From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
«You» and «Your» are not to be confused with U, Ewe, Yew, or Ure.
In Modern English, you is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most[citation needed] modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers.
History
You comes from the Proto-Germanic demonstrative base *juz-, *iwwiz from Proto-Indo-European *yu— (second-person plural pronoun).[1] Old English had singular, dual, and plural second-person pronouns. The dual form was lost by the twelfth century,[2]: 117 and the singular form was lost by the early 1600s.[3] The development is shown in the following table.[2]: 117, 120, 121
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OE | ME | Mod | OE | ME | Mod | OE | ME | Mod | |
| Nominative | þu | þu | ġit | ġe | ȝē | you | |||
| Accusative | þe | þē | inc | ēow | ȝou | ||||
| Dative | |||||||||
| Genitive | þīn | þī(n) | incer | ēower | ȝour(es) | your(s) |
Early Modern English distinguished between the plural ye and the singular thou. As in many other European languages, English at the time had a T–V distinction, which made the plural forms more respectful and deferential; they were used to address strangers and social superiors.[3] This distinction ultimately led to familiar thou becoming obsolete in modern English, although it persists in some English dialects.
Yourself had developed by the early 14th century, with the plural yourselves attested from 1520.[4]
Morphology
In Standard Modern English, you has five shapes representing six distinct word forms:[5]
- you: the nominative (subjective) and accusative (objective or oblique case[6]: 146 ) forms
- your: the dependent genitive (possessive) form
- yours: independent genitive (possessive) form
- yourselves: the plural reflexive form
- yourself: the singular reflexive form
Plural forms from other varieties
Although there is some dialectal retention of the original plural ye and the original singular thou, most English-speaking groups have lost the original forms. Because of the loss of the original singular-plural distinction, many English dialects belonging to this group have innovated new plural forms of the second person pronoun. Examples of such pronouns sometimes seen and heard include:
- y’all, or you all – southern United States,[7] African-American Vernacular English, the Abaco Islands,[8] St. Helena[8] and Tristan da Cunha.[8] Y’all however, is also occasionally used for the second-person singular in the North American varieties.
- you guys [ju gajz~juɣajz] – United States,[9] particularly in the Midwest, Northeast, South Florida and West Coast; Canada, Australia. Gendered usage varies; for mixed groups, «you guys» is nearly always used. For groups consisting of only women, forms like «you girls» or «you gals» might appear instead, though «you guys» is sometimes used for a group of only women as well.
- you lot – United Kingdom,[10] Palmerston Island,[11] Australia
- you mob – Australia[12]
- you-all, all-you – Caribbean English,[13] Saba[11]
- a(ll)-yo-dis – Guyana[13]
- allyuh – Trinidad and Tobago[14]
- among(st)-you – Carriacou, Grenada, Guyana,[13] Utila[11]
- wunna – Barbados[13]
- yinna – Bahamas[13]
- unu/oona – Jamaica, Belize, Cayman Islands, Barbados,[13] San Salvador Island[8]
- yous(e) – Ireland,[15] Tyneside,[16] Merseyside,[17] Central Scotland,[18] Australia,[19] Falkland Islands,[8] New Zealand,[11] Philadelphia,[20] parts of the Midwestern US,[21] Cape Breton and rural Canada[citation needed]
- yous(e) guys – in the United States, particularly in New York City region, Philadelphia, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan;[citation needed]
- you-uns, or yinz – Western Pennsylvania, the Ozarks, the Appalachians[22]
- ye, yee, yees, yiz – Ireland,[23] Tyneside,[24] Newfoundland and Labrador[11]
Semantics
You prototypically refers to the addressee along with zero or more other persons, excluding the speaker. You is also used to refer to personified things (e.g., why won’t you start? addressed to a car).[25] You is always definite even when it is not specific.
Semantically, you is both singular and plural, though syntactically it is always plural: it always takes a verb form that originally marked the word as plural, (i.e. you are, in common with we are and they are).
