7th English Language Arts Unit 17
Pronouns, Types, and Usage
Pronouns replace nouns to make language clearer and more efficient. They include personal (he, she, it), possessive (mine, yours), reflexive (myself, themselves), demonstrative (this, those), interrogative (who, what), relative (who, which), and indefinite (everyone, anything) pronouns, each serving a specific function to simplify communication and avoid repetition.
Unit 17: Pronouns, Types, and Usage
Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns in a sentence. First, they can do everything a noun does without repeating the noun. In other words, think of them as shortcuts in language that make sentences less repetitive and bulky.
English Person Pronouns – by Case, Person, Number, and Gender
Next, let’s look at the different types of pronouns.
Case Singular Plural
Subject Pronouns I, you, he, she, it we, you, they
Object Pronouns me, you, him, her, it us, you, them
Possessive Pronouns mine, yours, his, hers, its ours, yours, theirs
Possessive Adjectives my, your, his, her, its our, your, their
Reflexive / Intensive Pronouns myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself ourselves, yourselves, themselves
For example, singular first-person subject pronoun is I, while plural first-person subject pronoun is we. Similarly, object pronouns, possessive pronouns, and reflexive pronouns change depending on the person, number, and gender.
Pronouns
Pronouns take the place of a noun in a sentence. Specifically, a subject pronoun is placed before a verb. For instance, I, you, he, she, and it are singular pronouns because they represent only one person or thing. Meanwhile, we, you, and they are plural pronouns because they represent more than one person or thing.
SMS Exercise: Students make a sentence on the blank line using pronouns in green.
I speak in English. SMS: _________________________________
He is a doctor who works in the local hospital. SMS: ______________________________________________________
It is a goat in the barn. SMS: _____________________________________________________
You like to drink milk. SMS: ____________________________
They eat chicken every day. SMS: __________________________
Then, an object pronoun is placed after the verb in a sentence. It is used to show an action done by the subject to the object (pronoun).
For example: I like you.
Lynn helps him.
Donna visited me.
Dave needs it.
John knows them.
The children help us.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns are placed after the forms of the verb be to show who the noun belongs to. In addition, they vary depending on whether they are singular or plural.
Singular: mine, yours, his, hers, its
Plural: ours, yours, theirs
For instance, instead of saying “This is my book,” you can say “This is mine.” Therefore, sentences become less repetitive.
Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct possessive pronoun.
This book belongs to me. It is __________.
That bike belongs to you. It is __________.
That coat belongs to him. It is __________.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of the sentence are the same person or thing. They end in “-self” or “-selves.”
For example:
She looked at herself in the mirror.
I taught myself how to play the piano.
They enjoyed themselves at the party.
Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct reflexive pronouns.
He blamed _________ for the mistake. (Answer: himself)
She made this cake by _________. (Answer: herself)
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns connect clauses or phrases to a noun or pronoun. In other words, they give more information about the noun or pronoun or avoid repeating it.
For example:
The girl who won the spelling bee is my sister.
The house that I grew up in is old.
Use: Relative pronouns are used in restrictive clauses (essential to meaning) and non-restrictive clauses (extra information). Moreover, they help combine sentences and make writing precise.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns point to specific things and include this, that, these, and those. Specifically, this and that are singular, while these and those are plural.
For example:
This is my phone.
That dog is barking.
These are my shoes.
Those are my friends.
In addition, demonstrative pronouns can be used with nouns, adjectives, or phrases to clarify meaning.
Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions, such as who, whom, what, which, and whose. For instance,
Who is your teacher?
What are you reading?
Furthermore, these pronouns can be used not only in questions but also in statements and exclamations. As a result, learning them improves communication skills.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific things or people, like anyone, everything, nobody, and several. They do not have a definite number, gender, or person.
For example:
Someone stole my bike.
Everything is ready for the party.
Many children like to play soccer.
Consequently, understanding indefinite pronouns helps students avoid confusion and write more clearly.
Summary
Finally, each type of pronoun has its unique function:
Personal Pronouns refer to specific people or things.
Possessive Pronouns show ownership.
Reflexive Pronouns emphasize the subject.
Relative Pronouns connect clauses.
Demonstrative Pronouns point to things or people.
Interrogative Pronouns ask questions.
Indefinite Pronouns refer to nonspecific items.
Therefore, mastering pronouns will make your English sentences clear, precise, and less repetitive.
