Level: A2
English Pronouns
All the main types of English pronouns, grouped for easy study — each with a short, simple definition for ESL learners.
- Personal Pronouns
- I – the person speaking (singular, subject)
- you – the person spoken to (singular or plural, subject or object)
- he – a male person spoken about (singular, subject)
- she – a female person spoken about (singular, subject)
- it – a thing, animal, or idea spoken about (singular, subject or object)
- we – the speaker and others (plural, subject)
- they – people or things spoken about (plural, subject)
- me – the person speaking, as the object
- him – a male person, as the object
- her – a female person, as the object
- us – the speaker and others, as the object
- them – people or things spoken about, as the object
- Reflexive Pronouns
- myself – refers back to the speaker for emphasis or reflexive action
- yourself – refers back to the person spoken to (singular)
- yourselves – refers back to the people spoken to (plural)
- himself – refers back to a male person for emphasis or reflexive action
- herself – refers back to a female person for emphasis or reflexive action
- itself – refers back to a thing, animal, or idea for emphasis or reflexive action
- ourselves – refers back to the speaker and others for emphasis or reflexive action
- themselves – refers back to people or things spoken about for emphasis or reflexive action
- Possessive Pronouns
- mine – shows something belongs to the speaker; used alone instead of a noun
- yours – shows something belongs to the person spoken to; used alone instead of a noun
- his – shows something belongs to a male person; used alone instead of a noun
- hers – shows something belongs to a female person; used alone instead of a noun
- ours – shows something belongs to the speaker and others; used alone instead of a noun
- theirs – shows something belongs to people or things spoken about; used alone instead of a noun
- Demonstrative Pronouns
- this – the thing or person near the speaker (singular)
- that – the thing or person far from the speaker (singular)
- these – things or people near the speaker (plural)
- those – things or people far from the speaker (plural)
- Indefinite Pronouns
- all – every person or thing in a group
- another – one more or an additional one
- any – one, some, or every person or thing in a group
- anybody – any person, often used in questions and negatives
- anyone – any person, often used in formal or positive sentences
- anything – any thing, no matter what
- everything – all the things in a group
- both – two people or things together
- each – every person or thing in a group, seen separately
- either – one or the other of two
- everybody – all the people in a group; common in speaking
- everyone – all the people in a group; common in writing or formal language
- few – a small number of people or things
- many – a large number of people or things
- more – a greater amount or number
- most – the largest amount or number
- much – a large amount (for things you cannot count)
- neither – not one and not the other of two
- no one – not a single person
- nobody – not any person; more common in conversation
- none – not any of a group; not one
- nothing – not a thing
- one – a person or thing; used when the person or thing is not known or important
- other – a different person or thing
- others – more people or things; different from the ones already mentioned
- several – more than two but not many
- some – an unknown or unstated number or amount
- somebody – an unknown person; often used in everyday speaking
- someone – an unknown person; often used in writing or formal language
- something – an unknown thing
- Reciprocal Pronouns
- each other – used when two people or things each do something to the other
- one another – used when more than two people or things each do something to the others
- Relative & Interrogative Pronouns
- what – refers to a thing or things, often asking for information
- whatever – anything that; no matter what thing
- which – asks about or refers to a choice from a group
- whichever – any one from a group, no matter which
- who – the person or people who do something
- whoever – any person who; no matter who
- whom – the person who is the object of a verb or preposition
- whomever – any person who is the object, no matter who
- whose – shows something belongs to someone; asks or tells who owns something