Third person usage
You is used to refer to an indeterminate person, as a more common alternative to the very formal indefinite pronoun one.[26] Though this may be semantically third person, for agreement purposes, you is always second person.
- Example: «One should drink water frequently» or «You should drink water frequently».
Syntax
Agreement
You always triggers plural verb agreement, even when it is semantically singular.
Functions
You can appear as a subject, object, determiner or predicative complement.[5] The reflexive form also appears as an adjunct. You occasionally appears as a modifier in a noun phrase.
- Subject: You’re there; your being there; you paid for yourself to be there.
- Object: I saw you; I introduced her to you; You saw yourself.
- Predicative complement: The only person there was you.
- Dependent determiner: I met your friend.
- Independent determiner: This is yours.
- Adjunct: You did it yourself.
- Modifier: (no known examples)
Dependents
Pronouns rarely take dependents, but it is possible for you to have many of the same kind of dependents as other noun phrases.
- Relative clause modifier: you who believe
- Determiner: the real you; *the you
- Adjective phrase modifier: the real you; *real you
- Adverb phrase external modifier: Not even you
Pronunciation
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the following pronunciations are used:
| Form | Plain | Unstressed | Recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| you | (UK) /juː/
(US) /jə/ |
/ju/
/jə/ |
female speaker with US accent |
| your | (UK) /jɔː/
(US) /jɔr/ |
/jʊə/
/jʊ(ə)r/ |
female speaker with US accent |
| yours | (UK) /jɔːz/
(US) /jɔrz/ |
/jʊəz/
/jʊ(ə)rz/ |
female speaker with US accent |
| yourselves | (UK) /jɔːˈsɛlvz/, /jʊəˈsɛlvz/
(US) /jɔrˈsɛlvz/, /jʊrˈsɛlvz/ |
/jəˈsɛlvz/
/jərˈsɛlvz/ |
|
| yourself | (UK) /jɔːˈsɛlf/, /jʊəˈsɛlf/
(US) /jɔrˈsɛlf/, /jʊrˈsɛlf/ |
/jəˈsɛlf/
/jərˈsɛlf/ |
female speaker with US accent |
See also
- Generic you
- English personal pronouns
- Thou
- Y’all
- Yinz
References
- ^ «Origin and meaning of it». Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-20.
- ^ a b Blake, Norman, ed. (1992). The Cambridge history of the English Language: Volume II 1066–1476. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- ^ a b «thee». Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ «yourselves». Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ a b Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge grammar of the English language. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Lass, Roger, ed. (1999). The Cambridge history of the English Language: Volume III 1476–1776. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Rios, Delia M (2004-06-01). «‘You-guys’: It riles Miss Manners and other purists, but for most it adds color to language landscape». The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
- ^ a b c d e Schreier, Daniel; Trudgill, Peter; Schneider, Edgar W.; Williams, Jeffrey P., eds. (2013). The Lesser-Known Varieties of English: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139487412.
- ^ Jochnowitz, George (1984). «Another View of You Guys». American Speech. 58 (1): 68–70. doi:10.2307/454759. JSTOR 454759.
- ^ Finegan, Edward (2011). Language: Its Structure and Use. Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc p. 489. ISBN 978-0495900412
- ^ a b c d e Williams, Jeffrey P.; Schneider, Edgar W.; Trudgill, Peter; Schreier, Daniel, eds. (2015). Further Studies in the Lesser-Known Varieties of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-02120-4.
- ^ «Expressions». The Aussie English Podcast. Archived from the original on Aug 23, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Allsopp, Richard (2003) [1996]. Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. Kingston: The University of the West Indies Press. ISBN 978-976-640-145-0.
- ^ «Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago». Chateau Guillaumme Bed and Breakfast.
