The Pronoun

The Pronoun

A complete systematic study of all pronoun classes in standard British English — with definitions, forms, functions, and fully annotated examples throughout.

1 Definition2 Personal3 Possessive4 Reflexive5 Demonstrative6 Interrogative7 Relative8 Indefinite9 Reciprocal10 Agreement11 Pitfalls

 01

Definition & Overview

A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun or noun phrase in order to avoid repetition and to create cohesion within a text. The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun replaces or refers to is called the antecedent.

 (The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, 2002), pronouns constitute a closed subclass of the noun class. They share the nominal functions of nouns — subject, object, complement — but differ morphologically in showing case, person, number, and gender far more overtly than nouns do.

NOUN:The solicitor advised the client. The solicitor then prepared the documents.

PRONOUN:The solicitor advised the client. She then prepared the documents.

↳ "she" replaces "the solicitor" — the antecedent — to avoid repetition.

The ten classes of pronoun recognised in standard British grammar are:

PersonalPossessiveReflexive / EmphaticDemonstrativeInterrogativeRelativeIndefiniteReciprocalDistributiveNegative

 02

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are the most frequently used pronoun class. They vary by person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), number (singular, plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neuter — 3rd singular only), and case (subjective / nominative, objective / accusative, possessive).

Person	Number	Gender	Subjective (Subject)	Objective (Object)
1st	Singular	—	I	me
2nd	Singular / Plural	—	you	you
3rd	Singular	Masculine	he	him
3rd	Singular	Feminine	she	her
3rd	Singular	Neuter	it	it
1st	Plural	—	we	us
3rd	Plural	—	they	them

Subjective (Nominative) Case

Used when the pronoun is the subject of a verb — the one performing the action.

✓I wrote the report.

✓She is the leading barrister.

✓We arrived at Victoria station before noon.

✓They have submitted the petition to Parliament.

✓It was he who discovered the error.

↳ After "it was / it is", formal British English uses the subjective: "It was he / she / I / we / they."

Objective (Accusative) Case

Used when the pronoun is a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.

Direct obj.The judge addressed them.

Indirect obj.She gave him the verdict.

Prep. obj.The letter was addressed to her.

Prep. obj.Between you and me, the case is weak.

↳ Note: "between you and I" is a widespread error — the objective "me" is always required after a preposition.

The Pronoun "it"

British English uses it for animals (when sex is unspecified), things, abstractions, and in several impersonal constructions:

Weather:It is raining heavily in Manchester.

Time:It is half past three.

Distance:It is forty miles to Oxford.

Extra pos.:It is important that you attend the hearing.

Cleft:It was the Chancellor who announced the budget.

 03

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or association. British grammar distinguishes two sets: dependent (determiner) forms, which always precede a noun (we generally used it as possessive adjective) and independent (absolute) forms, possessive pronouns which stand alone.

Person	Number	Dependent (+ noun) Possessive Adjective(+ noun)	Independent (alone)
1st	Singular	my	mine
2nd	Sing./Pl.	your	yours
3rd	Masc.	his	his
3rd	Fem.	her	hers
3rd	Neuter	its	its
1st	Plural	our	ours
3rd	Plural	their	theirs

Dependent:Have you seen my umbrella? Her lecture was outstanding.

Independent:That briefcase is mine. The red umbrella is hers.

Pred. use:This constituency is ours to win.

Double poss.:A colleague of mine practises in Edinburgh.

↳ The "double genitive" (of + independent possessive) is well established in British English.

Critical distinction — its vs. it's: Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive pronoun. It's is the contraction of it is or it has. These are never interchangeable: "The committee published its report." / "It's (= It has) been a long session."

 04

Reflexive & Emphatic Pronouns

These pronouns are formed by adding -self (singular) or -selves (plural) to the base pronoun. They serve two distinct functions in British English.

Person	Number	Reflexive / Emphatic Form
1st	Singular	myself
2nd	Sing./Pl.	yourself / yourselves
3rd	Masc. Sing.	himself
3rd	Fem. Sing.	herself
3rd	Neuter	itself
1st	Plural	ourselves
3rd	Plural	themselves

Reflexive Use

The reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject when the subject and object are the same entity. The action "reflects" back onto the performer.

Ex: He cut himself while chopping vegetables.

✓She blamed herself for the delay.

✓The child hurt himself on the pavement.

✓We must prepare ourselves for the examination.

✓The government committed itself to the reform.

Emphatic (Intensifying) Use

The emphatic pronoun stresses that the subject performed the action personally, without help. It is not grammatically essential and can be removed without changing core meaning.Intensive pronouns are used purely to add emphasis to a noun.

Ex: The Prime Minister himself delivered the speech.

✓The Prime Minister herself opened the inquiry.

✓I myself witnessed the exchange in the Commons.

✓The architect himself was surprised by the ruling.

↳ Emphatic pronouns may follow the noun immediately or appear at the end of the clause.

