What are the 8 Types of Pronouns With Examples!

Pronouns are used in sentences to replace nouns and to make the sentence more concise and clear. Instead of repeating the same noun multiple times in a sentence, a pronoun can be used to refer back to the noun and to keep the sentence flowing smoothly. Pronouns also help to avoid confusion and to make the sentence less repetitive.

Generally speaking, there are 8 types of pronouns with examples: 1) personal pronouns, 2) possessive pronouns, 3) demonstrative pronouns, 4) interrogative pronouns, 5) indefinite pronouns, 6) relative pronouns, 7) reflexive pronouns and 8) intensive pronouns.

What are the 8 Types of Pronouns With Examples?

8 Types of Pronouns With Examples!

Let’s examine the 8 types of pronouns and several examples so that we develop our writing and speaking skills.

1. Personal Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Personal Pronouns: Personal pronouns are used to replace specific nouns and to make the sentence more concise and clear by avoiding repetition of the same nouns. Personal pronouns also help to create a more natural flow in the sentence and make it more engaging to read or listen to.

Examples of Personal Pronouns

John is going to the store, but he forgot his wallet.
Rebekah is studying for her exam, she wants to get an A.
The children are playing in the park, they are having so much fun.
The teacher was going to make an important announcement, she was very excited.
The girls were coming to the party, but they got lost on the way.

Personal Pronouns Have Number, Person, Gender and Case

The best way to remember these four features of personal pronouns is by learning their function. Here is how they function.

Number (indicates how many)
Person (indicates person speaking, spoken to and spoken about)
Gender (indicates person or non-person)
Case (indicates its function in a sentence)

Some More Examples of Personal Pronouns

I will travel to the city over the weekend. (1st Person, Singular, Masculine/Feminine, Nominative)
They will travel to the beach during the holidays. (3rd Person, Plural, Masculine/Feminine, Nominative)
David will give you the money required. (2nd Person, Singular, Masculine/Feminine, Objective)
Rachel loved him with all of her heart. (3rd Person, Singular, Masculine, Objective)
Jonathan gave the money to me for the truck. (1st Person, Singular, Masculine/Feminine, Objective)
You can drive to the hospital to pickup your sister. (2nd Person, Singular, Masculine/Feminine, Nominative)
Dad and mum have left the house to us in their will. (1st Person, Plural, Masculine/Feminine, Objective)
It belongs to my little sister. (3rd Person, Singular, Neuter, Nominative)
Leslie will give her an opportunity to do better. (3rd Person, Singular, Feminine, Objective)
Will he make the team of the century? (3rd Person, Singular, Masculine, Nominative)

2. Possessive Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Possessive Pronouns: Possessive pronouns are words that indicate possession or ownership.

They are used to indicate that something belongs to someone or something. Possessive pronouns can be used to replace a noun phrase that indicates possession or ownership, and they do not need an apostrophe (‘) to indicate possession.

Possessive pronouns include mine, yours, ours, its, his, hers and theirs.

Examples of Possessive Pronouns

That book is mine.
The gold watch found at the shopping center is hers.
The house down the street is theirs.
Is that car over there yours?
Yours is the best project.
The drill on the bench is his.
Your proposition is better than mine.
My heart beats loudly but his I cannot feel.
Knowledge has its lessons but experience has its.
The plans for our house are not originally ours.

Possessive Pronouns And Possessive Adjectives

Possessive pronouns can be used as possessive adjectives so it is important to distinguish the difference between possessive pronouns (replaces nouns) and possessive adjectives (describes nouns).

David left his keys in the shopping center. (possessive adjective)
The keys in the shopping center are his. (possessive pronoun)
The children gave their money to the homeless. (possessive adjective)
The money given to the homeless was theirs. (possessive pronoun)
Knowledge has its lessons (possessive adjective) but experience has its (possessive pronoun).

3. Demonstrative Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Demonstrative Pronouns: Demonstrative pronouns are words used to point out or draw attention to specific things, whether they are near or far and make a distinction between two or more things.

Demonstrative pronouns are: this, that, these and those.

Examples of Demonstrative pronouns

That is my favorite color.
These are the ones I want to buy for my friend.
That was a great game of football last night.
Those are the leftovers from our building project.
This is my pen and that is yours.
These are my shoes but those are yours.
I will never forget this but that is another story.
These are sweet but those are not.
That is yours and this is mine.
I will never forgive this.

Demonstrative Pronouns and Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative pronouns can be used as demonstrative adjectives so it is important to distinguish the difference between demonstrative pronouns (replacing nouns) and demonstrative adjectives (describing nouns).

This (used as a pronoun) is expensive but that hammer (used as an adjective) is not.
These tools (used as an adjective) are new but those (used as a pronoun) are not.
These (used as a pronoun) are yours but those pens (used as an adjective) are mine.
Remove these (used as a pronoun) but not those plants. (used as an adjective)

4. Interrogative Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Interrogative Pronouns: Interrogative pronouns are pronouns that are used to ask questions. They include: who, whom, whose, what and which.

