Pronouns: examples. The possessive pronoun is an example. Demonstrative pronouns - examples

2024 Author: Angel Austin | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 03:53

A pronoun is a special class of significant words that point to an object without naming it. To avoid tautology in speech, the speaker may use a pronoun. Examples: I, yours, who, this, everyone, the most, all, myself, mine, different, other, something, someone, something, etc.

As you can see from the examples, pronouns are most often used instead of a noun, and also instead of an adjective, numeral or adverb.

Pronouns tend to be divided into categories according to their meaning. This part of speech focuses on names. In other words, pronouns replace nouns, adjectives, numerals. However, the peculiarity of pronouns is that, replacing names, they do not acquire their meaning. According to the established tradition, only inflected words belong to pronouns. All invariable words are treated as pronominal adverbs.

This article will present the categories of pronouns by meaning and grammatical features, as well as examples of sentences in which certain pronouns are used.

Table of pronouns byranks

Personal pronouns	I, you, we, you, he, she, it, they
Reflexive Pronoun	myself
Possessive pronouns	mine, yours, ours, yours, mine
Demonstrative pronouns	this, that, such, so much
Definitive pronouns	himself, most, all, everyone, each, any, different, other
Interrogative pronouns	who, what, what, who, whose, how much, what
Relative pronouns	who, what, how, which, which, whose, how much, which
Negative pronouns	no one, nothing, no, nobody, nobody, nothing
Indefinite pronouns	someone, something, some, some, several

Grammatically, pronouns are divided into three categories:

Pronominal nouns.
Pronominal adjectives.
Pronominal numbers.

Personal pronouns

Words that indicate persons and objects that are participants in a speech act are called "personal pronouns". Examples: I, you, we, you, he, she, it, they. I, you, we, you stand forparticipants in verbal communication. The pronouns he, she, they do not participate in the speech act, they are reported by the speaker as non-participants in the speech act.

I know what you want to tell me. (Speech act participant, object.)
You must read all the fiction on the list. (The subject to which the action is directed.)
We had a wonderful vacation this year! (Participants in a speech act, subjects.)
You did a great job! (The addressee, the object to which the appeal is directed in the speech act.)
He prefers a quiet pastime. (Non-participant in the speech act.)
Will she definitely go to America this summer? (Non-participant in the speech act.)
They jumped with a parachute for the first time in their lives and were very pleased. (Non-participant in the speech act.)

Attention! The pronouns his, her, their, depending on the context, can be used both in the category of possessive and in the category of personal pronouns.

Compare:

He wasn't at school today either at the first or at the last lesson. His performance at school depends on how often he attends classes. (In the first sentence, his is a personal pronoun in the genitive; in the second sentence, his is a possessive pronoun.)
I asked her to keep this conversation between us. – She ran, her hair blowing in the wind, and the silhouette was lost and lost every second, moving away and dissolving in the light of day.
They should always be asked to turn the music down. Their dog very often howls at night, as ifyearns for some unbearable grief.

Reflexive Pronoun

This category includes the pronoun self - indicates the face of the object or addressee, which are identified with the actor. This function is performed by reflexive pronouns. Sample sentences:

I have always considered myself the happiest person in the world.
She constantly admires herself.
He doesn't like to make mistakes and only trusts himself.

Can I keep this kitten?

Possessive pronouns

A word that indicates the belonging of a person or object to another person or object is called a "possessive pronoun". Example: mine, yours, ours, yours, yours. Possessive pronouns indicate belonging to the speaker, interlocutor or non-participant in the speech act.

My solution is always the best one.
Your wishes will surely be fulfilled.
Our dog is very aggressive towards passers-by.
Your choice will be yours.
I finally got my present!
Keep your thoughts to yourself.
My city misses me and I feel like I miss it.

Words like her, his, their can act as a personal pronoun in the accusative case or as a possessive pronoun. Sample sentences:

Their car is at the entrance. - They haven't been in town for 20 years.
His bag is on the chair. - He was askedbring tea.
Her house is in the city center. - They made her the queen of the evening.

The belonging of a person (object) to a group of objects also indicates a possessive pronoun. Example:

Our trips together will be remembered for a long time

Demonstrative pronouns

Demonstrative is the second name of a demonstrative pronoun. Examples: this, that, such, so much. These words distinguish one or another object (person) from a number of other similar objects, persons or signs. This function is performed by the demonstrative pronoun. Examples:

This novel is much more interesting and informative than all those that I have read before. (The pronoun this distinguishes one object from a number of similar ones, indicates the peculiarity of this object.)

