Pronouns

A pronoun is a word which can be used instead of a noun. For example, instead of saying this is Mary’s uniform, the pronoun her can be used in place of Mary and the sentence becomes – This is her uniform. Pronouns are used very often, to avoid using the noun again and again. Personal pronouns refer to a person. Personal pronouns have singular and plural forms.

E.g

I ate the mango.

We ate the mango.

He saw a movie.

They saw a movie.

Personal pronouns sometimes have different forms for masculine/male, feminine/female and neuter (he-she-it). Also, unlike nouns, personal pronouns have different forms depending on if they act as subjects or objects.

He gave Ryan a pencil.

Ryan gave him an eraser. She took mother out to dinner. Mother took her out to dinner. Personal pronouns change according to what person is being referred to. I ate her apple. You ate her apple. He eats her apple Possessive pronouns make the pronoun possessive. Eg: That book is his. Intensive pronouns intensify the noun that they come after.

Eg: I, myself did the drawing.

The reflexive form of the pronoun looks exactly like the intensive form but is used when the subject and object of a verb refer to the same person as in the sentence I saw myself in the mirror.