Chapter 4 We have understood that a pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun. Let us consider the following examples.
In the above sentences the noun Jaya is used four times. The use of the same word repeatedly is jarring on the ears. We could better rewrite the whole as,
We find that we have used the word She in the place of Jaya and her in the place of Jaya's. These words are called pronouns, because they are used in the place of nouns. We use pronouns to avoid repetition of nouns. A pronoun is, therefore, equivalent to a noun. In the above example the pronoun She is equivalent to the noun Jaya; the pronoun her is equivalent to the noun Jaya's. It, therefore follows that the pronoun must be of the same number, gender and person as the noun it stands for. So She is in singular number, feminine gender and third person because the noun Jaya is in singular number, feminine gender and third person. Kinds of Pronouns There are eight kinds of Pronouns. They are as follows:
Personal Pronoun Definition A pronoun when it refers to a person is called a personal pronoun. Examples
Explanation I, You, We, They, us, she, he, refer to persons. Therefore they are personal pronouns. Exception In the first sentence it stands for the baby: in the second, it stands for the tree. The word it is also a personal pronoun despite of it sometime standing for a thing as in the second sentence. It is always regarded as a personal pronoun. Usage of it
Here, It does not stand for any noun though this can be readily supplied from the verb. Thus, 'It rains' means 'The rain rains'. It so used is called an impersonal pronoun. Similarly the verb rains is called an impersonal verb. Although it denotes the thing spoken of, it is a personal pronoun of the third person (see the following paragraph for a discussion on first person, second person and third person). Let us consider the following sentences.
In the above, the person speaking is I. The person spoken to is you. The persons spoken of are They. The Pronouns I and we denote the person or persons speaking. These are said to be personal pronouns of the first person. The pronoun you denote the person or persons spoken to and is said to be a personal pronoun of the second person (you is used both in singular and plural). The Pronouns he or she and they denote the person or persons spoken of and are said to be personal pronouns of the third person. It is also a personal pronoun of the third person as mentioned earlier. Forms of Personal Pronouns Pronouns have different forms in different number and case like the noun as seen in chapter 3. The following are the different forms of the Personal Pronoun.
From the above table it is seen that the possessive cases of most of the personal pronouns have two forms. Of these the forms my, our, your, her and their are called Possessive Adjectives because they are used with nouns and do the work of adjectives. Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns Let us consider the following sentences.
In the expression my house, the word my is an adjective because it qualifies the noun house; similarly in the expression her watch, the word her is an adjective as it qualifies the noun watch. So my and her are called possessive adjectives while mine and hers do not qualify any noun; so they are possessive pronouns. Possessive adjectives are sometimes called pronominal adjectives as they are formed from Pronouns. Both possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns denote possession. Note:
Reflexive Pronouns Definition When the action done by the subject reflects (turns back) upon the subject itself, the pronoun is called a reflexive pronoun. Examples Explanation In the above sentences are words itself, himself and themselves. Adding self or selves to the personal pronouns form these words. In the first sentence the word itself denotes that the dog does the action to the dog. In other words, the action is reflected on the subject itself. So it is called a reflexive pronoun. Similarly the pronoun himself in the second sentence and themselves in the third sentence is also a reflexive pronoun. Emphatic Pronoun Definition When a compound personal pronoun (see note below for an understanding of compound personal pronoun) is used for emphasis, it is known as an emphatic pronoun.Emphatic pronouns are also sometimes called emphasizing pronouns. Examples Explanation In the above sentences words myself, himself and themselves are used for the sake emphasis or force. So they are called emphatic pronouns. Note:
Interrogative Pronouns Definition Pronouns that are used for asking questions are called interrogative pronouns. Examples Explanation The words what, who, which and whom are pronouns. They are used to ask questions. So they are called interrogative pronouns. (Interrogate - ask). Note: Which, what, whose can also be used as adjectives as shown in the sentences below. These words qualify nouns and they are used to ask questions. They are interrogative adjectives. Demonstrative Pronouns Definition A demonstrative pronoun is one that points to some noun going before. (Latin demonstrare, to show clearly) Examples Explanation This, These, That, Those, Such and Yonder in the above sentences are pronouns. They point out or demonstrate some noun. They are therefore, called demonstrative pronouns. Note: The same words can be used either pronouns or as adjectives. This, that, these and those can also be used as adjectives as shown in the sentences below.
In the above sentences This, That, these and Those qualify some nouns. They are adjectives. They also point out nouns and so they are demonstrative adjectives. Usage of this, that and those This is better than that. Ram's writing style is like that of John's. The streets of Bangalore are worse than those of Mysore. Alcohol and tobacco are both injurious; this (i.e., tobacco) perhaps, less than that (i.e., alcohol). Indefinite Pronouns Definition Pronouns that refer to persons or things in a general way without referring to any person or thing in particular are called indefinite pronouns. Examples Explanation The words some, a few, one, they, none and any are pronouns. They do not refer to any particular individual or thing. They refer to persons or things in a general way. They are indefinite pronouns. Most of these words may also be used as adjectives.
In referring to anybody, everybody, everyone, anyone, each etc., the pronoun he or she is used according to the context.
Distributive Pronouns Definition When a pronoun refers to persons or things one at a time, it is called a distributive pronoun. Examples Explanatio Each, Either, Neither refers to one person or thing at a time. They are distributive pronouns. A distributive pronoun is always singular in number and so takes a singular number as they always refer to persons or things one at a time. Relative Pronouns Definition A relative pronoun relates or refers (i.e., carries us back) to a noun going before. Examples Explanation The first sentence has a pair of sentences: This is the house. Jack built this house.
The word that in the first sentence is used instead of Jack and the word who in the second sentence is used instead of Hari. Jack and Hari are nouns and therefore the words that and who are pronouns. The word that in the first sentence relates to the noun house. It also joins two clauses. Similarly the pronoun who in the second sentence relates to the noun Hari and it also joins two clauses. We call them relative pronouns. Note: The relative pronoun refers to its antecedent and it has to be in the same gender, number and person, as the antecedent. In other words, the relative pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number, gender and person. Usage of 'who, 'which' and 'that' Generally who is used for persons, which for animals and lifeless things and that for both. The following sentences demonstrate the usage of who, which and that.
Omission of the Relative Pronoun Let us consider the following sentences.
In the above sentences the relative pronouns that (examples1and 2) and whom (example3) are understood and therefore have been omitted. The relative pronoun when in the accusative case is often omitted. Omission of the Antecedent Let us consider the following sentences.
In the above sentences the antecedents, He, Those, He are omitted respectively as they are understood. But for the omission the sentences would have read as follows: But and As as Relative Pronouns In the following sentences but and as are used as relative pronouns. 1. There was none but loved Caesar. 2. There is no rose but has a thorn. 3. She is such a lady as I would honour. 4. His answer was such as I expected him to give. |
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