- a topic without which it is impossible to express oneself and even difficult to formulate the simplest English sentence. Therefore, it’s worth studying this whole thing a little and strengthening yourself with a couple of new words, or if you already have a basic level of English, you can read something new for yourself.

The author of this article did not want to write a lot about the entire grammar of pronouns in the English language, in order to free your mind from unnecessary classifications and other heresies, so the “meat” that is most often used in the English language is laid out here.

Starting with the basics of the English language, let's remember what pronouns we knew or didn't know that answer the question “Who?” There are not so many of them, only 7 pieces.

In graphic format:

Let's look at a couple of nuances:

• The pronoun "It" replaces all inanimate objects, as well as animals:

Where is the book? It is on the table. - Where is the book? She is on the table.

My cat is very funny. It runs and jumps all day long. – My cat is very funny. He runs and jumps all day.

Important: Do not replace people with the pronoun “It”. For third parties, only the pronouns “He”, “She” and “They”!

• To verbs that come after the pronouns “He”, “She” and “It”, in the present tense we add the ending “-s” or “-es” after the endings -ch, -x, -sh, -ss, -s, -o:

He love s me. - He loves me.

She open s the windows every morning. – She opens the windows every morning.

The dog like s to bark. This dog likes to bark.

• In English, the pronoun “I - I” is always written with a capital letter.
• The pronoun “You” can be used both to address one person and to address a group of people.
• The pronoun "You", when addressed in writing, is not capitalized (unless it is at the beginning of a sentence). To express respect for another person, other words are used.

All these pronouns in English know how to bow. Namely, they can all answer the question “Whom?” To whom?":

To reinforce this, let’s take more detailed examples:

• I gave you the key. - I gave you the key.
• They don't give me to train. “They don’t let me train.”
• Do do you understand me? - You understand me?
• They will not understand us. - They won't understand us.
• I helped them. - I helped them.
• I heard that you have a new notebook. Show it me please. – I heard that you have a new laptop. Show it to me please.

Also, all these 7 basic pronouns can decline and answer the question “Whose?” or “Whose?”:

For example:

• Will I take your car? - Shall I take your car?
• I bought their house yesterday. – I bought their house yesterday.
• She will finish her project tonight. She will finish her project at night.
• The monkey did it its hands. “The monkey did it with his own hands.”
• This is my friends. - These are my friends.

The note; do not confuse “It’s - it is” and its !

And let’s summarize everything in a general table:

Analyze this block again. We know that there are 7 basic pronouns in total that can answer the question “Who?” or the question “Whom?” To whom?”, or to the question “Whose?” Whose?". And if you have secured this material well, then we move on.

The pronoun "it" has several important functions in English:

First, we learned that the pronoun “it” is used to replace the names of all objects, animals and any other animate or inanimate phenomena. In short, everything except people!

Secondly, the pronoun “it” means or is translated as “this”. Example:

• It is very interesting - This is very interesting.
• It's Mike. Open the door! - This is Mike. Open the door!
• It's her new style. - This is her new style.
• Who is it? - Who is this?

Well, and thirdly, the pronoun “it” is not translated at all, but is used simply to talk about the weather, time, condition, etc. Example:

• It is frost - frost (outside).
• It is bright day - a wonderful day.
• It will be windy - It will be windy.
• It’s 5 o’clock - five o’clock
• It’s was cool - It was cool.
• It will be very funny - It will be very fun.

In English, our basic pronouns answer the question “Whose?” or “Whose?”, can be transformed into an absolute form in order to avoid repetition of the defined subject, namely:

Let's present these pronouns graphically:

Example:

• Did you see my keys? – No, I didn’t. But mine is here. (mine instead of my keys)

Have you seen my keys? - No, but mine are here.

• Your tables are smaller than theirs. (theirs instead of their tables)

Your tables are smaller than theirs.

• Whose car is this? - It's hers. (hers instead of her car)

Whose car is this? - It is her .

Thus, this absolute form frees us from repetitions of objects and indicates the owner of these very objects.

