Personal and possessive pronouns
Personal pronouns include I, you, he, she, it, we and they, with object forms such as me, him and them. Possessive forms show ownership, including mine, yours, hers and theirs.
Reflexive and demonstrative pronouns
Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves and refer back to a subject. Demonstrative pronouns such as this, that, these and those point to particular things.
Relative and interrogative pronouns
Relative pronouns introduce describing clauses. Interrogative pronouns such as who, what and which are used to ask questions.
Make the reference clear
A pronoun should have a clear antecedent. When a reader could interpret it as referring to two different nouns, repeat the noun or rewrite the sentence.
Frequently asked questions
What is an antecedent?
An antecedent is the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to.
Are “my” and “mine” the same type?
Both express possession, but my is used before a noun while mine can stand alone.