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Other Pronouns

July 10, 2026
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📐 CHAPTER 19: OTHER PRONOUNS

English Grammar | By Mary Ansell


📖 1. INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

Indefinite Pronoun

Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific persons or things.

Singular Plural Singular or Plural
everyone few all
everybody many any
everything several none
someone both some
somebody others more
something most
anyone
anybody
anything
no one
nobody
nothing
each
either
neither

Examples

  • Everyone is invited.
  • Someone called you.
  • Nobody knows the answer.
  • Everything is ready.
  • Few have arrived.
  • Many were disappointed.
  • All is well.
  • None of them is here.

🔹 The Use of One in General Statements

Rule

The pronoun one is used to make general statements about people.

Examples

  • One should always tell the truth.
  • One never knows what might happen.
  • One must be careful in such situations.

💡 Note: In informal English, you is often used instead of one.

Example: You should always tell the truth.


📋 2. RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS

Reciprocal Pronoun

Reciprocal pronouns show a mutual action or relationship.

There are two reciprocal pronouns:

  • each other (for two people/things)
  • one another (for more than two)

Examples

  • John and Mary love each other.
  • The two friends helped each other.
  • The students helped one another.
  • We should respect one another.

📋 3. DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

Demonstrative Pronoun

Demonstrative pronouns are used to point to specific things.

Near Far
this (singular) that (singular)
these (plural) those (plural)

Examples

  • This is my book.
  • That is your car.
  • These are my friends.
  • Those are their houses.
  • This is what I meant.
  • That was a great movie.

💡 Note: This/these refer to things near the speaker. That/those refer to things far from the speaker.


📋 4. INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS

Interrogative Pronoun

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions.

Pronoun Use
who subject
whom object
whose possession
what things
which choice

4a. Direct Questions

Examples

  • Who is coming?
  • Whom did you see?
  • Whose is this?
  • What is that?
  • Which do you prefer?

4b. The Pronoun Who

🔹 Who

Examples

  • Who called you? (subject)
  • Who is there? (subject)

🔹 Whom

Examples

  • Whom did you see? (object)
  • To whom did you speak? (object of preposition)

💡 Note: In informal English, who is often used instead of whom.

Example: Who did you see? (informal)

🔹 Whose

Examples

  • Whose book is this?
  • Whose are these?

4c. What and Which

Examples

  • What is your name? (unlimited choices)
  • Which color do you like? (limited choices)
  • What do you want?
  • Which one is yours?

4d. Indirect Questions

Rule

In indirect questions, the word order changes to subject + verb.

Examples

  • Direct: Who is coming?
  • Indirect: I wonder who is coming.
  • Direct: What did you say?
  • Indirect: Tell me what you said.

📋 5. RELATIVE PRONOUNS

Relative Pronoun

Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses that describe a noun.

Pronoun Use Example
who people (subject) the man who called
whom people (object) the man whom I saw
whose possession the man whose car is red
which things, animals the book which I read
that people or things the book that I read

5a. Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses

🔹 Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Rule

Non-defining clauses add extra information and are set off by commas.

Examples

  • My brother, who lives in London, is a doctor.
  • The book, which I read yesterday, was interesting.
  • Mr. Smith, whose son is my friend, is a teacher.

💡 Note: That cannot be used in non-defining relative clauses.

🔹 Defining Relative Clauses

Rule

Defining clauses are essential to identify the noun and are not set off by commas.

Examples

  • The man who called is my uncle.
  • The book that I read was interesting.
  • I know the woman whose dog is lost.

5b. That

Rule

That can refer to people, animals, or things.

It is used in defining relative clauses.

Examples

  • The book that I read was interesting.
  • The dog that barked is mine.
  • The woman that called is my mother.

5c. Which

Rule

Which refers to things and animals.

It can be used in defining and non-defining clauses.

Examples

  • The book which I read was interesting. (defining)
  • The book, which I read yesterday, was interesting. (non-defining)

5d. Who, Whom, Whose

Rule

Who = subject of the clause

Whom = object of the clause

Whose = possession

Examples

  • The man who called is my uncle. (subject)
  • The man whom I saw is my uncle. (object)
  • The man whose car is red is my uncle. (possession)

💡 Note: Whom is often replaced by who in informal English.


