Definition

A pronoun is used in place of a specific noun mentioned earlier in a sentence so that you don’t have to keep saying/writing that particular noun.

Example:

• Michael is a good boy. He gets up early in the morning. (Here, you don’t have to mention ‘Michael’ again)
• The coach selected several key points. He wanted the team to memorize them. (‘He’ replaces ‘the coach’; ‘them’ replaces ‘several key points’)

The word or phrase that a pronoun replaces is called the antecedent of the pronoun. In the previous example, original noun ‘the coach’ is the antecedent and the pronoun ‘he’ is the referent because it refers back to the original noun. The antecedent and the pronoun/s must agree in terms of number and gender.

Definition of Pronoun:

“Pronoun means for – a noun.”    – Wren & Martin

“A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun-equivalent.”     – Nesfield

A pronoun is a simpler common name for a noun.

Example of Pronoun as a Part of Speech:

• She loved her children.
• But she could not love her husband.
• People of the city were afraid of her.
• They prayed for the well-being of their king.
• But they did not do the same for their queen.
• The queen was not loved and she knew it.
• It did not hurt her a lot.
• He made him the most powerful man in the seven kingdoms.
• People loved him so much.
• He also loved them and cared about them.
• It made him very popular.
• They got their meals. What about ours?  
• Can I borrow your pen? I lost mine.
• Why are you using my phone? Where is yours?
• I don’t need your help where I can do it myself.
• I cut myself when I was shaving.
• She blames herself for that incident.
• Don’t hurt yourself by playing carelessly.