Are you curious about what a subject pronoun is? Do you know the types of pronouns and their uses? These questions will be answered and more as we look at pronouns, nouns, and their functions.
Pronouns
Pronouns are versatile words that can substitute for many nouns. The word “pronoun” comes from the Latin word “pronomen” which breaks down onto “pro” and “nomen”. They mean “in place of” and “name.” Pronouns are useful in making our language not be so repetitive and keeps it from bogging down. If it weren’t for pronouns, when you were talking about someone, you would have to keep repeating their name over and over.
Pronouns can be classified according to their function. Following are brief explanations, lists of pronouns, and examples.
- Subject pronouns function as the subject of a clause or sentence. These are I, we, he, she, it, you, and they. Example: She is too funny.
- Object pronouns function as the objects of verbs, infinitives, and prepositions. These are: me, us, it, him, her, you, and them. Example: Give the money to her.
- Possessive pronouns show possession or ownership. These are: mine, ours, its, his, hers, yours, and theirs. Example: Is this paper yours?
- Indefinite pronouns refer to nouns in general. Here is a list of some of them: all, many, few, some, nothing, everyone, anybody, and other. Example: I don’t see anybody.
- Demonstrative pronouns pull the focus to the words they are replacing. The five demonstrative pronouns are: this, that, these, those, and such. Example: That was a great speech.
- Interrogative pronouns are used at the start of a question. They are: what, which, who, whom, whoever, whomever, whichever, and whatever. Example” Who is driving the car?
- Relative pronouns function as a link between a clause and a noun or pronoun. These are: that, who, whom, which, whoever, whomever, whichever, and whose. Example: The people who yell at performers are rude.
- Reflexive pronouns send emphasis back to the subject. They are: myself, ourselves, itself, himself, herself, yourself, yourselves, and themselves. Example: They are only fooling themselves.
- Intensive pronouns are used to further emphasize a noun or pronoun. These are: myself, himself, herself, themselves, itself, yourself, yourselves, and ourselves. Example: I myself do not care for broccoli.
Nouns
Since pronouns replace nouns, you need information on nouns and their functions. Nouns name people, animals, objects, places, and ideas. There are so many nouns and you can sort them in many ways, like function or type. Following is a list of seven types of nouns grouped by what they represent. Some nouns can fit into more than one category.
- Common nouns would be the biggest group as they refer to ordinary, everyday things. Here are a few: dolphin, silver, rocket, tuba, school, people, and tree.
- Proper nouns name specific things, people, places, and ideas. They are easy to spot as they are always capitalized. Some examples are: Jupiter, Toy Story, China, Sonic, New York Giants, Sarah, and Mount Rushmore.
- Concrete nouns can be experienced with one or more senses; smell, sight, touch, hearing, taste. In other words they are physical and some would be: flower, train, pants, building, pizza, noise, carpet, and river.
- Abstract nouns are what concrete nouns are not. They are concepts, emotions, beliefs, and character traits. These can be: hate, liberty, silliness, communism, calm, religion, strength, and honor.
- Collective nouns refer to a group of things, like: team, herd, school, jury, colony, league, gaggle, and coven.
- Countable nouns can be counted. Examples are: car, tree, bottle, chair, dog, street, and pencil.
- Uncountable nouns, or mass nouns, refer to things that cannot be counted. Examples are: air, furniture, baggage, coffee, intelligence, and butter.
Examples of Subject Pronouns
Now that you are familiar with different types of pronouns and their uses, maybe you would like more information on subject pronouns. The subject pronouns are: I, we, you, he, she, it, and they. Here are a few sentences using subject pronouns:
- She watered the plants.
- I wanted to go to the party but he wouldn’t let me.
- Sometimes, they act crazy.
- You can go to the game, as long as you finish the dishes.
- It simple isn’t possible.
- We are finished with examples.