5e. Comparison of That, Which, Who

Pronoun Use Defining Non-Defining
that people, things, animals ✓ ✗
which things, animals ✓ ✓
who people ✓ ✓
whom people (object) ✓ ✓
whose possession ✓ ✓

5f. Other Relative Pronouns

Other Relative Pronouns

  • what = "the thing that"
  • whatever = "anything that"
  • whoever = "anyone who"
  • whichever = "any one that"

Examples

  • I know what you mean.
  • You can take whatever you want.
  • Whoever comes will be welcome.
  • Choose whichever you like.

📝 EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 19

Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks with the correct indefinite pronoun.

  1. ______ is invited to the party. (Everyone / Anyone)
  2. ______ called you earlier. (Someone / Anyone)
  3. ______ knows the answer. (Nobody / Anybody)
  4. ______ is ready for the trip. (Everything / Anything)
  5. ______ have arrived. (Few / Little)
  6. ______ were disappointed by the result. (Many / Much)
  7. ______ is well that ends well. (All / Every)
  8. ______ of them is here yet. (None / All)

Answers to Exercise 1:

  1. Everyone
  2. Someone
  3. Nobody
  4. Everything
  5. Few
  6. Many
  7. All
  8. None

Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks with each other or one another.

  1. John and Mary love ______.
  2. The two friends helped ______.
  3. The students helped ______.
  4. We should respect ______.
  5. The twins always support ______.
  6. All the team members encouraged ______.

Answers to Exercise 2:

  1. each other
  2. each other
  3. one another
  4. one another
  5. each other
  6. one another

Exercise 3. Fill in the blanks with the correct demonstrative pronoun.

  1. ______ is my book. (This / These)
  2. ______ are my friends. (This / These)
  3. ______ is your car. (That / Those)
  4. ______ are their houses. (That / Those)
  5. ______ is what I meant. (This / These)
  6. ______ was a great movie. (This / That)

Answers to Exercise 3:

  1. This
  2. These
  3. That
  4. Those
  5. This
  6. That

Exercise 4. Fill in the blanks with the correct interrogative pronoun.

  1. ______ is coming? (Who / Whom)
  2. ______ did you see? (Who / Whom)
  3. ______ is this? (Whose / Who)
  4. ______ is that? (What / Which)
  5. ______ do you prefer? (What / Which)
  6. ______ book is this? (Whose / Who)

Answers to Exercise 4:

  1. Who
  2. Whom (or Who in informal)
  3. Whose
  4. What
  5. Which
  6. Whose

Exercise 5. Fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that).

  1. The man ______ called is my uncle.
  2. The book ______ I read was interesting.
  3. The woman ______ dog is lost is crying.
  4. The man ______ I saw is my brother.
  5. The car ______ is red belongs to me.
  6. The student ______ won the prize is happy.
  7. The house ______ windows are broken needs repair.
  8. The teacher ______ taught me is retired.

Answers to Exercise 5:

  1. who / that
  2. which / that
  3. whose
  4. whom / who / that
  5. which / that
  6. who / that
  7. whose
  8. who / that

Exercise 6. Fill in the blanks with what, whatever, whoever, or whichever.

  1. I know ______ you mean.
  2. You can take ______ you want.
  3. ______ comes will be welcome.
  4. Choose ______ you like.
  5. ______ happens, stay calm.
  6. ______ told you that was wrong.

Answers to Exercise 6:

  1. what
  2. whatever
  3. Whoever
  4. whichever
  5. Whatever
  6. Whoever

📌 KEY SUMMARY

🔹 Other Pronouns Summary

Type Examples Use
Indefinite everyone, someone, nobody, few, many, all Non-specific persons/things
Reciprocal each other, one another Mutual action
Demonstrative this, that, these, those Point to specific things
Interrogative who, whom, whose, what, which Ask questions
Relative who, whom, whose, which, that Introduce relative clauses

💡 Key Points:

  • Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both.
  • Each other = two people; one another = more than two.
  • This/these = near; that/those = far.
  • Who = subject; whom = object; whose = possession.
  • That is used in defining clauses only.
  • Which is used for things, who for people.
  • What = "the thing that"; whatever = "anything that".

📚 English Grammar | By Mary Ansell
Chapter 19: Other Pronouns

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