There are more than 100 pronouns. Here's the full list…

Master these 10 most common writing tasks and you're set for life

A list of pronouns, plus definitions for each type of pronoun. Scroll to the end for a full pronouns list.

What is a pronoun?

Pronouns are some of the most useful words in the English language. They are used in the place of a noun to avoid it having to be named twice. For example: Suzy threw the boomerang and it came back to her. In this sentence, "it" is a pronoun that represents the boomerang, and "her" is a pronoun that refers to Suzy. Without pronouns, we'd have to say Suzy threw the boomerang and the boomerang came back to Suzy. Without pronouns, how would we even say "we"?

Here's the full definition.

Definition of Pronoun

In English, the part of speech used as a substitute for an antecedent noun that is clearly understood, and with which it agrees in person, number, and gender. Pronouns are classified as personal (I, we, you, he, she, it, they), demonstrative (this, these, that, those), relative (who, which, that, as), indefinite (each, all, everyone, either, one, both, any, such, somebody), interrogative (who, which, what), reflexive (myself, herself), possessive (mine, yours, his, hers, theirs). There are also pronominal adjectives, sometimes called possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, our, their).

1. Personal Pronouns / Subject Pronouns

You already know subject pronouns, even if you didn't know that's what they were called. Subject pronouns are used to replace the subject in a sentence. You might also see them called "personal" pronouns, as they designate the person speaking (I, me, we, us), the person spoken to (you), or the person or thing spoken about (he, she, it, they, him, her, them). The following commonly used words are subject pronouns: I

we

you (singular and plural)

he

she

it

they

Personal pronoun examples

I will be leaving soon. You are welcome. She is the new teacher. He speaks three languages. They are very friendly neighbors.

2. Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used as the object of a verb or a preposition.

me

us

you (singular and plural)

her

him

it

them

Object pronoun examples

They offered me a ride. ("Me" is the object of the verb "offered.") This letter is addressed to me. ("Me" is the object of the preposition "to.") They gave us free tickets to the show. ("Us" is the object of the verb "gave.")

3. Possessive Pronouns

A possessive pronoun designates ownership and can substitute for noun phrases. mine

ours

yours (singular and plural)

hers

his

theirs

Possessive pronoun examples

The green gloves are mine. That cat is hers. The red house is theirs.

Possessive Adjectives / Pronominal Adjectives

"Pronominal" describes something that resembles a pronoun, as by specifying a person, place, or thing, while functioning primarily as another part of speech. A pronominal adjective is an adjective that resembles a pronoun. "Her" in "her car" is a pronominal adjective. my

our

your

her

his

their

4. Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns might be the easiest group to remember because they all have one thing in common: the ending "self" or "selves." That's because reflexive pronouns show how the actions of an aforementioned person or group affects him or her (or them). myself

yourself

herself

himself

itself

ourselves

yourselves

themselves

Reflexive pronoun examples

I bought myself a new car. That man thinks a great deal of himself. We may be deceiving ourselves.

5. Intensive Pronouns

Intensive and reflexive pronouns are actually the exact same words (ending with "self" or "selves"), but they function differently in a sentence. Intensive pronouns not only refer back to a previously mentioned person or people, but they also emphasize. As their name suggests, they intensify. myself

yourself

herself

himself

itself

ourselves

yourselves

themselves

Intensive pronoun examples

I myself was certain of the facts. The trouble is in the machine itself. The cooks themselves eat after all the guests have finished.

6. Indefinite Pronouns

As the word "indefinite" suggests, these pronouns do not specify the identity of their referents. They are more vague than other pronouns.

all

another

any

anybody

anyone

anything

both

each

either

everybody

everyone

everything

few

many

most

neither

nobody

none

no one

nothing

one

other

others

several

some

somebody

someone

something

such

Indefinite pronouns examples

Both were candidates. No one is home. Several of the workers went home sick.

7. Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns specify a particular person or thing. such

that

these

this

those

Demonstrative pronouns examples

I don't much care for these. Who's that? Such are the fortunes of war.

8. Interrogative Pronouns

This group of pronouns question which individual referent or referents are intended by the rest of the sentence. what

whatever

which

whichever

who

whoever

whom

whomever

whose

Interrogative pronoun examples

Who left? Which of these is yours? Do whatever you please.

9. Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns introduce a dependent clause and refer to an antecedent (simply the word or phrase to which a pronoun refers). For instance, who in the child who is wearing a hat or that in the house that you live in. as

that

what

whatever

which

whichever

who

whoever

whom

whomever

whose

Relative pronoun examples

The car that has a flat tire needs to be towed. The visitor who came yesterday left his phone number. Do whatever you like.

10. Archaic Pronouns

There are several pronouns that have fallen out of common usage but appear frequently in older texts, so there is still a good chance that you will encounter them. "Thee" is an old word for "you" used only when addressing one person, while "thy" is an old word for "your." "Thine" indicates the one or ones belonging to thee. thou

thee

thy

thine

ye

Archaic pronoun examples

Thou shalt not kill. With this ring, I thee wed. Thy name is more hateful than thy face. To thine own self be true.

List of all pronouns

A full list of every word that can be considered a pronoun or pronominal adjective: all

another

any

anybody

anyone

anything

as

aught

both

each

each other

either

enough

everybody

everyone

everything

few

he

her

hers

herself

him

himself

his

I

idem

it

its

itself

many

me

mine

most

my

myself

naught

neither

no one

nobody

none

nothing

nought

one

one another

other

others

ought

our

ours

ourself

ourselves

several

she

some

somebody

someone

something

somewhat

such

suchlike

that

thee

their

theirs

theirself

theirselves

them

themself

themselves

there

these

they

thine

this

those

thou

thy

thyself

us

we

what

whatever

whatnot

whatsoever

whence

where

whereby

wherefrom

wherein

whereinto

whereof

whereon

wherever

wheresoever

whereto

whereunto

wherewith

wherewithal

whether

which

whichever

whichsoever

who

whoever

whom

whomever

whomso

whomsoever

whose

whosever

whosesoever

whoso

whosoever

ye

yon

yonder

you

your

yours

yourself

yourselves