Pronun
A pronoun is one of the most important parts of English grammar. Pronouns help us avoid repetition, make sentences clear, and improve fluency in speaking and writing. Without pronouns, English would sound repetitive and unnatural.
This article explains pronouns in depth, including definitions, types, rules, examples, common mistakes, and practice exercises, in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
What is Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence to avoid repetition. Examples include he, she, it, they, we, and you.Pronouns make sentences shorter and easier to understand.
Example:
Instead of saying Ravi is smart. Ravi is my friend., we say: Ravi is smart. He is my friend. → “He” replaces the noun “Ravi”.
Types of Pronoun
| Type | Usage | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Pronoun | Used in place of a noun (I, we, he, she, they) | She is my friend. |
| Possessive Pronoun | Shows ownership or possession | This book is mine. |
| Reflexive Pronoun | Refers back to the subject | He hurt himself. |
| Demonstrative Pronoun | Points to specific things | This is my house. |
| Interrogative Pronoun | Used to ask questions | Who is calling? |
| Relative Pronoun | Joins clauses and refers to a noun | The boy who won is my brother. |
1. Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns are words used to replace the names of people or things. Examples include I, we, you, he, she, it, and they.
Sentences:
1. I am a student.
2. She is my sister.
3. They are playing football.
4. We will help you.
5. He loves music.
6. You are my best friend.
7. It is raining today.
8. He is playing cricket.
9. She is singing a song.
10. He loves music.
2. Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession. Examples include mine, ours, yours, his, hers, and theirs.
Sentences:
1. This book is mine.
2. That car is theirs.
3. The house is ours.
4. Is this pen yours?
5. The responsibility is ours.
6. That idea was hers.
7. That bag is yours.
8. The victory is ours .
9. The fault was his.
10. The decision was hers.
3. Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object are the same in a sentence. Examples include myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, and themselves.
Sentences:
1. I hurt myself.
2. She taught herself to paint.
3. They enjoyed themselves.
4. You should believe in yourself.
5. The cat cleaned itself.
6. She cooked the food herself.
7. He repaired the bike himself.
8. He blamed himself for the mistake.
9. The child dressed himself.
10. She looked at herself in the mirror.
4. Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out specific people or things. Examples include this, that, these, and those.
Sentences:
1. This is my bag.
2. That is your car.
3. These are beautiful flowers.
4. Those were great days.
5. This is very easy.
6. That was a great idea.
7. These are fresh flowers.
8. Those are old houses.
9. This belongs to me.
10. That is a tall building.
5. Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. Examples include who, whom, whose, which, and what.
Sentences:
1. Who is knocking at the door?
2. Whose book is this?
3. What is your name?
4. Which is your favorite color?
5. Whom did you call?
6. Who called you last night?
7. Whose bag is missing?
8. What are you doing now?
9. Which one do you want?
10. Whom did you meet yesterday?
6. Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns are words used to connect a clause to a noun or pronoun. Examples include who, whom, whose, which, and that.
Sentences:
1. The man who helped me is kind.
2. The book that I read was amazing.
3. The girl whose phone is ringing is my cousin.
4. The car which is parked outside is mine.
5. The person whom you met is my teacher.
6. The boy who is playing is my friend.
7. The dog that barked loudly ran away.
8. The man whose car was stolen is sad.
9. This is the book which I lost.
10. He is the person whom I trust.
7. Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns are words that refer to people or things without naming them exactly. Examples include someone, anyone, everyone, something, and nothing.
Sentences:
1. Someone is at the door.
2. Everybody loves music.
3. Nobody came to the meeting.
4. Few were interested.
5. All is lost.
6. Anybody can make mistakes.
7. Something is wrong here.
8. Nothing is impossible.
9. Many were invited to the meeting.
10. Several students are absent today.
Common Mistakes
1. Subject vs Object pronoun
❌ Me and Ravi went home
✅ Ravi and I went home
Use subject pronouns as subjects.
2. Wrong reflexive pronoun
❌ He hurt hisself
✅ He hurt himself
3. Pronoun–antecedent agreement
❌ Everyone forgot their book (formal)
✅ Everyone forgot his or her book
4. Double subject
❌ My brother he is a teacher
✅ My brother is a teacher
5. Wrong possessive pronoun
❌ This pen is her
✅ This pen is hers
6. Using pronoun without clear noun
❌ When he arrived, he was angry
✅ When Ravi arrived, he was angry
Pronoun must refer to a clear noun.
7. Confusing who / whom
❌ Whom is calling you?
✅ Who is calling you?
8. Relative pronoun error
❌ This is the boy which won
✅ This is the boy who won
9. Using reflexive unnecessarily
❌ He himself did the work by himself
✅ He did the work himself
10. Demonstrative pronoun mistake
❌ These kind of books are good
✅ This kind of book is good
Pronoun Quiz — Pick the pronoun
10 questions. Choose the correct pronoun.