The last important transformation of our base pronouns is independent pronouns. How can you correctly say “yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself” in English and show independence of actions? Let's take a look:

Example:

• I will do it myself - I'll do it myself.
• It subsidized itself – It settled down by itself.
• She will not do it herself - She will not do it herself.
• Will you call her yourself? – Will you call her yourself?
• You can do it yourselves - You can do it yourself.
• They cope themselves - They can handle it themselves

There are pronouns in English that, when combined with the words “thing, one, body, where,” form another series of frequently used pronouns. Let's look at these very pronouns:

• some – some;
• any - any;
• every – everyone;
• no – negative prefix;

All these pronouns, in combination with the above words, generate new words:

In this table, if you notice, there are some pitfalls:

1. Combinations with the pronouns some and any are translated the same way, but in the context they are used differently, since “any” means “any”, and “some” means “some”. Affirmative sentences almost always use the pronoun “some”and in interrogative or negative sentences - any. For example:

• Is anybody here? - Is anyone here?
• I feel someone was here. – I feel someone was here.
• I didn't see anybody there. – I didn’t see anyone there.

2. Conversions with “-body” and “-one” are synonymous. It makes no difference whether you say “everybody” or you say “everyone”. Combinations with “-one” are more modern in American English and therefore you will hear them more often.

3. Here you could add the word “-time” and also get a series of combinations (sometimes, anytime, everytime, no time). But in American English they use only one - sometimes (sometimes). For others there are analogues:

• instead of “no time” - never - never;
• instead of “everytime” – always – always;

It is important that it will not be a mistake to use any combination with “-time”. They're just rarely used anymore. Moreover, “everytime” is translated rather as “every time”, and it is perfect for strengthening the expression:

• You always clean your shoes – You clean your always shoes.
• Every time you clean your shoes.

There are also frequently used combinations with the pronoun “any”:

• anyhow - however you like;
• anyway - in any case, be that as it may;
• anytime - at any time;

AND simple examples with these pronouns:

• Sometimes I feel myself very good – Sometimes I feel very good;
• I know someone of you was in a club yesterday - I know that one of you was in the club yesterday;
• Nobody know about it - Nobody knows about it (in English there can be only one negation in a sentence);
• Call her and tell that I will be somewhere in the center about 8 o’clock - call her and tell her that I will be somewhere in the center at about 8 o’clock;
• Everybody rest now. Come later - Now everyone is resting. Check back later

And now let's quickly go over the small pronouns.

Meet the pronoun “each other”, translated as “each other”. Can be combined with prepositions:

• for each other - for each other;
• with each other - with each other;
• without each other - without each other;
• about each other - about each other;

Example:

• They do it for each other - They do this for each other.
• Will you exchange with each other? – Will you exchange with each other?
• We can’t live without each other - We cannot live without each other.
• Sometimes they tell funny stories about each other - Sometimes they tell funny stories about each other.

In graphic format:

Example:

• I ran this morning – I ran this morning.
• We were there that evening – We were there that evening.
• These books are ours – These books are ours.
• She went there to ask those guys - She went there to ask those guys.

That's all the foundation that should be laid in each of us over time. The daily ten-minute habit of composing new English sentences using pronouns will dispel fear and make you rise to a higher level in English. Study a little, practice a lot and smile more.

If you have something to add or want to ask something on this topic, then don’t be shy - write to us in the comments.

Pronoun in English, it is a part of speech that can replace (noun pronouns) or (adjective pronouns). Pronouns are some of the most used words in the language.

There are many pronouns, they are divided into several categories:

Personal pronouns

Denotes a face: me, you, she, he, it etc. They are used in two cases: nominative And objective.

I love my sister. – I I love my sister.

He is my boss. - He's my boss.

We are the champions. - We are champions.

This is my cat Lucy. - This my cat Lucy.

Someone's table their bikes yesterday - Someone stole it yesterday their bicycles,

You can see our family in the picture. - You can see our family in this photo.

Is that your opinion? - This yours opinion?

Possessive pronouns-nouns

Noun pronouns are used, as you might guess, instead of . In a sentence they perform the function of , or the nominal part of the predicate.

My pencil is broken, please give me yours.– My pencil is broken, please give it to me. is yours(yours replaces your pencil)

Her car is blue, mine is white. - Her car is blue, my– white (mine instead of my car).

Your team is strong but not stronger that ours. – Your team is strong, but not stronger our(teams).