Examples of Interrogative Pronouns

Who belongs to that rubbish?
What are those things on the ground?
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Whom are you meeting for lunch today?
Whom do you want to speak with?
What is the name of this building?
Who is going to be the next president?
Whose are those?
Of all the car for sale, which do you recommend?
Whose are these?

5. Indefinite Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Indefinite Pronouns: Indefinite pronouns are words that do not refer to a specific person, place or thing.

Some common indefinite pronouns are: many, both, any, much, no one, nothing, several and some.

Examples of Indefinite pronouns

Someone left their umbrella on the bus. We need to find the owner and return it.
I can’t decide where to go on vacation. Anywhere with a beach sounds good to me.
I can’t believe nobody showed up to the meeting. It’s important that everyone is informed.
I’m not sure what to buy at the store. Do you think I should get any of the fruits or all of them?
No one knows the answer to that question.
Anyone can make a difference if they try.
I have nothing to say on the matter.
I’m not sure how to fix this problem. Anything suggested would be helpful.
I can’t find my keys. They must be somewhere around here.
Somebody needs to take responsibility for this mistake.

6. Relative Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Relative Pronouns: Relative pronouns are pronouns that introduce relative clauses and are used to connect them to an antecedent. The most common relative pronouns in English are “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “that,” and “which.”

To put it another way, relative pronouns are used to connect a relative clause to a noun or noun phrase. They are often used to provide additional information about a noun or noun phrase.

Examples of Relative Pronouns

The woman who was wearing a red hat caught my attention.
The book which I read last night was really interesting.
The dog whose tail was wagging was very friendly.
The store that I went too for the part for the car was out of stock.
The person who I spoke to on the phone was very helpful.
The student whom the teacher selected to present the project did an excellent job.
The house that we bought needs some repairs.
The person whose advice I always follow is my mentor.
The city where I grew up is known for its beautiful parks.
The dog whose collar I found in the park must have lost it.

7. Reflexive Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Reflexive Pronouns: Reflexive pronouns are words that refer back to the subject of the sentence. They are formed by adding -self or -selves to a personal pronoun.

Also Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same. Remember to use reflexive pronouns when the subject and the object of a sentence are the same or for emphasis.

Some reflexive pronouns include: myself, yourself, yourselves, himself, herself and itself.

Examples of Reflexive Pronouns

She made herself a sandwich
I saw myself in the mirror.
He did it all by himself.
I will do it myself.
They will divide the task among themselves.
She was proud of herself for finishing the project.
I hurt myself today while exercising!
They enjoyed themselves at the amusement park.
They blame themselves for the accident.
They are responsible for themselves.

8. Intensive Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Intensive Pronouns: Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to the noun or pronoun that they refer to. They are formed by adding -self or -selves to certain personal pronouns.

To put it another way, intensive pronouns are not essential to the meaning of a sentence but they add emphasis to the noun or pronoun that they refer to.

Examples of Intensive Pronouns

I myself will be taking the test.
The team themselves are responsible for their own success.
She herself made the cake.
He himself finished the entire project before deadline.
The manager himself approved the project proposal.

9. Reciprocal Pronouns With Examples

Definition of Reciprocal Pronouns: Reciprocal pronouns are pronouns that indicate a mutual action or relationship between two or more people or things. The most common reciprocal pronouns in English are “each other” and “one another.”

To put it another way, reciprocal pronouns are often used to indicate that two or more people or things are in a reciprocal relationship, where the action or relationship is being reciprocated by all parties involved. They can also used to indicate mutual cooperation or other forms of mutual engagement.

Examples of Reciprocal Pronouns

The siblings always argue with one another.
John and Mary love each other.
The teams competed against each other in the tournament.
The dancers rehearsed together.
The children played with one another.

Remember the 8 types of pronouns with examples are used in sentences to replace nouns and to make the sentence more concise and clear. Instead of repeating the same noun multiple times in a sentence, a pronoun can be used to refer back to the noun and to keep the sentence flowing smoothly. Pronouns also help to avoid confusion and to make the sentence less repetitive.

For more information, click on this link – 8 Parts of Speech Definitions!

List of 8 Types of Pronouns With Examples

ORDER	TYPE OF PRONOUNS	EXAMPLES
1	Personal Pronouns	I, we, me, us, you, he, she, him, her, it, they, them
2	Possessive Pronouns	mine, yours, ours, its, his, hers, theirs
3	Demonstrative Pronouns	this, that, these, those
4	Interrogative Pronouns	who, whom, whose, which, what
5	Indefinite Pronouns	anyone, someone, several, nothing
6	Relative Pronouns	who, whom, whose, which, that
7	Reflexive Pronouns	myself, yourself, himself, itself
8	Intensive Pronouns	myself, herself, himself