- ^ Dolan, T. P. (2006). A Dictionary of Hiberno-English. Gill & Macmillan. p. 26. ISBN 978-0717140398
- ^ Wales, Katie (1996). Personal Pronouns in Present-Day English. Cambridge University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0521471022
- ^ Kortmann, Bernd; Upton, Clive (2008). Varieties of English: The British Isles. Mouton de Gruyter. p. 378. ISBN 978-3110196351
- ^ Taavitsainen, Irma; Jucker, Andreas H. (2003). Diachronic Perspectives on Address Term Systems. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 351. ISBN 978-9027253484
- ^ Butler, Susan (Aug 30, 2013). «Pluralising ‘you’ to ‘youse’«. www.macquariedictionary.com.au. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
- ^ My sweet | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/03/2008 Archived April 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ McClelland, Edward (Feb 6, 2017). «Here’s hoping all youse enjoy this». Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ Rehder, John B. (2004). Appalachian folkways. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-7879-4. OCLC 52886851.
- ^ Howe, Stephen (1996). The Personal Pronouns in the Germanic Languages: A Study of Personal Morphology and Change in the Germanic Languages from the First Records to the Present Day. p. 174. Walter de Gruyter & Co. ISBN 978-3110146363
- ^ Graddol, David et al. (1996). English History, Diversity and Change. Routledge. p. 244. ISBN 978-0415131186
- ^ «you, pron., adj., and n.» Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ Garner, Bryan A. (2016). Garner’s Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. p. 651. ISBN 978-0-19-049148-2.
What kind of pronoun is the word you?
Personal Pronouns
| Person | Subjective Case | Possessive Pronouns |
|---|---|---|
| Second Person Singular | you | yours |
| Third Person Singular | he/she/it | his/hers/its |
| First Person Plural | we | ours |
| Second Person Plural | you | yours |
What is the subject pronoun for you all?
The words “I” “you” “he” “she” “we” “you-all” and “they” are called subject pronouns.
Is usted you or he?
1st person refers to the person(s) speaking (I, we); 2nd person to the person(s) spoken to (you); and 3rd person to the person(s) or thing(s) spoken about (he, she, it, they)….Subject Pronouns.
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd person | tú you | |
| 3rd person | él/ella/usted he/she/formal you | ellos/ellas/ustedes they/you plural |
Is Ellas feminine or masculine?
▣ Ellas is a feminine plural subject pronoun and therefore refers to ONLY a group of females. ▣ Groups of males and females are always addressed as masculine plural (ellos).
Is it rude to say que?
It is considered polite, but many foreigners (especially from other Spanish speaking countries) seem to think it servile and demeaning. If you feel that way, you can substitute ¿Cómo? or even the brusque ¿Qué? — but you will hear ¿Mande?
Is Mande rude?
it’s just the polite way that Mexicans use to way, “What”, “I beg your pardon” and things of this nature. I am Spanish (from Rota, near Cádiz) and never heard “mande” used as Mexicans use it. It has found its way into the Spanish language as meaning “I hope,” “I wish” or similar expressions. That’s all!
Is Mande more polite than Que?
BTW, in Mexico, it’s perfectly acceptable to say “qué” to inferiors or close friends. “Mande” is only used with strangers or superiors. Of course, sometimes, your fiends will troll you by demanding you say “Mande” when you say “que”, implying their superiority, but it’s only a joke…
How do you say no means no in Spanish?
No means no. Ya te he dicho que no mil veces.
What does nada mean?
nothing
How do you make someone say no?
Here’s how you can effectively say no:
- Say it. Don’t beat around the bush or offer weak excuses or hem and haw.
- Be assertive and courteous.
- Understand peoples’ tactics.
- Set boundaries.
- Put the question back on the person asking.
- Be firm.
- Be selfish.
How do you say no in different languages?