Demonstrative pronouns in English

Point to a person or object, in Russian it is that, that, these, that etc. There are only two such pronouns in English - they have singular and plural forms.

You may ask, where is the line between “near” and “far”? There is no such line expressed in centimeters; you just need to rely on common sense. In Russian, we use the words “this” and “that” in the same way.

This man – this person (well, there he is, standing next to him).

That man – that person (not present here or the one who stands aside).

These photos – these photographs (pointing with my finger).

Those photos – those photographs (they hang on your wall at home).

For good movie examples of using this and that, see this video:

Reflexive pronouns

Reflexive pronouns mean that the action is directed by the actor towards himself; they are used as objects after some verbs. They are formed using endings -self, -selves, they join pronouns my, our, your, him, her, it, the, indefinite pronoun. In Russian, particles perform a similar function -sya, -sya at the end of the verb.

Protect yourself! - Defend yourself!

Don't hurt yourself- Don't get hurt.

There are cases when reflexive particles are used in Russian, but in English the same words are used without a reflexive pronoun. For example, in Russian we say: wash, shave, dress, bathe, hide. In English the corresponding to wash, to shave, to dress, to bathe, to hide usually used without reflexive pronouns:

I washed, dressed and shaved. – I washed, dressed and shaved.

Hide in the cardboard box. – Hide in a cardboard box.

I'd like to bathe. - I would like to take a swim.

Also, reflexive pronouns are used to strengthen, like Russian words yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself.

I heard it myself! - I heard it myself!

He di it himself- He did it himself.

A common mistake is to say I’m feeling myself fine \ I feel myself fine (I feel fine). Actually correct: I’am feeling fine \ I feel fine.

Reciprocal pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns are pronouns like “each other”. There are only two of them: each other(each other), one another(one another). In theory, each other- this is when two persons or objects, and one another- when there is a lot. In practice, no one pays much attention to these subtleties, especially in colloquial speech.

They don't talk about each other. - They don't talk about each other.

They often see one another. – They see each other often.

Please note that the preposition comes before the pronoun, and is not wedged into it, as in Russian. Compare:

They talk about each other – They say each other O friend.

Interrogative pronouns

Questions are asked using these pronouns, there are only four of them:

1.Who (whom)– who, whom, to whom.

Who is this person? – Who this person?

Who is here? – Who Here?

2.Whose– whose, whose, whose, whose.

Whose is that noise? – Whose Is this noise (who is making noise)?

Whose car is parked by the house? – Whose is the car parked at the house?

3.What- What.

What are you doing? – What You doing?

What is going on? – What happening?

4.Which– what, which (which of several)

Which part of the task is hard for you? – Which part of the task is difficult for you?

Which student in your group had the best result? – Which student in your group has the best result?

Note: whom is who in objective case, if who is “who,” then whom is “whom.” Who is often used instead of whom.

Who (whom) did you see there? – Whom did you see there?

Who (whom) can I ask for help? – Whom can I ask for help?

How to choose between I and Me?

Pronouns deserve special mention I and me, in which even native speakers often get confused. As mentioned above, I used as a me– object of action, . Here are simple examples:

I am looking for an interesting movie. – I I'm looking for an interesting film.

My sister was looking for me. - My sister was looking for me.

It would be a grave mistake to confuse these two pronouns:

Me is looking for an interesting movie.

My sister was looking for I.

But even children learning English as a foreign language rarely make mistakes. The difficulties begin in more complex sentences.

Case one: Anna and I\me went to the park

In sentences with two subjects like “Anna and I went to the park,” there is a choice between pronouns:

• Right: Anna and I went to the park.
• Incorrect, but found in colloquial speech: Anna and me went to the park.
• Unacceptable: Me went to the park.

The first option (Anna and I) is considered correct, because here I plays the role of subject. However, in colloquial speech the second option (Anna and me) is often used, which, however, offends the ears of educated people. But notice there are two subjects here. The option “Me went to the park” is not used and sounds very illiterate.

Case two: My father is talking to I\me and Anna

There are two additions here. If there was one addition here, everything would be clear: My father is talking to me. But when this pronoun is paired with another noun, even native speakers sometimes get confused.