A pronoun that also performs this function.

This sea, these mountains, this sun will forever remain in my memory the brightest memory

However, you should be careful with the definition of the part of speech and not confuse the demonstrative pronoun with the particle!

Compare examples of demonstrative pronouns:

It was great! “Did you play the part of the fox in the school play?” (In the first case, it is a pronoun and plays the syntactic role of a predicate. In the second case, it is a particle and has no syntactic role in the sentence.)
That house is much older and prettier than this one. (The pronoun that highlights the subject, points to it.)
Neither this nor any other option for himdidn't fit. (A pronoun such helps to focus on one of the many subjects.)
So many times he stepped on the same rake, and again he repeats everything again. (The pronoun emphasizes the repetition of an action so much.)

Definitive pronouns

Examples of pronouns: himself, most, all, everyone, everyone, any, other, other. This category is divided into sub-classes, each of which includes the following pronouns:

1. Himself, most are pronouns that have an excretory function. They elevate the object in question, individualize it.

The director himself - Alexander Yaroslavovich - was present at the party.
He was offered the highest paying and prestigious job in our city.
The greatest happiness in life is to love and be loved.
Her Majesty herself condescended to praise me.

2. All - a pronoun that has the meaning of the breadth of coverage of a characteristic of a person, object or feature.

The whole city came to watch him perform.
The whole road was spent in remorse and the desire to return home.
The whole sky was covered with clouds, and not a single gap was visible.

3. Anyone, everyone, any - pronouns denoting the freedom to choose from several objects, persons or signs (provided that they exist at all).

Semyon Semyonovich Laptev is a master of his craft - everyone will tell you that.
Anyone is capable ofto achieve what he wants, the main thing is to make an effort and not be lazy.
Every blade of grass, every petal breathed life, and this desire for happiness was transmitted to me more and more.
Every word he said turned against him, but he did not seek to correct it.

4. Other, other - pronouns that have meanings of non-identity with what was said earlier.

I chose a different path that was more accessible to me.
Imagine if someone else in my place would do the same?
Sometimes he will come home, silently, eat and go to bed, today everything was different…
A medal has two sides - I didn't notice the other.

Interrogative pronouns

Examples of pronouns: who, what, what, which, whose, how much, what.

Interrogative pronouns include a question about persons, objects or phenomena, quantities. A sentence containing an interrogative pronoun usually ends with a question mark.

Who was the man who came to visit us this morning?
What will you do when summer exams are over?
What should be the portrait of an ideal person, and how do you imagine him?
Which of these three people could have known what really happened?
Whose portfolio is this?
How much is the red dress you wore to school yesterday?
What is your favorite season?
Whose child did I see yesterday in the yard?
How are youDo you think I should apply to the Faculty of International Relations?

Relative pronouns

Examples of pronouns: who, what, how, what, which, whose, how much, what.

Attention! These pronouns can act as both relative and interrogative pronouns, depending on whether they are used in a particular context. In a complex sentence (CSP), only a relative pronoun is used. Examples:

How do you make a sponge cake with cherry filling? – She told how she makes a cherry pie

In the first case, how is a pronoun that has an interrogative function, i.e. the subject concludes a question about a certain object and about the method of obtaining it. In the second case, the pronoun as is used as a relative pronoun and acts as a connecting word between the first and second simple sentences.

Who knows what sea the Volga River flows into? – He did not know who this person was to him, and what could be expected from him.
What do you need to do to get a good job? – He knew what to do in order to get a high-paying job.

Chto - a pronoun - is used both as a relative and as an interrogative pronoun, depending on the context.

What are we going to do tonight? - You said we should visit grandma today

To accurately determine the category of pronouns, choosing between relative and interrogative, you need to remember that the interrogative pronoun insentence can be replaced by a verb, a noun, a numeral, depending on the context. The relative pronoun cannot be replaced.

What do you want for dinner tonight? - Vermicelli I'd like for dinner.
What color do you like? - Do you like purple?
Whose house is this? - Is this your mother's house?
Which number are you in line? - Are you eleventh in line?
How many candies do you have? - Do you have six sweets?