How to Say No in 23 Different Languages
- Afrikaans: Nee (nee-uh)
- Arabic: لا or La (lah – “a” as in “yacht”)
- Bengali: না or Nā (nah – “a” as in “yacht”)
- Dutch: Nee (nay)
- French: Non (noh)
- German: Nein (nine)
- Greek (modern): Όχι or óchi (oh-hee)
- Hausa: A’a (ah-ah – “a” as in “yacht”)
What is another word for yes?
Yes Synonyms – WordHippo Thesaurus….What is another word for yes?
| yeah | yep |
|---|---|
| yah | yea |
| yup | absolutely |
| agreed | alright |
| indeed | sure |
What is yes in another language?
‘Yes’ In 10 Languages German — Ja. Spanish — Sí French — Oui. Italian — Si. Portuguese — Sim.
How do you say yes in Welsh?
Yes/No Response – Present Tense (Bod)
- Question. Ydw i’n hapus? (Am I happy?) Wyt ti’n hapus? (Are you happy?) Ydy o’n hapus? (Is he happy?) Ydy hi’n hapus?
- Response (Yes) Wyt. (Yes, you are.) Ydw. (Yes, I am.) Ydy. (Yes, he is.)
- Response (No) Nac wyt. (No, you aren’t.) Nac ydw. (No, I’m not.) Nac ydy. (No, he isn’t.)
How do you say I love you in any language?
How To Say “I Love You” In Different Languages
- French — Je t’aime.
- Spanish — Te quiero.
- German — Ich liebe dich.
- Croatian — Volim te.
- Italian — Ti amo.
- Portuguese — Eu te amo.
- Swedish — Jag älskar dig.
- Romanian — Te iubesc.
What is I love you in Flemish?
Explanation: Ik hou(d) van jou. The correct spelling would indeed be ‘ik houd van jou’ (as in Dutch), but most people don’t pronounce nor write the ‘d’ .
How do you say I miss you in Flemish?
There is no difference between Dutch or Flemish (Belgium) to say “I miss you”. Just “Ik mis je/jou”.
How do you say yes in Belgium?
How do I say yes in Belgium? There are several languages spoken in Belgium. The main ones are Dutch and French, so you’d say “ja” and “oui” respectively. Some people also speak German, which is also “ja.”
How do you say no in Belgium?
Say nein to say no in German. It is an official language of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy (South Tyrol), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Poland, Switzerland. You can say “no way” in German by saying, Auf keinen Fall. Nicht is the equivalent of not in English.
How do you greet someone in Belgium?
Meeting Etiquette A brief handshake is the common greeting among people who do not know each other. Once a relationship is developed, three kisses on the cheek may replace the handshake. This is more a kissing of the air near the person’s cheek. Start with the left cheek and alternate.
What can I say instead of yes sir?
What is another word for yessir?
| yes | yeah |
|---|---|
| certainly | yah |
| yea | yup |
| absolutely | agreed |
| alright | indeed |
How do you say yes nicely?
Polite Ways to Say Yes in English
- Yeah, sure. Here you go.
- No problem! I’m always happy to help.
- Yep! I will be right there. (Yep is another informal way to say yes like yeah.)
- Yeah, I’d be happy to!
- Cool. (Yes, cool can really be used to say yes or to show agreement.)
- You got it.
- Okay.
Личные местоимения в английском языке указывают на лицо или предмет, к ним относят местоимения I, you, he, she, it, we, they. Личные местоимения — это первые слова, с которых начинают изучать английский язык.
Таблица личных местоимений английского языка: он, она, оно, они и др. по-английски
Все личные местоимения представлены в этой таблице:
| Единственное число | Множественное число | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 лицо | I — я | We — мы |
| 2 лицо | You — ты | You — вы |
| 3 лицо | He, she, it — он, она, оно | They — они |
Как правило, личные местоимения учат не отдельно, а сразу с соответствующей формой глагола to be и каким-нибудь существительным, прилагательным. Во-первых, так они лучше запоминаются, во-вторых, убиваете двух зайцев — учите и местоимения, и формы to be.