• Right: me.
• Wrong: My father is talking to Anna and I.

Case three: John is taller than I\me

There are three possible options here, in short, they are all correct, there is a slight stylistic difference.

• John is taller than I am. – grammatically correct, most complete version, sounds official, serious.
• John is taller than I. – a grammatically correct option, also formal.
• John is taller than me. – grammatical correctness is ambiguous; this option is more common in colloquial speech.

The latter option is used more often and sounds more natural. Some linguists recognize it as correct, but some do not. This is a complex linguistic question due to the fact that scientists do not agree on whether than conjunction or preposition.

Another nuance of designs with than me is that a double understanding is possible. For example:

• me I(I love this dog).
• Mary loves her dog Jim more than me. – Mary loves her dog Jim more than me.

In this case, it is better to write the sentence more fully:

• Mary loves her dog Jim more than I do.
• Mary loves her dog Jim more than I love him.

How important are personal pronouns in English? We can safely say that personal pronouns are the basis of any language, especially English.

If they did not exist, even the most famous phrase I love you(Russian: I love you) could not exist! After all, it already contains two personal pronouns: I- Me and you- You.

The pronoun is one of the most terrifying masks man has invented.

The pronoun is one of the most terrifying masks created by man

Personal pronouns in English have many similarities with Russian pronouns: they also change according to gender, number, and even cases. But there are also pitfalls to be aware of when learning personal pronouns on your own.

Today we will tell you what personal pronouns are there in English, we will give examples of sentences and reveal all the secrets of their use.

Personal pronouns in English!

Comparative table of personal pronouns in the nominative and objective cases, English.

As you know from the Russian language course, personal pronouns replace a noun. These can be names of people, places or objects. Mostly, personal pronouns are used instead of a noun to avoid repetition and make speech easier.

We usually add personal pronouns to a sentence when the noun has been mentioned before, that is, when the reader or listener knows what we are talking about.

For example:

Liz bought a new car two months ago. She absolutely loves it.(Russian Liz bought the car two months ago. She is crazy about it)

In the second sentence She absolutely loves it two pronouns are used: personal pronoun she replaces proper name Liz, and the personal pronoun it used instead of a noun car .

Important!

Personal pronouns in English help avoid repeating the same noun over and over again in a story.

The noun that is replaced is called antecedent(eng. antecedent). If you know the antecedent, you can always choose the correct personal pronoun that agrees on numbers (singular or plural), persons (first, second or third), gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and cases (nominative, objective, ).

Basic grammatical features of personal pronouns in English:

English personal pronouns have a singular ( I, he, it etc.) and plural ( we, they and etc.);

Personal pronouns in the English language change according to gender in the 3rd person singular: husband. ( he- he), female ( she-she), sr.( it-it);

• This type of pronoun varies by person: 1st person ( I,we), 2nd person ( you), 3rd person ( he, she, it, they)
• Personal pronouns in English have two cases: nominative ( he, she, we, they etc.) and object ( me, them, us and etc.).

But first things first. Let's first look at How do personal pronouns change in English? by persons, genders and numbers in various cases.

Personal pronouns in English: nominative case

English personal pronouns in the nominative case are called Subject Pronouns. Word subject the subject is translated into Russian, and in linguistics the term is used Subjective Case(Russian subject case).

The English subject case corresponds to the Russian nominative, which answers questions Who? So what? and acts as the subject of a sentence.

Therefore, English personal pronouns in the nominative case perform the function of the subject.

Pronouns I, we(Rus. I, we) are the first person singular and plural and are used on behalf of the speakers.

Remember!

Pronoun I(Russian я) is always written with capital letter regardless of place in the sentence.

Pronoun you is the second person singular and plural and corresponds to the Russian pronouns “you”, “you”, “You” (polite form). This pronoun is used in relation to the interlocutor or interlocutors.

Quite a large number of people learning English from scratch are trying to use the English pronoun you with verb in singular, But it's not right. Even when addressing one interlocutor, personal pronoun you always bears the characteristic of the plural.

Compare:

You are a student(Russian: You are a student.)

You are students(Russian: You are students)

Pronouns he, she, it(Russian he. she, it) and they(Russian they) are representatives of the third person singular and plural.

