819.

The Pronoun
Classification:

1.      Personal Pronouns

2.     Possessive Pronouns

3.      Reflexive/“Self”- Pronouns

4.      Reciprocal Pronouns

5.      Demonstrative Pronouns

6.      Interrogative Pronouns

7.      Relative Pronouns

8.      Indefinite Pronouns

1.     Personal Pronouns

In Nominative (subject pronouns):

I – 1st person sg. (always written with a capital letter)

You – 2nd person sg./ thou (old for of you) e.g. You are./ Thou are.

He - 3rd person sg. (for masculine-only people)

She - 3rd person sg.(for feminine – only people)

It - 3rd person sg. Used:

- for animals, plants, objects, ideas, actions, anything else BUT people.e.g. I have bought
you a rose. It smells wonderful.

- for “baby, infant, child” when the sex is not known e.g. What a cute little baby it is!)

- with find out, forget, know, manage, mind, refuse, remember, show, tell, try,
understand referring to a fact already mentioned. E.g. It all happened a long time ago. / I was
angry and he knew it./ Forget it.
- as an anticipatory factor (referring to a part of a following clause): e.g. It was unbelievable:
they actually smiled./ I hate it when he says such things./ I love it that she’s coming with
us./ It is a pity to make a fool of yourself.

- in the construction: FIND/THINK + IT + (BE): e.g. He thought it (would be) better to keep

quiet./ He found it impossible to laugh.

- in statements concerning time, distance, weather, weight: e.g. It is raining./  It is

Sunday./ It is late./ It was July./ It was a long way from home./ It is heavy./It is 7 o’clock.

- as a subject for impersonal verbs: e.g. It appears./ It is said./ It seems./ It happens that I

know her./ It looks like rain.

- as a demonstrative “it” in the construction IT + BE + Predicative: e.g. Who is it? It is I/

me./ It was Tom that told the truth./ It is today that he arrives.(cleft sentences).

!!! The difference between THERE and IT  

- THERE introduces a new notion and is used to show location, existence (there is

= there exists) and events. SO the expressions with there state the existence of
something at a particular place. The usual formula is:

There [is/are/was/were] [ Noun ] [ Phrase of location ].....

e.g. There is a picture on the wall./ There is (= there exists) a Santa Claus./ There are five
people waiting for you.

You cannot substitute it for there in any of the following examples.

There is [ ice ] [ on the road ] today.

There was [ snow ] [ on the roof ] yesterday afternoon.

There is [ something wrong ] [ with my car ].

 There is [ a strange sound ] [ in the engine ].

There were [ hundreds of people ] [ at the meeting ].

-  IT introduces expressions of time, distance, weight or is used in impersonal

statements OR is used if you refer to something you mentioned before.

e.g. It is late./ It’s too far away./ It is believed that he has vanished./ There is a blue pen on the
table. It is mine.

 
 

We – 1st person pl. (also used by rulers, “the royal we” e.g. We, the Queen of England, decrete
that …)

You – 2nd person pl.

They – 3rd person pl. (for both masculine and feminine)

In Accusative or Dative (object pronouns):

Me - 1st person sg. E.g. Give me the money.

You – 2nd person sg./ thee (old form of you) e.g. I love you/ thee.

Him- 3rd person sg. (for masculine-only people)

Her - 3rd person sg.(for feminine – only people)

It - 3rd person sg.(for animals, plants, objects, anything else BUT people)

Us - 1st person pl. e.g. She told us everything.

You - 2nd person pl.

Them - person pl (for both masculine and feminine)

The verbs: describe, mention, propose, introduce, listen, prescribe, announce, suggest,

prove, explain are always followed by TO

e.g. Listen to me for a moment.

        Let me introduce you to my aunt, Sarah.

        Prove it to me.

!!! write, sing and play :

I wrote to her.(no Direct Object – then use TO)

I wrote her a letter yesterday. (Direct Object – then do not use TO)/ I wrote a letter to her.
Read to me. – I read her a story./ I read a story to her.