Примеры предложений:
I am calm. — Я спокоен.
You are tired. — Ты устал Вы устали.
He is polite. — Он вежлив.
She is kind. — Она добрая.
It is tall. — Оно высокое (о здании).
We are alone. — Мы одни.
They are happy. — Они счастливы.
Особенности некоторых личных местоимений
У английских личных местоимений есть несколько особенностей.
1. «Ты» и «вы» в английском языке
В русском языке можно обратиться на «ты» и на «вы», в английском только одно местоимение you. Раньше в английском языке тоже были «ты» и «вы», местоимение thou служило для обращения на «ты», а you — на «вы». Но со временем you полностью вытеснило thou в связи с повсеместным обращением на «вы». Есть такая известная шутка: англичанин даже к своей собаке обращается на «вы», то есть на «you».
Для нас эта особенность с «ты» и «вы» в английском языке только кстати: не нужно лишний раз думать к кому как обращаться. Разве что только если вы не обращаетесь к Богу — в религиозных текстах и обрядах устаревшее местоимение thou использутеся при обращении к Богу.
2. Почему местоимение I (я) в английском всегда пишется с большой буквы?
Англичане пишут «я» (I) только с большой буквы. Дело вовсе не в каком-нибудь высокомерии, причина куда проще. Староанглийское «я» выглядело так: «ic» или «ich», со временем язык изменился, изменилась орфография, в Средние века «ic» превратилось в «i». Проблема была в том, что «i» на письме часто сливалась с другими знаками, в особенности с римской единицей, поэтому нормой стало писать «i» как прописную «I».
3. Местоимение it — это не только «оно»
Местоимение it в английском языке указывает на неодушевленные предметы, а также на животных и младенцев. Для нас это непривычно, но по-английски, говоря о младенце, могут использовать it, а не he или she. То же самое касается животных. Впрочем, домашних любимцев, которые уже как члены семьи часто «очеловечивают», называя he или she.
4. Местоимение it как формальное подлежащее
Местоимение it часто используется как формальное подлежащее в безличных предложениях. Безличные предложения отличаются тем, что в них нет «действующего лица», то есть кого-то или чего-то, что играет роль подлежащего в предложении. Но по правилам английской грамматики, в безличных предложениях подлежащее присутствует, хоть и формально — его роль выполняет местоимение it. Обычно это предложения, где сообщается о каком-то состоянии, погоде, настроениии, говорится о времени.
It is cold. — Холодно.
It is sad. — Грустно.
It is five o’clock. — Сейчас пять часов.
Личные местоимения в объектном падеже
В английском языке личные местоимения могут использоваться как дополнения (объект действия). В этом случае они принимают форму объектного падежа. Кстати, в русском языке личные местоимения тоже меняют форму, когда используются в качестве дополнения: я — меня, ты — тебя, вы — вас и т. д.
Объектные местоимения приведены в этой таблице:
| Единственное число | Множественное число | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 лицо | I — Me | We — Us |
| 2 лицо | You — You | You — You |
| 3 лицо | He, she, it — Him, Her, It | They — Them |
Примеры:
Did you see me? — Вы меня видели?
I heard you. — Я вастебя слышал.
We can ask himher. — Мы можем спросить у негонее.
Don’t touch it! — Не трогай это!
You don’t know us. — Вы нас не знаете.
Find them. — Найдите их.
Личные местоимения: частые ошибки
Личные местоимения никогда не употребляются в качестве дополнения.
- Правильно: Did you see me? — Ты меня видел?
- Неправильно: Did you see I? — Ты меня видел?
И наоборот, объектные местоимения не употреблятся в качестве подлежащего.
- Правильно: I did’t see you. — Я тебя не видел.
- Неправильно: Me did’t see you. — Я тебя не видел.
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Continue Learning about English Language Arts
What kind of pronouns is you?