As you probably already know, the verb is in the 3rd person singular. numbers (that is, when used with personal pronouns he, she, it) has a number of features in the formation of sentences in a number of other times.

Let's look at how personal pronouns are used in a sentence with examples.

Examples of sentences with personal pronouns in English with translation

Object case of personal pronouns in English

Objective case Objective Case) in English performs functions similar to those performed in Russian by other cases except the nominative.

Therefore, there are quite a few options for translating personal pronouns in the objective case into Russian, as you can see in the table.

Table of personal pronouns in the nominative case:

As you can see from the table, we can draw an analogy between pronoun her(objective case of personal pronoun she) in a sentence I see her with Russian accusative I see (who, what?) her.

English personal pronouns in the objective case often appear in sentences as direct or indirect object .

Compare:

I phoned him to congratulate him.(Russian: I called him to congratulate him), where is the pronoun him is a direct complement.

She apologized to me.(Russian: She apologized to me) - where is the pronoun (to) me used with a preposition and is an indirect object

Personal pronouns with prepositions in English

An example of the use of personal pronouns as subject, direct and indirect object in English

English personal pronouns in the subjective (nominative) case serve as the subject of a sentence.

For example:

I like your flowers.- I like your (your) flowers.

They are working in the garden.- They are working in the garden.

We go to the cinema.- We're going to the cinema.

But with personal pronouns in the objective case, not everything is so simple. Let's consider the main functions in the sentence of object pronouns in English, and with which Russian cases they are more similar.

• Object pronouns in English as direct object corresponds to the accusative case in Russian (whom? what?)

Doesn't love me(Russian: He loves me)

Do you know him?(Russian. Do you know him?)

I see her everywhere(Russian. I see her everywhere)

• Personal pronouns in the objective case can serve as non-prepositional indirect object and are similar to the Russian dative case, answering the question to whom? what?:

He have her book(Russian: He gave her a book)

Mary told us to choose a dish(Russian Mary told us to choose a dish)

• Sometimes English object pronouns perform role of the subject in short remarks, which is typical for spoken language, which is not entirely grammatically correct:

Who did it? - Not me! /Me(Russian. Who did this? - Not me! / I)

I am feeling tired - Me too(Russian: I'm very tired. - Me too)

• Combination of pronoun with preposition to corresponds to the dative case in Russian (to whom?) and performs the function indirect (indirect) object:

Show the book to him(Russian: Show the book to him)

I sent a letter to them(Russian: I sent a letter to them)

• Pronoun combination with prepositions by and with corresponds to the instrumental case in Russian (by whom? what?) and is indirect object:

This article was translated by her(Russian. This article was translated by her)

I want to go with you(Russian: I want to go with you/with you)

• After the words except(Russian except) and but(Russian except) only object pronouns should be used:

Nobody but him helped me(Russian. Nobody but him helped me.)

Everyone except me went home(Russian. Everyone except me went home.)

Personal pronouns in English: sentences with examples

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me. (Russian: Only I can change my life. No one can do this for me).

In this section we will talk about the generally accepted rules for using personal pronouns in English.

When to use I and me, we and us, he and him, etc.

As we have already written, English pronouns are in the nominative case ( I, you, he, she, it, we, they) act as the subject.

They are typically used before a verb to show who is doing the action.

For example:

Peter complained to the chef about the meal.(Russian Peter complained to the chef about the dish.)

She wasn’t very helpful so he spoke to the manager.(Russian. She didn’t really help, so he turned to the manager)

In the second sentence the pronouns she And he indicate who directly performed the action (she didn’t help, he turned).

Pronouns in the objective case ( me, you, him, her, it, us, them) are additions. In a sentence they are usually used after a verb or preposition.

Also, they can be used as short answers, mainly in colloquial speech.

For example:

A: Where’s the knife? I can't find it(Russian. Where is the knife? I can’t find it)

B: It is in the drawer.(Russian: He is in the box)

In the first sentence pronoun it used in the objective case, and is the object on which the action is performed (I can’t find it=knife). In the second sentence this is the same pronoun it is in the nominative case and is the subject (He = knife in the drawer)

Examples of using personal pronouns in English

Personal pronouns he, she, it

Personal pronouns he, she, it are representatives of the third person singular, and determine the feminine, masculine and neuter form.

