Pronoun

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun. 

For examples, 

• Ratha is studying English. She wants to be a teacher. 
• Ratha and her friends are hopeful. They are sitting in their first class.

Types of pronouns

Pronouns may be classified as personal, intensive, reflexive, demonstrative, relative, interrogative, indefinite, and reciprocal.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns show person; that is, they, indicate whether the pronoun stands for the person speaking, the first person; the person spoken to, the second person; or the person spoken of, the third person. Personal pronouns also have number and case. The personal pronouns are: 

• Subjective pronouns: I, you, we, they, he, she, it
• Objective pronouns: me, you, us, them, him, her, it

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronoun shows possession or ownership. It replaces the possessive case of noun (or possessive adjective + noun).  Here are the possessive pronouns:

• Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, theirs, his, hers, its

You may be confused with possessive adjectives below: 

• Possessive adjectives: my, your, their, his, her, its

Here are examples to show whether it is possessive adjective or pronoun:

• Our family has vacation next week. [ Possessive adjective ]
• That car is ours. [ Possessive pronoun ]

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used only in the third person, to point out particular persons, places, or things.

SINGULAR: this, that 

PLURAL: these, those

For examples,

• This is my party.
• These are her pencils.
• That is Sophal's shirt.
• Those are good apples.

Note: When these words modify nouns, they are demonstrative adjectives; as,

For examples,

• This party is fun. 
• These shoes are too expensive.
• That shirt is torn. 
• Those papers arc soiled.  

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns introduce question sentences. They are words used for asking questions. They are who, whom, whose, what, and which.

For examples, 

• Who is she? 
• Whom did you meet? 
• Whose did he take?
• What is your name? 
• Which is yours?

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to particular persons, places, or things in a vague and general manner, but not refer to any person or thing in particular; as,

• Somebody took the key to the storeroom.
• One hardly knows what to do.
• Nobody has his or her ticket.

Most indefinite pronouns are singular: another, each, neither, somebody, anybody, either, nobody, someone, anyone, everybody, no one, something, anything, everyone, one...

Some indefinite pronouns have a plural meaning only: both, few, many, several...

Other indefinite pronouns do not clearly express either a singular or plural meaning: all, any, none, some...  

Distributive Pronouns

Distributive pronouns are words that refer to persons or things one at a time. They are: each, either, and neither. For examples,

• Each of the men received a reward.
• Either of you can go.
• Neither of the accusations is true.

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are words that refer or relate (i.e. carries us back) to some noun going before, which is called its Antecedents. The relative pronoun does two works, i.e. the work of a pronoun, and the work of a conjunction. They are: 

Who – people, subject; as,

• She is the woman who interviewed me. 

Whom – people, object; as, 

• She appointed the man whom I also know.

That – people, things, animals in both subject and object; as, 

• It is a dog that won the prize last time. 

Which – things, animals in both subject and object; as, 

• Tum Teav is a story which tells about a love tragedy.

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Intensive and reflexive pronouns have the same forms. They are formed by adding -self or -selves (plural form) to certain personal pronouns.

The intensive pronoun usually comes after the word it stands for and emphasizes that word; as, 

• The president himself told the reporters. 
• They themselves admitted their mistake. 
• I finished the job myself.

The reflexive pronoun points the action back toward the subject. It may function as a subjective complement, direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, object of a gerund, and so forth. For examples,

• She bought the dress for herself.
• She bought herself a new dress.
• The coach was not himself.
• Do you consider yourself his friend?

Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns express a mutual relationship. There are two reciprocal pronouns: each other and one another. For examples,

• My brother and I help each other with our homework. 
• Peter and Mary kissed each other. 
• The gangsters were fighting one another. 
• The students in this classroom cooperate with one another.

Functions of pronouns

The pronoun, like the noun, is used in the common sentence patterns as subject, object of a verb, indirect object, object of a verbal, object of a preposition, subjective complement, and so forth. For examples,

Function as Subject

For examples,

• He studies English.
• They are architects.

Function as Object of a Verb

For examples,

• She likes him so much.
• The army defeated them and captured the town.

Function as Indirect Object
For examples,

• Piseth bought her a ring.
• The Manager offered him a new position.