2.      Possessive Pronouns

The Possessive Pronoun                             vs.        The Possessive Adjective

Mine – 1st person sg. The cat is mine.                    my (cat)- 1st person sg. This is my cat.

Yours – 2nd person sg.                                            your (cat)- 2nd person sg.  

His – 3rd person sg.                                                 his (cat)– 3rd person sg. (masculine)

Hers - 3rd person sg.                                               her (cat)– 3rd person sg.

(feminine)                                                             -                                                             

  -                                                                               its (cat)- 3rd person sg. (not for people)

Ours – 1st person pl.                                                our (cat)- 1st person pl.

Yours – 2nd person pl.                                             your (cat)- 2nd person pl.

Theirs – 3rd person pl.                                             their (cat)- 3rd person pl.

 The car is mine.                                      This is my car.

My best wishes for you                         I dislike his borrowing money.

(Gerund)

and yours from me and mine.            

Yours sincerely/ faithfully                    He lives on his own.

He is a friend of mine not one             She bought her own house.

                             of yours.

3.      Reflexive/“Self”- Pronouns

 
Possessive adjective + self (sg.)/ selves (pl.) for 1st and 2nd persons

Object pronoun + self (sg.)/ selves (pl.) for 3rd person

Myself - 1st person sg.

Yourself – 2nd person sg.

Himself – 3rd person sg.

Herself – 3rd person sg.

Itself – 3rd person sg.

Ourselves - 1st person pl.

Yourselves - 1st person pl.

Themselves – 3rd person pl.

                  Used:

        reflexively: e.g. He is washing himself.

        emphatically: e.g. He himself went to oversee the project.

        With verbs such as: absent onself from, avail oneself of (make use of),

betake oneself (=move, travel), pride oneself on: e.g. He prides himself on
his cars.

I availed myself of the house.

        In a reciprocal sense: e.g. They were arguing among themselves.

        After “as, like, but, except”: e.g. For somebody like myself (me) this is a
big surprise.

                         Meaning:

Alone or without help: e.g. The girl travelled by herself.

Without help in the construction: ALL + BY + reflexive pronoun: Don’t you

feel sad living all by yourself?
 Even/ not even: Einstein himself could not explain this.

No less: e.g. It was a portrait that Rembrandt himself (= no less a painter than

Rembrandt) could have painted.

4.      Reciprocal Pronouns

EACH OTHER (for two persons) and ONE ANOTHER (more than two persons)

The two men greeted each other.         The five students helped one another.

5.      Demonstrative Pronouns

This (sg) (acesta/ aceasta)/ these (pl) (acestia/ acestea)/ That (sg) (acela/ aceea)/ those (pl)

(aceia/ acelea)

used to take the place of a noun: Is this (seat) taken?

used to suggest position: this/ these (nearer in space), that/ those (more distant):

There is a seat here, near me, and there is that in the first row.

used with determinative reference (only that/ those): That which annoys me most

is his smile./ Those who are lazy will never pass the Police Academy exam.

The former (primul din doi)/ the latter (al doilea din doi)

Used when TWO objects are implied:

e.g. Sleeping at regular hours and eating well are good for your health: the

former (sleeping) gives you rest and the latter (eating) gives you energy.

The first and the last are used when we mean more than TWO persons or

things.

The same (acelasi/ aceeasi)

 Expressions: I did the same./ The same boy came yesterday./ Same here (si
eu/mie)./ It’s all the same to me. (mi-e egal)/ all the same (cu toate acestea)

Such (asa/ asa de)

Expressions: Such is life./ I have had such a busy day./ On such and such a day/
month/ year (in cutare zi/ luna/ an)/ A lot of fruit such as (cum ar fi) oranges
and lemons are bad for your stomach./ He gave me his word, such as it was. (
but it wasn’t of much use)

 So

Used after say, think, hope, believe, suppose, expect, hear, tell, imagine, fear, be
afraid to stand for an affirmative statement: “Is she very rich?” “I think so.”

