What are Pronouns? | Basic Grammar for IELTS PDF Download

• Pronoun Definition – Rules and Types of Pronouns

  Last Updated : 28 Mar, 2024

• Importance of Grammar in Competitive Exams

  A solid grasp of grammar is crucial for candidates appearing in competitive exams. Pronouns, being one of the most significant parts of speech, warrant special attention.

• Types of Pronouns

  Pronouns play a vital role in language and communication. They can be categorized into various types based on their functions and usage. Let's explore some common types:

  • Personal Pronouns: These pronouns refer to specific persons or things without naming them. For example, "he," "she," "it," "they."
  • Relative Pronouns: These pronouns introduce subordinate clauses and connect them to main clauses. Examples include "who," "whom," "which."
  • Demonstrative Pronouns: These pronouns point to specific things or persons. For instance, "this," "that," "these," "those."
  • Interrogative Pronouns: Used to ask questions. Common examples are "who," "whom," "what," "which," "whose."
  • Indefinite Pronouns: Refer to non-specific persons or things. Examples include "anyone," "everyone," "no one," "somebody," "anybody."
  • Reflexive Pronouns: These pronouns reflect the action of the verb back to the subject. Examples include "myself," "yourself," "himself."
  • Reciprocal Pronouns: Used to indicate an action that is reciprocated. Examples include "each other," "one another."

What is a Pronoun?

• Pronouns are words that replace nouns or noun phrases to avoid repetition. They must agree with the number and gender of the noun. Examples include she, he, it, they, them, etc.

Examples of Pronouns:

• Radhika is in her room. She might be sleeping now. (Here, "She" is a pronoun replacing the noun Radhika.)
• Shyama is absent today because she is ill. (To avoid repeating the noun Shyama, "she" is used as a pronoun in its place.)

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Types of Pronouns

Pronouns can be categorized into different types based on their functions. Below, we explore the various kinds of pronouns with examples.

• Interrogative Pronouns

  Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about nouns.

  • Examples:
    • Ram did the work.
    • Question: Who did the work?
    • Rohit met with his girlfriend.
    • Question: Whom did Rohit meet?
    • This is her pen.
    • Question: Whose pen is this?

Reflexive Pronouns

• The pronouns used to emphasize personal pronouns are called reflexive pronouns.
• Reflexive pronouns include: Myself, ourselves, himself, themselves, yourself, etc.
• Examples in sentences:
  • I can create it myself.
  • He killed himself with a knife.

Personal Pronouns

• Personal pronouns are used in place of nouns referring to proper names.
• Examples of personal pronouns: I, we, you, she, he, it, etc.
• Examples in sentences:
  • Ram, Shyam, and Sita are playing in a field.
  • Answer: They are playing in a field. [Here the pronoun 'They' is used in place of 'Ram, Shyam, and Sita']
  • Ram is a good boy. He reads in class ten.

Possessive Pronouns

• The pronouns used to indicate possession are known as possessive pronouns.
• Examples: Mine, yours, hers, theirs, its, etc.
• The stage isyours.

Indefinite Pronouns

• Indefinite pronouns are utilized to refer to things or people in a general manner without specifying anyone in particular.
• Examples: Some, few, all, many, one, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, either, neither, etc.
• Examples in sentences:
  • All are present here.
  • Many of them were severely injured in a recent road accident.
  • One must obey one's teacher.

Distributive Pronouns

• Distributive Pronouns are used to show each member of a group separately, referring to individuals one by one.
• Examples of Distributive Pronouns include Each, every, none, anyone, either, neither, etc.
• Example sentence: Each of the boys has received his mark sheet.
• Example sentence: None can do it.

Reciprocal Pronouns

• Reciprocal Pronouns are used when two individuals perform an action and both benefit or face the same consequences.
• Examples of Reciprocal Pronouns are Each other and one another.
• Example sentence: Ram and Sita love each other.
• Example sentence: Four brothers fight one another.

• Demonstrative Pronouns
  • Demonstrative pronouns are words used to point out specific objects.
  • Examples of demonstrative pronouns include "this," "that," "these," and "those."
  • For instance:
    • This is my house.
    • That is his book.
• Relative Pronouns
  • Relative pronouns are used when connecting a noun/pronoun with a clause or phrase.
  • Examples of relative pronouns are "who," "which," "that," "whose," and "whom."
  • For example:
    • Where did you purchase the watch that you wore yesterday?
    • The boy who won the marathon race is my brother.

• Rule 3: Reflexive Verbs

  • Some verbs require reflexive pronouns.
    • Examples: Absent, adapt, avail, resign, enjoy, apply, adjust, etc.
    • They should avail themselves of every chance.
    • They enjoyed themselves during summer vacation.
    • He resigned himself.

• Rule 4: Non-Reflexive Verbs

  • Some verbs do not require reflexive pronouns.
    • Examples: keep, stop, qualify, hide, rest, move, etc.
    • You should keep yourself from bad habits. (Remove yourself)
    • The man has qualified himself for the post. (Remove himself)

• Rule 5: Objective Form after 'Let'

  • Objective form is used after 'let' at the beginning of a sentence.
    • Examples:
    • Let they go. Ans: Let them go.
    • Let he go. Ans: Let him go.

Rule 6

• Nominative - Represents 'who' leading to the verb.
• Objective - Represents 'whom' acting as the subject.