Nowadays in colloquial speech you can notice the use of several pronouns, a kind of “neutral form”, if the speaker is not sure about a person’s belonging to a certain gender, for example: he or she, he/she, s/he, (s)he.

For example:

The bank manager could help with your problem. He or she will probably be able to give you a loan.(Russian: The bank manager can help you. He or she will probably be able to give you a loan.)

It is necessary to remember some features of the use of the pronoun “it” in English.

Personal pronoun it defines objects and is often translated as “he/she” in Russian. The English pronoun it denotes not only inanimate objects, but often even animals.

Pronoun it often used in impersonal sentences when there is no subject:

gives an assessment of some action, for example: It is important to know this(Russian. It is important to know this);

indicates space and time: It is 10 km to the airport(Russian: 10 km to the airport), It is 10 o"clock now.(Russian: It’s 10 o’clock now.)

• indicates the weather: It is getting dark(Russian: It’s getting dark)

Example sentences with pronouns he, she, it

Using it and that, it and this

Many English language learners are interested in how sentences like this differ This is a pen from It is a pen, since both sentences are translated This is a pen.

Difference in usage this and it often underestimated, since many believe that there is no difference and “they will understand you either way.” But it's not that simple...

Pronoun this

when refers to a person, thing or thing that is spoken of or which is nearby or implied or has recently been mentioned: These are my pens(Russian. These are my hands)

• when indicating something that is being researched or discussed nearby or is currently being explored: This is iron and that is tin.(Russian: This is iron, and that is tin)

Pronoun it used in the following cases:

when identifying an inanimate object: Took a quick look at the house and noticed it was very old(Russian: I looked at the house and noticed that it was old)

refers to a person or animal whose sex is unknown or irrelevant: I don't know who it is(Russian. I don’t know who it is)

• defines a group of people or things, or an abstract entity: Beauty is everywhere and it is a source of joy.(Russian: Beauty is everywhere and it is a source of admiration)

Remember!

Definitive pronoun this used in relation to a person or thing that is being spoken about, which is implied or which will be discussed later, while personal pronoun it usually refers to an inanimate thing, or is used in relation to a person, thing, idea, etc., taken in a more abstract way.

There are other special uses pronouns it and that in English.

1. Pronoun this used as a definition and comes before a noun:

This cat is black(Russian. This cat is black).

Pronoun It cannot be used in this function.

2. Pronoun it used in impersonal sentences as a formal subject that is not translated:

It is dark(Russian: Dark).

If you use in this sentence this, there will be no error, but the meaning will change, since now the sentence is not impersonal, but personal, in which this will be translated because it replaces the above noun: This is my room and that is yours. This (one) is dark and that (one) is not.(Russian. This is my room, and that one is yours. Mine (this room) is dark, but yours (that room) is not)

3. Pronoun it can also be a substitute word for the above-mentioned noun and act as a subject and as an object:

This is a cat. This cat is black = It is black(Russian. This is a cat. This cat is black. = She is black)

I will take this (book) not that (one)(Russian. I buy this book, but not that one). The semantic emphasis on this particular book is this, and not on that one - that .

I will take it.(Russian: Buying/Taking), semantic emphasis on taking – will take

Choice it or this in this case it depends on what task the speaker faces:

nessesary to use this, if you need to point to a specific object in the field of view or highlight this object against the background of other “distant” objects;

• nessesary to use it, if you need to generalize without transferring the semantic load to the addition, as if we said: “everything that you already know from the previous sentence, so I won’t be specific.”

4. Pronoun it used in intensifying sentences as a formal subject:

Roll call response: It's me (I)(Russian: I / Here / I am present)

Answer to the question Who's there? when knocking on the door: It's me, Tom!(Russian: I / It's me, Tom)

In fact, these sentences are intensifying: It is I who has been called over. It is I, Tom, who has knocked at your door.(Russian. It’s me, the one you called. It’s me, the one who knocked on the door.) In this function this cannot be used.

Also, one of the differences between the pronouns under consideration is that this introduces new information (rheme), and it– known information (topic), therefore this always translated, but it- No.