Used to stand for a negative statement: I don’t think/ believe/ suppose so.

Used with TO DO to refer to a preceding verb: I told him to leave and he did so.

Used with TO BE, TO REMAIN, TO SEEM, TO MAKE : It was very useful

and I hope it will be so (= helpful) in the future

So = also: I love English and so does my sister.

Used in idioms: Miss so and so (= domnisoara cutare)/ so, so (asa si-asa)

One

It can be a pronoun (the plural in this case is some): One cannot work so much.

It can be a noun: Write 102 with one one.

It can be a numeral: One day was ok but two days was too much.

used impersonally: One can’t believe that./ One can only do one’s best.

used to take the place of a previous noun: Which dress do you want? The
red one or the blue one?

One = only, single: The one man who could have made me happy has left.
 Used to express vague time: One day he will come back./ One of these days I’ll
go to Paris.

Used in idioms: He can go or he can stay, it’s all one to me. (it makes no
difference)/ He was liked by one and all. (everybody)

                     

6.      Interrogative Pronouns

WHO (used only for people in the Nominative form): Who is there?

WHOM (used in the objective form): Whom did you see?

WHOSE (the possessive form): Whose are these gloves?

WHICH (used for things and persons, sg. and pl., subject or object): Which dog do you
like?/ Which will you have: tea or coffee? (choice from a limited number)/ Which girls do
you like best? vs. What girls do you like best? (what type-choice from an unlimited
number)

WHAT (used for things, an activity, to ask about a profession or nationality, in

constructions What ... like?, to choose from an unlimited number): What is this?/ What are
you doing?/ What is that man talking to your mother? He’s Spanish./ What is he like? He is
tall, blond and gorgeous./ What’s he like as a pianist? He’s not so good./ What’s his work
like? It’s quite good./ What’s the weather like? Fine./ What type of beverage do you like?

USED:

to introduce a direct question: “What happened after that?”

to introduce an indirect question: He asked me what had happened after that.

In idiomatic expressions:

What about a glass of water? (= Would you like? Shall we have?)

There’s Mr. What’s-his-name

It’s a what-do-you-call-it

What with high prices and with the economic crisis

It was so dark I couldn’t tell who was who.

The twins are so alike that I can’t tell which is which.

There are so many people I don’t know at this party, you have to tell me who’s who.

You’ll find his name in Who’s Who.

He’s clever, he knows what’s what.

What is the English for

What about you

He bought apples, tea, coffee and what not.

Who on earth is that man?

7.      Relative Pronouns

WHO (Nominative for people): The man who helped me is here.

WHOM (Objective): The man whom I love.

WHICH (used for objects, animals, etc but NOT people unless it’s a collective noun,
to replace a whole sentence): The dog which was lost has been found./ The
team, which played well, has returned./ He invited us for dinner, which was very
nice of him.

THAT (for both persons and things): The woman that helped you is here.

                                                                 This is the dog  that bit me.

The choice of what relative pronoun to use depends on the RELATIVE

CLAUSE (AT) in which it appears:

DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE – necessary ideas, if left out the sentence

does not make complete sense; the pronoun can be omitted if it is in the
objective case: e.g. The man [(that/ who) you spoke to] was my brother.
(the information seems incomplete)/ The man [who/ that spoke with you]
is special.(here who/that is the subject for spoke so it cannot be omitted)
 NON- DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSE – the ideas could be omitted and
the rest of the sentence would still make sense, they stay between
commas, the pronoun is NEVER omitted: e.g.
Shakespeare[, who that wrote many plays,] died in 1616. (the sentence still
makes sense even if you omit the Relative Clause)

The dog[, which that bit my sister,] belongs to you.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER use THAT in a NON- DEFINING RELATIVE

CLAUSE 

Some

Most                  

Many

Little                      OF                   WHICH/ WHOSE/ WHOM

Few

None

Neither

Either

There are many people in the house some of whose children you can see here.

There were many beautiful women there none of whom looked at me.

