its / It's) interesting to study butterflies.

6. A penguin doesn't use (it's/its) wings to fly. 

7. (Your/Yours) umbrella is almost the same as (my/mine).

8. Is that (my/mine) camera or (your/yours)?

9. (Its/It's) my belief that (her/hers) father will agree to it.

10. A frog uses (its/its) long legs for jumping.

III. Complete the following sentences with appropriate personal pronouns. Sentences 12-20 require reflexive pronouns.

Example

I've finished______ homework; have you finished______?

I've finished my homework; have you finished yours? 

1. I haven't brought ______ dictionary. Can I borrow ______?

2. An old friend of ______ came to see me this moring. 

3. This pen is not ______ It must be ______.

4. ______ umbrella is this?

5. My brother has paid ______ fees. When are you paying ______?

6. Mini fell and broke ______ leg. Bindu broke ______ too.

7. This is not ______ bag. ______ is a new one.

8. ______ car is smaller than ______.

9. Do ______ mind if ______ smoke?

10. Sunil is a cousin of ______.

11. ______ shoes are these? They are not ______.

12. I enjoyed ______ during the vacation. 

13. I'll carry the luggage by ______.

14. He ______ did the work. 

15. Don't set ______ an impossible goal. 

16. I'd like to spend the evening by ______.

17. She's old enough to look after ______.

18. Don't you like the soup? I made it ______.

19. Raju, how could you do it? You should be ashamed of ______.

20. You look tired. You ought to take care of ______.

IV. Choose the appropriate demonstrative adjective or pronoun.

1. (This / These) is a new bag. 

2. (That / Those) umbrellas are old. 

3. (That / These) is a ripe banana. 

4. (Those/That) cows are eating grass. 

5. (These / This) are expensive items. 

6. (Those / That) are new cars. 

7. (That / Those) is an island in the Indian Ocean. 

8. (This / These) woman is poor.

9. (Those / That) children are playing. 

10. (This /These) fruit is rich in vitamin C. 

11. (This / These) sheep have been sold. 

12. (That / Those) sheep is grazing there. 

13. (This / These) oxen are very strong. 

14. (That / Those) is a splendid scene. 

15. (These / This) are my cousins.

V. Use appropriate interrogative pronouns.

1. ______ is singing there? 

2. ______ is his wife's name? 

3. ______ is the time?

4. ______ gave you the money? 

5. ______ nationality is he? 

6. ______ is standing at the door? 

7. ______ is the matter with your boss? 

8. ______ typed the report? 

9. ______ went wrong at the party?

10. ______ do you want? 

11. I have two pens ______ do you want?

12. ______ opened my room? 

13. ______ is the weather like? 

14. ______ did Annie do yesterday afternoon? 

15. ______ do you do?' 'I'm a nurse? 

16. ______ wants a blanket? 

17. ______ won the first prize? 

18. proposal was it? 

19. ______ of these bags is yours? 

20. ______ is cheaper - going by train or going by bus?

VI. Complete each sentence with an appropriate relative pronoun given in brackets.

Examples

a. This is the boy ________ brought the letter. (which, who, whom)

This is the boy who brought the letter.

b. The camera ______ is used by him is mine. (who, which, whose)

The camera which is used by him is mine. 

1. The people ______ live in that house are helpful. (whom, which, who) 

2. Do you know the boy ________ is sitting there? (whose, who, which) 

3. Manju is a teacher ______ loves her students. (which, who, whom) 

4. The books ______ are on the table are new. (that, who, whom) 

5. A polyglot is a person _______ speaks or uses many languages. (which, whom, who)

6. I want some books ______ are really useful. (who, whom, which) 

7. I saw the man ______ caught the thief. (which, who, whom) 

8. Nobody likes people ______ always give advice. (who, whom, which) 

9. Do you like the postman _______ brings your mail? (whose, which, who) 

10. The tourist ______ purse was stolen called the police. (who, whose, whom) 

11. The boy ________ mother died last week has come here. (whose, of which, whom) 

12. I spoke to the girl_______ helped my daughter. (who, whom, which) 

13. A misogynist is a person _______ hates women. (whom, who, which) 

14. I like the novel ______ was written by Arundhati Roy. (who, that, whom)

15. The essay ______ was written by the boy was very good. (who, whom, which)

VII. Use ‘each' or 'every' in the following sentences.

Examples

a. ______ of the girls in the class is clever. 

Each of the girls in the class is clever.

b. She goes there ______ two days.

She goes there every two days. 

1. The students got a packet ______.

2. ______of them has done well on the test. 

3. They have ______ won a prize. 

4. I gave an apple to ______ of the children. 

5. Susan has a scare on ______ foot. 

6. There are three boxes here, ______ with its own key. 

7. He visits his mother ______ week. 

8. You should have your car checked________ 10,000 miles. 

9. Take this medicine ______ other day. 

10. ______ of them has finished the homework.

VIII. Use either' or 'neither' in the following sentences.

Examples

a. Applications are invited from people of ______ sex.

Applications are invited from people of either sex.

b. There were two neighbours present, but ______ would help us.

There were two neighbours present, but neither would help us.

1. There is fruit salad or ice cream - you can have ______.

2. We can go on Saturday or Sunday. ________ day is Ok.

3. 'Can we discuss the matter on Thursday or Friday?" I'm afraid ______ day is convenient

4. He doesn't like _______ of his parents. 

5. I don't think ______ of my brothers has started the work. 

6. If ______ of the boys calls, tell them I'll be back soon. 

7. Which dictionary do you choose?”'_______ I'm not interested’.

8. I advised them, but ______ parent cares what happens to the children.

9. I tried to contact two of my friends, but ______ was available.

10. I bought two books yesterday, but ______ is useful for my purpose.

IX. Complete the sentences by using ‘anyone', anything', 'someone' or 'something'.

Example

She had ______ in her bag. 

She had something in her bag.

1. She's speaking to ______ on the phone.

2. I didn't buy ______ when I went to the shop. 

3. Though she saw me, she didn't say ______.

4. He didn't invite ______ to the party.

5. I want to give her ______ for her birthday.

6. Did she give you ______ for your birthday?

7. Did you meet ______ there yesterday?

8. It's getting late. We can't do ______ now.

9. I know ______ about it.

10. I didn't do _______ yesterday afternoon.

X. Complete the sentences by using ‘anyone', anything', ‘no one' or 'nothing'.

Example

She knows ______ about it.

She knows nothing about it.

1. Sunil doesn't know ______ about computers.

2. My purse is empty. There's ______ in it.

3. There was _______ who was responsible.

4. Did you leave ______ on the table?

5. Does ______ want a blanket?

6. I don't agree with ______ you said.

7. You can take _______ you see here.

8. I must hurry. There's _______ at home.

9. I went there, but didn't see ______.

10. Do you know ________ about such matters?