Another significant difference is that the word it used in expressions related to time and weather, as well as in some fixed expressions, for example:

It's five past twelve(Russian: Time is five minutes past twelve)

It often rains in our region(Russian: It often rains in our region)

It isn’t easy to believe him again(Russian: It's not easy to trust him again)

Using the pronoun they

Pronoun they used to identify people, animals and objects in plural.

Also, pronoun they refers to institutions, authorities, or groups of people in general.

Example sentences with the pronoun they

Special cases of using personal pronouns in English

In colloquial speech, the rules for using personal pronouns in English may not be followed. The picture shows the inscription I do. Me too instead of I do. So do I.

Using personal pronouns in informal conversation

• You and me or you and I?

Sometimes there is a difficult choice between: You and me or you and I? It seems that both options sound familiar and correct. But in fact, one option is correct (and therefore standard), and the second is grammatically incorrect, but still used in informal speech.

To determine the correct option, look at which part of the sentence this combination is: subject or object:

You and I will work tomorrow

(Russian: You and I will work tomorrow)

Now take it away you and we get: I will work tomorrow(Russian: I will work tomorrow) or Me will work tomorrow(Russian: I will be working tomorrow)

The second sentence is incorrect because object pronoun me cannot be the subject. However, in informal conversation, you can hear You and me will work tomorrow, even though it is grammatically incorrect.

Another example:

They invited you and I

They invited you and me(Russian: They invited you and me)

Now let's remove the pronoun you :

They invited I(Russian: They invited me)

They invited me(Russian: They invited me)

Here the second sentence is correct because subject pronoun I cannot be an addition.

• Personal pronouns after “Than” and “As”

The correct grammatical form is to use personal pronouns in the nominative case followed by an auxiliary verb:

You are taller than I am(Russian: You are taller than me)

I earn as much money as he does

However, quite often a simple pronoun in the objective case is used, just this option considered typical of a conversational, informal style:

You are taller than me(Russian: You are taller than me)

I earn as much money as him(Russian: I earn as much money as he does)

• Using personal pronouns in short answers

An object pronoun cannot be the subject of a sentence, but such use can be found after verb to be in short answers:

Who is there? - (It is) me!(Russian. Who's there? - (It's) me)

Who gave you this? - (It was) him.(Russian. Who gave you this? - (It was) him)

• “Omitting” a personal pronoun

Sometimes, a personal pronoun next to an auxiliary verb can be omitted in colloquial speech.

Don't know = I don't know(Russian: I don’t understand = I don’t understand)

Just kidding = I am just kidding(Russian: I'm kidding = I'm kidding)

Understand? = Do you understand?(Russian: Got it? = Do you understand?)

When are personal pronouns not used?

One of the features of personal pronouns is that they are not used after infinitive constructions if the subject and object are the same person:

This phone is easy to use (it).(Russian. This phone is easy to use.)

You are easy to understand (you).(Russian. You are easy to understand.)

But, the pronoun should be used if the impersonal pronoun it begins:

It is easy to understand you.(Russian: You are easy to understand)

Video about English personal pronouns

If there was anything unclear to you in our article, we recommend watching a video about personal pronouns in English.

Video on Personal Pronouns

Instead of a conclusion:

Pronouns help replace a person or thing, you need to be extremely careful not to confuse them, because this can confuse the listener or completely change the meaning of the sentence.

However, due to the fact that grammatically English personal pronouns They are very similar to Russian ones; their study and use does not cause serious problems.

We hope that after reading this article you will be able to use personal pronouns in English with ease!

Exercises on personal pronouns in English

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the personal pronoun:

Sample: Who is that woman? Why are you looking at her?

“Do you know that man?’ “Yes, I work with _ .’

Where are the tickets? I can't find_.

I can't find my keys. Where are _?

We're going out. You can come with _.

Margaret likes music. _ plays the piano.

I don't like dogs. I'm afraid of _ .

I"m talking to you. Please listen to _.

Where is Ann? I want to talk to_.

My brother has a new job. He doesn’t like _ very much.

In contact with

Pronoun- a part of speech that denotes persons, objects, phenomena that have already been previously mentioned in speech or text, and replaces them. A pronoun is usually used in a sentence instead of a noun or adjective, sometimes instead of an adverb or numeral. Thus, pronouns allow you to avoid repeating the same nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech.