He who/ she who/ the one who/ that which/ those who

He who laughs last laughs best./ That which does not kill you makes you stronger.

8.      Indefinite Pronouns

Each/ every (-body, - thing, - one) + vb. Sg.: e.g. Everybody is here.

Everybody/ everyone are replaced by THEY:

e.g. Everybody knows that they have to come early./ Everyone knew it,
didn’t they?
 Everything => IT: e.g. Everything is fine, isn’t it?

Every vs. Each:

- every gathers the separate items into a whole, we think of things as a

group, every = all (usually used for a large number: e.g. I want to visit every
country in the world = all the countries):

              e.g. Every sentence must have a verb. (all sentences)

-each disperses the unity and focuses on the items individually, separately, one by

one (usually used for a small number: e.g. There were four books on the table. Each
book was a different colour.):

              e.g. Study each sentence carefully.(one by one)

                     They were each given a book.

    1. ‘Each’ is used when there are two objects; here ‘every’ is not used:

    e.g. He wore multiple bracelets on each hand (note: singular noun).

           There were two of them. They each carried backpacks, and each backpack (note:

singular noun) contained invaluable souvenirs.

 !! In case there are more than two objects, either of the two may be used.

     e.g.  He wanted each/every item on the catalogue.

              There is a bathroom in each/every room.

    2. ‘Each’ can be used as a pronoun, but ‘every’ cannot.

    e.g.  The students were waiting for the question sheets to be handed out.

             Each was in  a state of great nervousness.

            The students were waiting for the question sheets to be handed out.

            Every student/one of them was in a state of great nervousness.

(‘each’ replaces the noun ‘student’. ‘Every’ does not; it requires to be followed by the
noun, or by ‘one of them’)
 

    3. !!! With adverbs (practically, nearly, almost, etc), only ‘every’ in used. In the
following sentences, ‘every’ cannot be replaced by ‘each’:

    e.g. She knew practically every detail of his daily routine.

           Nearly every fruit on the cart was spoilt.

    4. ‘Every’ is used to refer to repeated, regular events or used in expressions:

    e.g. We meet every so often.

            I get a health check-up done every six months.

            I met them every other day/ every two days.

            I see her every now and then.

            This is every bit as good as the real one.

            He is every inch a gentleman.

            You have every right to be angry.

            There is every reason to think he will get upset.

All – used as a pronoun  + vb. sg: All is not gold that gliters./ All is good.

                                                    + vb. pl.: All were present at the meeting.

     - used as an adjective + vb. sg.: All the money is spent.( = the whole of)

                                                     + vb. pl.: All the pupils were present there.

Either/ neither

Either + vb. sg.= one or the other of TWO: “Which one of the two apples do you want?”

                                                                “Either will do.”

Neither + vb. sg.= not this and not the other of TWO: I have two friends and neither is
here now.
Neither +S1 +nor +S2 +vb. (agreement with S2) = nici ... nici :

e.g. Neither Tom nor his sister is at home.

      Neither Tom nor his sisters are at home.

Either +S1 +or +S2 + vb. (agreement with S2) = ori ... ori ...

e.g. Either Tom or his sister is at home.

      Either Tom or his sisters are at home.

Neither + positive verb + S: I don’t like him and neither does my sister.

S + negative verb + either: I don’t like him and my sister doesn’t either.

Both = vb. plural: Both books are interesting.

Both +S + and +S +Vb. Pl. = si ... si... : e.g. Both Tom and James are students.

None/ no (-body, -thing, - one)

No –  used before nouns: He is no fool./ Have no fear./ You may stay out till ten, but no
longer./ He has no friends.

None is the pronoun form of no. None means ‘not one’ or ‘not any’. Used as a pronoun to
replace countable and uncountable nouns; used as subject or object:

e.g. She seemed to try to find some strength which would let her speak. But none came.
(No strength came.)

       My mother had two brothers. My father had none. (My father didn’t have any
brothers.)

