Pronoun Types, Examples, and Usage: Rohan’s Red Pen Moment — Rohan was in Class 7 when this incident happened. It was a humid afternoon, the notebook lay open during the English period on his desk. His teacher returned his notebook after checking. His notebook was filled with red marks scattered like tiny warnings. Rohan turned the pages nervously until his eyes stopped on one sentence which is circled with red colour. The sentence was “Rohan told Rohan’s friend that Rohan would help Rohan.” Just below the sentence, the teacher had written a single line: “Too repetitive. Use pronouns.” Rohan became confused for a moment and he read the line again.
Rohan thought that he had written the sentence correctly. That evening, when he reached home, he read the sentence again and again. The sentence sounded strange to him. He could not understand why his teacher wrote “use pronouns”. He showed the sentence to his elder sister. Then his elder sister pointed at the repeated word “Rohan” and explained that he should use words like “he” and “him” instead of Rohan. At that moment, Rohan understood where he had made mistakes and realised that he needed to learn pronouns properly.
If you’ve ever felt the same, whether in school, exams, or writing then you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. Therefore today in this article we will discuss the pronoun and all its types with examples in detail. There is also an exercise below so that you can practice it to clear your doubts.
Table of Contents
Pronoun: Types, Examples, and Usage
What Is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun so that we don’t repeat the same name or thing again and again.
Instead of saying: Rohan is late because Rohan missed Rohan’s bus.
We say: Rohan is late because he missed his bus.
Pronouns make language:
- smoother
- shorter
- more natural
- more confident
Pronouns are small words but they can carry big responsibilities.
Why Students Struggle with Pronouns
Let me be honest. Pronouns look easy at first: I, he, she, it, they…
But problems begin when the sentences get longer, more than one person is involved and the main thing is in exams you do not need to write the definition of pronoun. You will be asked for correct usage of pronouns.
Therefore you may confuse which pronoun will be used, why this one and what if it’s wrong. So let's remove that fear.
Types of Pronouns
1. Personal Pronouns – The Most Used Ones
These refer directly to people or things.
(a) Subject Pronouns
Used as the doer of the action.
I, We, You, He, She, It, They
Examples:
- I study every night.
- He forgot his homework.
- They are playing outside.
Tip I learned late: If the pronoun comes before the verb, it’s usually a subject pronoun.
(b) Object Pronouns
Used as the receiver of the action.
Me, Us, You, Him, Her, It, Them
Examples:
- The teacher scolded me.
- Rohan helped him.
- She called them.
Exam trick: If you can ask “whom?” and get an answer, you need an object pronoun.
2. Possessive Pronouns – Showing Ownership
These show who owns what.
My, Mine, Your, Yours, His, Her, Hers, Its, Our, Ours, Their, Theirs
Examples:
- This is my book.
- That bag is hers.
- The fault is theirs, not ours.
Common mistake I made: Never use apostrophe (’s) with possessive pronouns.
| Incorrect Form | Correct Form |
|---|---|
| her's | hers |
| your's | yours |
3. Reflexive Pronouns – When the Action Comes Back
Used when the subject and object are the same person.
Myself, Yourself, Himself, Herself, Itself, Ourselves, Themselves
Examples:
- Rohan blamed himself.
- I prepared myself for the test.
- The door closed itself.
Golden rule: Never use reflexive pronouns unless the subject does the action to itself.
4. Demonstrative Pronouns – Pointing Things Out
Used to point to specific things.
This, That, These, Those
Examples:
- This is my notebook.
- Those are your shoes.
- That was my mistake.
Memory trick:
- This / These → near
- That / Those → far
5. Relative Pronouns – Connecting Ideas
They join two sentences and add extra information.
Who, Whom, Whose, Which, That
Examples:
- Rohan is the boy who topped the class.
- This is the book that helped me.
- She met a teacher whose advice changed her.
Simple clarity:
- Who → for people (subject)
- Which → for things
- That → for people or things
6. Interrogative Pronouns – Asking Questions
Used to ask something.
Who, Whom, Whose, Which, What
Examples:
- Who broke the window?
- Which is your pen?
- What do you want?
Same word, different job. “Who” can be relative or interrogative depending on use.
7. Indefinite Pronouns – Not Specific
Used when the person or thing is not clearly defined.
Someone, Anyone, Everyone, Nobody, Something, Nothing, Few, Many, Several
Examples:
- Everyone makes mistakes.
- Someone is knocking.
- Few understand grammar deeply.
Important exam point: Indefinite pronouns like everyone, each, someone are singular.
Everyone is happy. (Right)
Everyone are happy. (wrong)
8. Reciprocal Pronouns – Mutual Action
Used when two or more people do the same action to each other.
Each other, One another
Examples:
- Rohan and Arjun help each other.
- The students respect one another.
9. Emphatic Pronouns – Adding Stress
An emphatic pronoun is used to give stress or importance to a noun or pronoun. It does not change the meaning of the sentence but makes it stronger.
myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
Examples:
- Rohan himself solved the problem.
- I myself checked the answer.
Remove the emphatic pronoun—the sentence still makes sense.
Difference Between Possessive Pronoun and Possessive Adjective
| Point of Difference | Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Shows ownership and is used before a noun | Shows ownership and replaces the noun |
| Use with noun | Always used with a noun | Never used with a noun |
| Examples of forms | my, your, his, her, its, our, their | mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs |
| Sentence example | This is my book. | This book is mine. |
| Another example | That is her bag. | That bag is hers. |
| Common mistake | Used alone without a noun (wrong) | Used with a noun (wrong) |
| Easy tip | If a noun comes after it, use possessive adjective | If no noun comes after it, use possessive pronoun |
Conclusion
I think grammar isn’t about rules. It’s about clarity and comfort. Pronouns help your reader breathe. They not only improve your grammar but also boost your confidence to write without fear.
Practical Advice for Students
- Read your sentence aloud. Repetition sounds wrong—pronouns fix it.
- Always identify who is doing and who is receiving the action.
- In exams, check agreement (singular–plural).
- Practice by rewriting paragraphs, not just doing MCQs.
Exercise: Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Pronoun
Choose the correct pronoun from the three given options and fill in the blank.
-
Rohan forgot ___ homework at home.
(a) him (b) his (c) he
Answer: (b) his -
The teacher scolded ___ for coming late.
(a) he (b) his (c) him
Answer: (c) him -
___ is my best friend in school.
(a) Him (b) He (c) His
Answer: (b) He -
This book is not mine; it is ___.
(a) her (b) hers (c) she
Answer: (b) hers -
Everyone must do ___ duty honestly.
(a) their (b) his (c) them
Answer: (b) his -
Rohan and Arjun helped ___ to complete the project.
(a) themselves (b) each other (c) one
Answer: (b) each other -
I prepared ___ well for the examination.
(a) me (b) myself (c) mine
Answer: (b) myself -
___ pen is lying on the table?
(a) Whose (b) Who (c) Which
Answer: (a) Whose -
The boy ___ won the race is my cousin.
(a) which (b) whom (c) who
Answer: (c) who -
___ of the students was absent today.
(a) Many (b) Few (c) Each
Answer: (c) Each -
These shoes are old, but ___ are new.
(a) this (b) that (c) those
Answer: (c) those -
She cooked the food ___.
(a) herself (b) her (c) hers
Answer: (a) herself -
___ is knocking at the door.
(a) Anyone (b) Someone (c) Everyone
Answer: (b) Someone -
The teacher praised Rohan ___ for his honesty.
(a) himself (b) him (c) his
Answer: (a) himself -
Is this notebook ___ or mine?
(a) your (b) yours (c) you
Answer: (b) yours