Examples

• I saw the man who was a police.
• I saw him whom you met.

Pronouns Examples

• He buys the books and puts them in a bag.
• Both the sisters quarrel with each other.
• Neither of them is present.
• You can talk to each boy.
• Whose book is this?
• Who took my pen?
• This is my mobile.
• That is your book.
• They enjoyed their summer vacation.
• He resigned due to his failure.

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FAQ's on Pronoun

A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun in a sentence. Pronouns are utilized to prevent the repetition of nouns, making sentences more concise. They can represent people, places, things, or concepts, and can replace a noun in various sentence roles like subjects, objects, possessives, or even as the object of a preposition. Common pronouns include "he," "she," "it," "they," "we," "you," "me," "him," "her," "us," and "them." Pronouns are crucial in language as they enhance sentence clarity and flow by substituting specific nouns with more general terms.

Understanding Pronouns

A pronoun serves as a substitute for a noun to prevent redundancy in language. Below are elucidated various types of pronouns with clear examples:

Types of Pronouns

• Personal Pronouns: These pronouns specifically denote individuals or objects.
• Examples: He, she, it, they
• Possessive Pronouns: These pronouns indicate ownership or possession.
• Examples: His, her, its, their
• Reflexive Pronouns: They reflect the action back to the subject.
• Examples: Myself, yourself, herself, itself
• Relative Pronouns: These pronouns introduce relative clauses.
• Examples: Who, whom, whose, which, that
• Demonstrative Pronouns: These pronouns point towards specific items.
• Examples: This, that, these, those
• Interrogative Pronouns: Employed in forming questions.
• Examples: Who, whom, whose, which, what
• Indefinite Pronouns: These refer to nonspecific or unidentified entities.
• Examples: Anyone, someone, nobody, anything, everything

Types of Pronouns

• 1. Personal Pronouns: Refer to specific persons or things.
• 2. Demonstrative Pronouns: Point to specific things.
• 3. Interrogative Pronouns: Pose questions.
• 4. Relative Pronouns: Connect clauses or phrases.
• 5. Indefinite Pronouns: Refer to nonspecific things or quantities.
• 6. Possessive Pronouns: Show ownership or possession.
• 7. Reflexive Pronouns: Refer back to the subject of the sentence.
• 8. Reciprocal Pronouns: Show mutual action or feeling.
• 9. Distributive Pronouns: Refer to specific members of a group.
• 10. Emphatic Pronouns: Emphasize a preceding noun.
• 11. Intensive Pronouns: Add emphasis to a subject.
• 12. Quantifier Pronouns: Indicate an amount or quantity.

These various types of pronouns serve different functions in sentences, aiding in communication clarity and conciseness.

Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs involve actions where the subject and object are the same, often accompanied by reflexive pronouns like "myself," "yourself," "himself," etc. For instance, "I wash myself."

Q5. Possessive Adjectives Examples

• My: This book is my favorite.
• Your: Is this your backpack?
• His: That is his car parked over there.
• Her: She is wearing her new dress.
• Its: The dog wagged its tail.
• Our: We finished our homework.
• Your: Is this your house?
• Their: They love playing in their garden.

Possessive adjectives indicate possession or ownership, clarifying who or what possesses something in a sentence.

Q6. Intensive Pronoun Examples

Intensive pronouns emphasize a preceding noun or pronoun in a sentence. For example, "I will do it myself" emphasizes the personal action of "I."

Q7. Possessive Pronouns Sentences

Possessive pronouns demonstrate ownership. For instance, "That book is mine" and "Is this yours?"

• What is a pronoun and a noun?

  A pronoun serves as a replacement for a noun to prevent redundancy. For instance, instead of repeatedly saying "John," we can use "he" or "she."

  A noun, on the other hand, is a word denoting a person, place, thing, or idea. Examples include "dog" or "love."

• What are the rules of pronouns?

  • Agreement: Pronouns must match in number and gender with the nouns they replace.
  • Clarity: Pronouns should unequivocally refer to a specific noun to prevent confusion.
  • Antecedent: Pronouns need a clear antecedent (the noun they refer to) in the same or preceding sentence.
  • Consistency: Stick to using the chosen pronoun consistently throughout the text once selected.
  • Case: Pronouns alter form based on their role in the sentence (subject, object, possessive).
  • Ambiguity: Refrain from using pronouns that could ambiguously refer to multiple nouns in the sentence.
  • Gender Sensitivity: Employ gender-neutral language sensibly when necessary.

Basics of Data Structures and Algorithms

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Overview of Data Structures

• Data structures are essential for organizing and storing data efficiently.
• Examples include arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs.

Importance of Algorithms

• Algorithms are step-by-step procedures for solving problems.
• They are crucial for efficient computation and optimization.

Common Data Structures

• Arrays: Contiguous memory locations storing elements of the same type.
• Linked Lists: Elements linked by pointers, allowing dynamic memory allocation.
• Stacks: Follows Last In First Out (LIFO) principle.
• Queues: Follows First In First Out (FIFO) principle.
• Trees: Hierarchical structures with nodes and edges.
• Graphs: Networks of nodes connected by edges.

Algorithm Design

• Designing efficient algorithms involves analyzing time and space complexity.
• Examples include sorting algorithms like Bubble Sort, Merge Sort, and Quick Sort.