!!!! When none is the subject, the verb is either singular or plural depending on what it is

referring to.

e.g.  I’m always looking for inspiration. None ever comes.

         She’s always looking for ideas. None ever come.

None of + noun/ pronoun(this, that,my, your):

e.g. None of his old friends knew what had happened to him.

        It doesn’t matter. None of it was your fault.

        None of this matters.

!!! We don’t use none of when there is already a negative word (not, n’t):

e.g.  She doesn’t remember any of us.

Not: She doesn’t remember none of us.

Nobody/ no one + vb. sg. but replaced by THEY: Nobody is here. They all left home.

Nothing + vb. sg.; replaced by IT: Nothing is forever, is it?

Some (-body, -thing, - one)

Some

- used with uncountble nouns: Some advice is good.

- used in questions when there is an invitation/ a request or when you expect the answer
“yes”: Will you have some more tea?/ Would you like some coffee? Yes, please.

- used with persons + vb. pl. : Some boys were early.

Somebody/ someone + vb. sg. but replaced by THEY: Somebody is asking about you.
They won’t tell their name.

Something + vb. sg.; replaced by IT: Something is there, isn’t it? It expresses comparison:

He is something like his father.

Somewhat + of: He is somewhat of a wizard.

Any (-body, -thing, - one) (usually used in negative and interrogative sentences)

Any – about persons + vb. pl. : Any who cheat will be punished.

Any + adjective/ too: He isn’t any different from you./ I am not any too eager to

go there.
 Hardly/ scarcely/ barely + any: I have hardly any time to waste.

Any = no particular one/ practically every: Any woman knows that.

Any of: Any of these men would help.

Anybody/ anyone + vb. sg. but replaced by THEY: Anybody knows that.

Anything of: Have you seen anything of Mary lately?

Much/ many/ less/ (a) few/ (a) little

Many and few -> used before plural countable nouns: I have many/ few books.

Much and little -> used before uncountable nouns (vb. sg.): I haven’t got much money.

Few (the lack of something) vs. A few (something still remains) + countable

nouns:

There are few sweets left in the jar.(We should be careful not to eat them too quickly
because they are almost gone.)

We have a few minutes left in class.  Do you have any questions? (We still have time so we
should use it.)

Little (the lack of something) vs. A little (something still remains) + uncountable

nouns:

I have little money left, I can’t buy that book. (There isn’t enough money to buy the book)

I have a little money so we can go to the restaurant. (There isn’t very much money but
enough to go to the restaurant)
There is still a little snow, we can build a snowman. – There is little snow, we can’t build a
snowman.

Another/ other

Another + noun (sg.): She became another woman.

Another as a pronoun: One girl was singing, another was playing the piano.

Other + noun sg. or pl.: Other women saw this, too./ I saw a cute puppy the other day.

Other than: He never forced me to lie other than I wished.

Every other: They meet every other day/ week.

Other + -s: Others have seen this film.

Enough/ several

Enough + noun (pl.)/ uncountable noun (sg.): There are enough people here./ We

have enough good food.

Adjective + enough: She is beautiful enough.

Several + noun (pl.): He has made several mistakes.

One = people in general (as an indefinite pronoun): One would think they’d have

more patience.

One of + noun/ pronoun + relative pronoun: She is one of the few teachers I

know who can teach you this.

One of + Superlative adjective + noun pl.: She is one of the most beautiful girls I know.

One of -> he, she, it: One of my friends said he enjoyed himself at the party.

One (impersonal) -> one’s, oneself: One can never know oneself/ one’s soul.

Subject                 Object                Possessive           Possessive             Reflexive
Pronouns             Pronouns             Adjectives            Pronouns               Pronouns

I                               me                         my                       mine                     myself

You                         you                        your                     yours                   yourself

He                           him                        his                         his                       himself

She                          her                         her                       hers                     herself

It                              it                            its                           -                          itself

We                          us                           our                       ours                     ourselves

You                         you                        your                     yours                   yourselves

They                       them                     their                     theirs                   themselves