A similar situation with the pronoun than. Compare examples of relative pronouns:

What to do for the weekend? He completely forgot what he wanted to do for the weekend. (As we can see, in the second version, the pronoun than is included in the category of relative and performs a linking function between the two parts of the complex sentence.)
How did you get into my house yesterday? – Anna Sergeevna looked at the boy inquiringly and did not understand how he got into her house.
How does it feel to know you're in trouble? – I know from myself what it is like to realize that your plans are falling apart quickly and irrevocably.
How many times do I ask you not to do this again? – She has already lost count of the times her son brought his homeroom teacher to tears.
Whose car is parked at the gate of my house? – He was confused, so he couldn't figure out whose idea it was to provoke a fight.
How much is this Persian kitten? – He was told how much a red Persian kitten costs.
Who knows what year the Battle of Borodino took place? Three students raised their hands: theyknew what year the Battle of Borodino took place.

Some scientists propose to combine relative and interrogative pronouns into one category and call them "interrogative-relative pronouns". Examples:

Who's here? - He didn't see who was here

However, at present, it has not yet been possible to reach a common agreement, and the categories of interrogative and relative pronouns continue to exist separately from each other.

Negative pronouns

Examples of pronouns: nobody, nothing, nobody, nobody, nobody, nothing. Negative pronouns have the meaning of the absence of persons, objects, and also to indicate their negative characteristics.

No one knew what to expect from him.
Nothing interested him so much that he could devote his whole life to this cause.
No debt and no money could keep him from running away.
A lonely dog ran along the road, and it seemed that she had never had a master, a home and delicious food in the morning; she was a draw.
He tried to make excuses for himself, but it turned out that everything happened precisely on his initiative, and there was no one to blame for this.
He had absolutely nothing to do, so he walked slowly through the rain past the glowing shop windows and watched the oncoming cars passing by.

Indefinite pronouns

An indefinite pronoun is formed from interrogative or relative pronouns. Examples: someone, something, some, some, several, someone, anyone, anyone, anything,how much, how much. Indefinite pronouns contain the meaning of an unknown, indefinite person or object. Also, indefinite pronouns have the meaning of deliberately concealed information that the speaker specifically does not want to communicate.

The indefinite pronoun has such properties. Comparison examples:

Someone's voice was heard in the darkness, and I did not quite understand who it belonged to: a man or a beast. (Lack of information from the speaker.) - This letter was from a certain acquaintance of mine who had been absent from our city for a long time and was now about to come. (Intentionally withheld information from listeners.)
Something incredible happened that night: the wind tore and threw leaves from the trees, lightning flashed and pierced the sky through. (Instead of something, you can substitute indefinite pronouns similar in meaning: something, something.)
Some of my friends consider me a strange and wonderful person: I do not strive to earn a lot of money and live in a small old house on the edge of the village. (The pronoun some can be replaced by the following pronouns: some, several.)
Several pairs of shoes, a backpack and a tent were already packed and waiting for us to pack up and leave far, far from the city. (The subject does not specify the number of items, generalizes their number.)
Someone told me that you received a letter, but do not want to admit it. (The speaker deliberately hides any information about the face.)
If anyone has seen this person, please report it topolice!
Does anyone know what Natasha Rostova and Andrei Bolkonsky were talking about at the ball?
When you see something interesting, don't forget to write down your observations in a notebook.
Some moments in learning English remained incomprehensible to me, then I returned to the last lesson and tried to go through it again. (Intentional concealment of information by the speaker.)
I still had some money in my wallet, but I didn't remember how much. (The speaker's lack of information about the subject.)

Grammar digits of pronouns

Grammatically, pronouns are divided into three categories:

Pronominal noun.
Pronominal adjective.
Pronominal numeral.

Pronominal nouns include such categories of pronouns as: personal, reflexive, interrogative, negative, indefinite. All these digits in their grammatical properties are likened to nouns. However, pronominal nouns have certain features that a pronoun does not have. Examples:

I came to you. (In this case, this is the masculine gender, which we determined by the past tense verb with a zero ending). - You came to me. (The gender is determined by the end of the verb "came" - feminine, past tense.)

As you can see from the example, some pronouns lack the category of gender. In this case, the genus can be restored logically, based on the situation.

Other pronounslisted discharges have a gender category, but it does not reflect the real relationship of persons and objects. For example, the pronoun who is always combined with a past tense masculine verb.

Which woman first went into space?
Who didn't hide, I'm not to blame.
She knew who would be the next contender for her hand and heart.

Pronoun that is used with past neuter nouns.

What made you do this?
He had no idea that something similar to his story could be happening somewhere.

The pronoun he has generic forms, but the gender here acts as a classification form, and not as a nominative.

Pronominal adjectives include demonstrative, definitive, interrogative, relative, negative, indefinite pronouns. They all answer the question what? and are likened to adjectives in their properties. They have dependent forms of number and case.