British usage note: Using reflexive pronouns as a polite alternative to personal pronouns (e.g. "Please contact myself if you have questions") is considered incorrect by most British style guides. Use "me" instead: "Please contact me."

 05

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns point to specific things (or persons), distinguishing between what is near and what is distant — in space, time, or discourse.

Distance	Singular	Plural
Near (proximal)	this	these
Far (distal)	that	those

As Pronouns (Standing Alone)

This/these:This is the original deed of sale.

These are the documents you requested.

That/those:That was an extraordinary parliamentary debate.

Those were the values of a different era.

As Determiners (Before a Noun)

Note: when preceding a noun, these words function as demonstrative determiners, not pronouns.

Determiner:This verdict will set a precedent.

Pronoun:This will set a precedent. [noun omitted]

Anaphoric and Cataphoric Reference

Demonstrative pronouns can refer backwards (anaphoric) to something already mentioned, or forwards (cataphoric) to something about to be stated.

Anaphoric:The verdict was announced on Monday. That came as a surprise to many.

↳ "That" refers back to the verdict announced on Monday.

Cataphoric:This is what I propose: a full independent inquiry.

↳ "This" refers forward to the content that follows.

 06

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns introduce direct and indirect questions. They ask for the identification of a person, thing, or choice.

Pronoun	Refers to	Case Forms
who	Persons (subject)	who (subj.) / whom (obj.) / whose (poss.)
whom	Persons (object)	—
whose	Possession (persons/things)	—
what	Things, ideas	what (invariable)
which	Persons or things (choice from a set)	which (invariable)

Who vs. Whom

Who is the subjective form; whom is the objective form. A practical test: if the answer would use he/she/they, use who; if the answer would use him/her/them, use whom.

Who (subj.):Who drafted this legislation? → She did.

Whom (obj.):Whom did you consult? → I consulted him.

Whom (prep.):To whom was the letter addressed?

Whose (poss.):Whose signature appears on the document?

What vs. Which

What implies an open, unlimited set; which implies a limited, defined set of options.

What (open):What did you study at university?

Which (limited):Which of these two colleges did you attend — King's or Christ's?

Indirect (Embedded) Questions

Interrogative pronouns also introduce indirect questions, where statement word order (subject + verb) is used, not inverted question order.

Direct:Who is responsible?

Indirect:I asked who was responsible.

Direct:Whom did they appoint?

Indirect:She wanted to know whom they had appointed.

 07

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses — subordinate clauses that modify a noun or pronoun (the antecedent) in the main clause. British grammar distinguishes between defining (restrictive) and non-defining (non-restrictive) relative clauses.

Pronoun	Antecedent	Subject	Object	Possessive
who / whom	Persons	who	whom	whose
which	Things, animals, clauses	which	which	whose / of which
that	Persons or things	that	that	—
whose	Persons or things (poss.)	—	—	whose
what	No specific antecedent ("that which")	what	what	—

Defining (Restrictive) Relative Clauses

Identify which specific person or thing is meant. No commas. That or who/which may be used; that is preferred in informal British writing. The relative pronoun may be omitted when it is the object (zero relative).

Who:The barrister who argued the case was brilliant.

That:The Act that was passed in 1972 remains in force.

Which:The report which he submitted was incomplete.

Zero rel.:The evidence [that/which] they presented was inconclusive.

↳ Zero relative: the pronoun is omitted because it functions as the object.

Non-Defining (Non-Restrictive) Relative Clauses

Add extra information about a noun already fully identified. Always use commas. That is not used in non-defining clauses in formal British English — only who or which.

Who:Lord Denning, who served as Master of the Rolls, was a celebrated jurist.

Which:    Cricket, which originated in England, is now played widely across the world.

Whose:The committee, whose report was leaked, faces an inquiry.

✗ Error:   Cricket, which originated in England, is now played passionately across the Commonwealth.... [non-defining — "that" incorrect]

Which vs. That — British English Preference

✓ CORRECT (British formal)

The proposal which was rejected yesterday...
The Act that governs this area...
(both acceptable in defining clauses)

✗ AVOID

The Act, that was debated in 1997, ...
(that in non-defining clause — error)

Which vs That

Both are common in defining clauses.

Correct

1. The book which I bought was expensive.
2. The book that I bought was expensive.

Both are acceptable.

Non-Defining Clauses

• Only which is used.

Correct

• The book, which I bought yesterday, was expensive.

Incorrect

• The book, that I bought yesterday, was expensive.

Therefore:

✓ The book that I bought yesterday was expensive. (Defining)

✓ The book, which I bought yesterday, was expensive. (Non-defining)

✗ The book, that I bought yesterday, was expensive. (Incorrect)

 08

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific persons, things, or quantities. They are among the most complex pronouns to use correctly, as they vary in number, case, and agreement patterns.