The pronoun ‘you’ is the second person, singular or plural,
subjective or objective, personal pronoun.
How do you change a plural pronoun to singular form?
In most cases, the singular pronoun and the corresponding plural pronoun are different words, for example:I is the singular subjective, we is the plural subjectiveme is the singular objective, us is the plural objectiveyou is the same for singular and plural, subjective and objectivehe, she, and it are the singular subjective, they is the plural subjectivehim, her, and it are the singular objective, them is the plural objective
Pronoun-verb agreement requires a correct match between a pronoun and a verb based on?
Pronoun-verb agreement requires a correct match between a pronoun and a verb based on number (singular or plural).A singular pronoun requires a verb for a singular subject.Example: She is expected at noon. (singular subject pronoun)A plural pronoun requires a verb for a plural subject.Example: They are expected at noon. (plural subject pronoun)
Is her a plural or singular noun?
Her is a singular pronoun.
Is we singular or plural?
The pronoun ‘we’ is the plural form, first person subjective
personal pronoun.
The singular, first person subjective personal pronoun is
‘I’.
Pronouns are the major part of a sentence as like a verb. It plays a vital role in a sentence, almost in every sentence you use a pronoun, therefore using pronouns correctly in your sentences is very important. In this article, we will review 10 kinds of Pronouns in English.
Also Read:
- 10 Kinds of Nouns With Definition and Examples
- 10 Kinds of Adjective in English
10 Kinds of Pronouns in English
Pronoun: A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or group of nouns.
The noun or group of nouns that the pronoun takes the place of is called the antecedent.
- The boy said that he was tired.
In this example, the pronoun “he” is referring back to the noun (antecedent) “boy.” - Zahra called Ali and invited him to go skating with her.
In this sentence pronouns are ” him and her”. The antecedent of him = Ali and Antecedent of her = Zahra - Zahra called Ali and invited Ali to go skating with Zahra. = Awkward and repetitious
Kinds of Pronoun
1. Personal pronouns:
A personal pronoun refers to the person speaking, the person being spoken to, or the person or thing being spoken about.
Personal pronouns are divided into two groups: subjective and objective.
Subjective pronoun: A pronoun which acts as the subject in the sentence (he, she, it, I, we, you, they).
Objective pronoun: A pronoun that acts as the object in the sentence (him, her, it, me, us, you, them).
- The faster runner on the track team is she.
She = pronoun = subject complement.
Subject complement: Subject complement is a noun or pronoun that refers back to the subject of the verb and gives more information about the subject of the verb. When a pronoun is used as a subject complement it should be used as a subjective case.
Refers to the person speaking = (I, me, we, and us). Refers to the person speaking to = (you). Refers to the person or thing being spoken about = (he, him, she, her, it, they and them)
2. Interrogative pronouns:
Interrogative pronouns are pronouns that introduce a question.
(who, what, which, whom whose).
The question that interrogative pronoun introduces can be a direct question, in this case, the sentence will end with a question mark, and also it can be an indirect question.
- What do you know about the pronoun and its kind?
- Fatima asked Khalid what he knew about the pronoun and its kind.
Note: Difference between interrogative pronoun and interrogative adjective.
Interrogative pronouns are used to represent something of which the question is being asked.
Interrogative adjectives modify or else describe a noun.
- Whose are these books? = interrogative pronoun.
- Whose books are these? = interrogative adjective.
3. Indefinite Pronouns:
Indefinite pronouns are those pronouns that refer to an unspecified person, place, thing, or idea.
(all, anyone, both, each, anything, everybody, many, no one, some, someone, etc….)
- All are invited to tonight’s party.
- Everybody is welcome.
- Everybody has to take an examination in order to graduate.
- All of the seniors were excited about graduation.
4. Relative pronouns:
A relative pronoun is used to introduce a subordinate clause.
