pronoun meaning example

singular

an additional or different person or That ice-cream was good. Can I

another
thing have another?

anybody/anyone no matter what person Can anyone answer this question?

The doctor needs to know if you

anything no matter what thing have eaten anything in the last
two hours.

every one of two or more people or

each Each has his own thoughts.
things, seen separately

one or the other of two people or Do you want tea or coffee? / I

either
things don't mind. Either is good for me.

enough as much or as many as needed Enough is enough.

We can start the meeting because

everybody/everyone all people
everybody has arrived.

They have no house or

everything all things possessions. They lost everything
in the earthquake.

"Less is more" (Mies van der

less a smaller amount
Rohe)

Little is known about his early

little a small amount
life.

much a large amount Much has happend since we met.

not one and not the other of two I keep telling Jack and Jill but
neither
people or things neither believes me.

I phoned many times but nobody

nobody/no-one no person
answered.

If you don't know the answer it's

nothing no single thing, not anything
best to say nothing.

Can one smoke here? | All the

one an unidentified person students arrived but now one is
missing.
 a different person or thing from one One was tall and the other was
other
already mentioned short.

Clearly somebody murdered him.

somebody/someone an unspecified or unknown person
It was not suicide.

Listen! I just heard something!

something an unspecified or unknown thing
What could it be?

you an unidentified person (informal) And you can see why.

plural

John likes coffee but not tea. I

both two people or things, seen together
think both are good.

Few have ever disobeyed him and

few a small number of people or things
lived.

a reduced number of people or

fewer Fewer are smoking these days.
things

many a large number of people or things Many have come already.

I'm sure that others have tried

others other people; not us
before us.

They all complained and several

several more than two but not many
left the meeting.

They say that vegetables are good

they people in general (informal)
for you.

singular or plural

the whole quantity of something or All is forgiven.

all
of some things or people All have arrived.

Is any left?
any no matter how much or how many
Are any coming?

a greater quantity of something; a There is more over there.

more
greater number of people or things More are coming.

Most is lost.
most the majority; nearly all
Most have refused.

none not any; no person or persons They fixed the water so why is
 none coming out of the tap?
I invited five friends but none
have come.*

an unspecified quantity of
Here is some.
some something; an unspecified number
Some have arrived.
of people or things

He was a foreigner and he felt that

such of the type already mentioned
he was treated as such.

example sentences
notes
S=subject, O=object, P=possessive

- The person who phoned me last

night is my teacher.
That is preferable
- The person that phoned me last
night is my teacher.
S
- The car which hit me was
yellow. That is preferable
- The car that hit me was yellow.

defining - The person whom I phoned last

relative night is my teacher.
clauses - The people who I phoned last
night are my teachers. Whom is correct but formal. The
- The person that I phoned last relative pronoun is optional.
night is my teacher.
O - The person I phoned last night is
my teacher.

- The car which I drive is old.

That is preferable to which. The
- The car that I drive is old.
relative pronoun is optional.
- The car I drive is old.
 - The student whose phone just
rang should stand up.
- Students whose parents are
wealthy pay extra.
P
- The police are looking for the car
whose driver was masked. Whose can be used with things.
- The police are looking for the car Of which is also possible.
of which the driver was masked.

- Mrs Pratt, who is very kind, is

my teacher.

S - The car, which was a taxi,

exploded.
- The cars, which were taxis,
exploded.

- Mrs Pratt, whom I like very

Whom is correct but formal. Who
much, is my teacher.
is common in spoken English and
- Mrs Pratt, who I like very much,
informal written English.
O is my teacher.
non-defining
relative
clauses - The car, which I was driving at
the time, suddenly caught fire.

- My brother, whose phone you

just heard, is a doctor.

- The car, whose driver jumped

P out just before the accident, was
completely destroyed.
Whose can be used with things.
- The car, the driver of which
Of which is also possible.
jumped out just before the
accident, was completely
destroyed.