Classification by Reference

Category	Singular	Plural	Either
Persons	someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, everyone, everybody, one	—	—
Things	something, anything, nothing, everything	—	—
Quantity	each, either, neither, another, much, little, less	both, few, many, several, others, fewer	all, some, any, none, more, most

Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Compound indefinite pronouns (someone, everyone, anyone, nobody, etc.) are grammatically singular and take a singular verb.

✓Everyone in the chamber was present.

✓Nobody has signed the register.

✓Something is clearly wrong with the procedure.

✓Each of the candidates was interviewed separately.

Plural Indefinite Pronouns

✓Many of the witnesses were reluctant to testify.

✓Both of the proposals have merit.

✓Several have raised concerns about the amendment.

Variable Indefinite Pronouns (Singular or Plural)

All, some, any, none, more, most may be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to.

None (sing.):None of the evidence was admissible. [evidence = uncountable]

None (pl.):None of the witnesses were available. [witnesses = countable plural]

Some (sing.):Some of the information has been withheld.

Some (pl.):Some of the documents have been withheld.

↳ In British English, "none" with a plural noun is regularly used with a plural verb and is well-attested in formal prose.

The Pronoun "one"

One is a formal indefinite pronoun widely used in standard British English to make generalisations. It is followed by one's (possessive) and oneself (reflexive).

✓One ought to respect the court's decision.

✓One must do one's duty conscientiously.

✓One cannot help but admire such dedication.

↳ British English uses "one ... one's" consistently, not "one ... their" (which is common in American English).

 09

Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns express a mutual relationship — each person performs the action towards the other(s) and also receives it. There are exactly two in English.

Pronoun	Refers to	Possessive Form
each other	Two persons or things	each other's
one another	More than two (or two, in formal style)	one another's

Two:The two solicitors consulted each other before the hearing.

Three+:The three nations must trust one another completely.

Possessive:They borrowed each other's notes for the exam.

Possessive:The delegates respected one another's positions.

British usage note: The distinction between each other (two) and one another (three or more) is a traditional prescription. In practice, modern British English uses both interchangeably; however, formal written style tends to observe the distinction.

 10

Pronoun Agreement

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number, and gender. Failure to maintain this agreement is one of the most common grammatical errors.

Number Agreement

• N1A singular antecedent takes a singular pronoun: The solicitor submitted her report on time.
• N2A plural antecedent takes a plural pronoun: The solicitors submitted their reports on time.
• N3Indefinite pronouns (everyone, someone, nobody etc.) are grammatically singular: Everyone must bring their own passport. [generic their — accepted in British English]
• N4Collective nouns (committee, jury, government) may take singular or plural pronouns in British English: The jury reached its verdict OR The jury disagreed among themselves.

Gender Agreement & the Generic Pronoun

When the gender of an indefinite antecedent is unknown or mixed, British English now widely accepts the singular they/their/them as the generic third-person pronoun — endorsed by the Oxford English Dictionary and major British style guides.

Generic they:If a student fails their examination, they may resit in September.

Generic they:Everyone should submit their application by Friday.

Avoid:Everyone should submit his application. [assumes male]

Avoid:Everyone should submit his or her application. [wordy]

Case Agreement

• C1Subject of a verb → subjective case: She and I attended the inquiry.
• C2Object of a verb → objective case: The judge summoned her and me.
• C3Object of a preposition → objective case: between you and me; according to him.
• C4After a linking verb, formal British English uses the subjective case: It was she who called.

Pronoun Reference Clarity

A pronoun must have a clear, unambiguous antecedent. Ambiguous reference is a grammatical error.

✗ AMBIGUOUS

James spoke to Peter when he arrived.
[Who arrived — James or Peter?]

✓ CLEAR

When James arrived, he spoke to Peter.
When Peter arrived, James spoke to him.

 11

Common Pitfalls & British Usage Notes

Error Type	Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
Case after preposition	between you and I	between you and me	Prepositions always take objective case
Case in compound subject	Her and I went	She and I went	Both pronouns are subjects → subjective case
Case in compound object	They invited John and I	They invited John and me	Both are objects → objective case
Reflexive misuse	Contact myself if needed	Contact me if needed	Reflexive cannot substitute for simple personal pronoun
Who/whom confusion	Who did they appoint?	Whom did they appoint?	"appoint" needs object → objective form whom
That in non-defining clause	St Paul's, that was built by Wren, ...	St Paul's, which was built by Wren, ...	Non-defining clauses require who/which, not that
Its vs. it's	The bill had it's flaws	The bill had its flaws	its = possessive; it's = it is / it has
Whose vs. who's	The judge who's ruling was overturned	The judge whose ruling was overturned	whose = possessive; who's = who is / who has
Ambiguous antecedent	The minister told the clerk he was wrong	Rephrase to clarify who was wrong	Pronoun must have exactly one clear antecedent
None + plural verb (over-correction)	None of the witnesses was available	None of the witnesses were available	Plural noun → plural verb is natural British usage