What is a clause? A group of words containing a subject and predicate sometimes give complete meaning sometimes doesn’t give a complete sense, and is divided into two groups:
Independent clause: An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
Subordinate clause: A subordinate clause can not stand alone as a sentence and it’s attached to the independent clause.
(Who, whom, whose, which and that)
Note: As you see some of these pronouns also appeared in the interrogative pronouns but it all depends on how they are used in the sentence.
Remember when they are used as relative pronouns they introduce a subordinate clause and relates a subordinate clause to something specific in the independent clause.
- That is the film which was directed by him.
- He is the man who came to my house yesterday.
Note: Remember do not mix relative pronouns with relative adjectives.
The adjective has a noun referent someplace (usually after it.) There are only two relative adjectives, which and what.
- He didn’t tell me what he was going to wear. = Relative pronoun.
- He didn’t tell me what suit he was going to wear. = Relative adjective.
5. Possessive pronouns:
Possessive pronouns are pronoun that shows the ownership.
(His, hers, its, mine, ours, yours, theirs.) A possessive pronoun is used to avoid repeating information that has already been made clear. These useful pronouns make sentences less confusing, as you’ll see when you read the following sentences containing examples of possessive pronouns.
- This is my car, not your car. (Sounds repetitive)
- This car is mine, not yours.
- I didn’t have my book so Ali lent me his book. (Sounds repetitive)
- I didn’t have my book, so Ali lent me his.
6. Reflexive Pronoun:
Reflexive pronouns are pronouns that are used to show that the subject of the sentence is receiving the action of the verb. (Himself, herself, itself, myself, yourself, ourselves and themselves). Read more about reflexive pronouns by clicking here: Reflexive pronouns
- She can handle the situation herself.
- They have to do their tasks themselves.
7. Intensive pronouns:
These pronouns are used only to place emphasis on the subject.
Note: These pronouns look the same as reflexive pronouns, but they act differently in the sentence and are always placed next to the subject that they are emphasizing. (Myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves).
- You yourself must go to the police station.
- We ourselves will solve the problem.
8. Demonstrative Pronouns:
A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun that is used to point to something specific within a sentence.
These pronouns can indicate items in space or time, and they can be either singular or plural. (this, that, these, those, none, neither and such)
- This was my mother’s ring.
- These are nice sofas, but they look uncomfortable.
How to Use Demonstrative Pronouns?
Demonstrative pronouns always identify nouns, whether those nouns are named specifically or not.
- I can’t believe this.
- We have no idea what “this” is.
Demonstrative pronouns are usually used to describe animals, places, or things, however, they can be used to describe people when the person is identified.
- This sounds like Haseena singing.
Note: Do not confuse demonstrative adjectives with demonstrative pronouns.
A demonstrative pronoun takes the place of the noun phrase in a sentence.
A demonstrative adjective is always followed by a noun in the sentence.
- These are my friend’s shoes. (Demonstrative Pronoun)
- These shoes are his. (Demonstrative Adjective)
9. Reciprocal pronouns:
Reciprocal pronouns are pronouns that are used to refer to a mutual set of people.
(Each other, each other’s, one another, one another’s).
- We need to help one another to survive.
- They had remembered each other’s phone numbers.
10. Distributive pronouns:
Distributive pronouns are those pronouns that point to persons, places, or things one at a time.
(Each, either and neither)
- Each of the students has done it.
- Either of you has done it.
- Neither of them has done it.
Note: A distributive pronoun is always singular and as such, it should be followed by a singular noun and verb.
- Neither question is easy. (Correct)
- Neither questions are easy (Incorrect)
Without pronouns, we would have to keep on repeating nouns, and that would make our speech and write awkward and repetitive, therefore you have to learn about the pronoun and its kinds to construct your sentence correctly. Please leave a comment below for any inquiries about the pronoun and its kind.
Related Articles:
- 12 Kinds of Verbs in English
- Kinds of Adverbs in English
- Kinds of Paragraphs
- Kinds of Conjunctions