English pronouns differ in person, number, gender (only in the 3rd person singular) and case. A pronoun must agree with the noun it refers to. Accordingly, if a noun is singular, then the pronoun replacing it must be singular, and vice versa. If a noun female, then the pronoun must be feminine, and so on.

For example:
The train was late, it had been delayed.
Train was late He was stuck somewhere.

The trains were late, they had been delayed.
Trains were late, They were delayed somewhere.

Grammatically pronouns in English are divided into several types. They are presented in the table below. Each type of pronoun will be discussed in more detail in the following sections.

• Personal Pronouns in English

- these are pronouns I, we, he, she, it, we, they. The main purpose of personal pronouns is to replace nouns if it is clear from the context what or who we are talking about.

Pronouns I And we refer to the speaker, and correspond to the Russian pronouns “I” and “we”. They are first person pronouns ( I has a singular form, we– plural form).

For example:
I am free now.
Now I free

We have to go.
We must go.

Pronoun you refers to the interlocutor or interlocutors, and is a second person pronoun. Please note that in modern English you always has a plural form, and, accordingly, the verb after it always follows in the plural form. In Russian, it corresponds to both the pronoun “you” when addressing a group of people, or one person (in a polite form), and the pronoun “you”, depending on the context.

For example:
You are a good worker.
You you good worker.

You have finished your assignments successfully.
You successfully completed their tasks.

Pronouns he, she, it, they, are third person pronouns. All of them have a singular form, except the pronoun they, which has a plural form. In addition, pronouns he And she are used to refer to male and female people respectively, and the pronoun it denotes all inanimate objects, events, phenomena, etc. (that is, corresponds to the neuter gender in Russian). Also it often used to refer to animals.

Pronoun they used to refer to both people and objects:

Pronoun it can also be used in relation to people when the speaker is trying to establish the identity of the interlocutor:

It used in disjunctive questions when the subject is expressed in words nothing,everything And all:

Everything is all right, isn't it?
It's okay, isn't it?

Nothing happened, did it?
Nothing happened, right?

It can be used as an introductory subject or object in such sentences where the subject or object is actually expressed by an infinitive or subordinate clause. In Russian, in such cases, the pronoun it there is no equivalent.

For example:
It is not easy to solve this math problem.
It's not that easy to solve this math problem.

It used as a formal subject that does not have its own meaning in statements about time, weather, temperature, distance, etc.:

It is raining.
It's raining.

It is six o"clock.
Six o'clock.

It is a cold day.
Cold day.

Personal pronouns in English have different forms, depending on the case. Distinguish nominative case of personal pronouns (Subject Pronoun), And subject case of personal pronouns (Object Pronouns).

Nominative	Subjective case
I	me – to me, me, by me, etc.
You	you - you, you, by you, etc.
He	him - his, him, etc.
She	her - her, her, etc.
It	it – his/her, him/her, etc. (about inanimate objects)
We	us – to us, us, by us, etc.
They	them – theirs, them, by them, etc.

• I and Me: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

• For example:
  I am a teacher (not me).
  I- teacher.

  Give that to me(but not I).
  Give it to me to me.

  Sometimes it is difficult to choose the correct pronoun and speakers make mistakes when using them. Choose between I / Me it is more difficult when these pronouns are paired with another pronoun or noun. In this case, they must be used in accordance with the rules for using the subject or object in a sentence.

  For example:

  Which is correct?

  "It was I who did the homework." or "It was me who did the homework."
  This I did my homework.

  Simplify the statement:

  "I did the homework." So"It was I who did the homework." is the correct option.

  me(but not I).
  The teacher gave homework to my friend and to me.

  If you don't understand why the above sentence is correct, just simplify it again. Break down the offer by participant.

  The teacher gave the homework to my friend.
  +
  The teacher gave the homework to me.
  =
  The teacher gave the homework to my friend and me.

  Personal pronouns in the nominative case in a sentence serve as the subject or nominal part of the predicate:

  Mike hasn't come back yet. He is still in his office.
  Mike hasn't returned yet. He's still at work. ( he replaces proper name Mike, and performs the function of the subject.)

  Personal pronouns in the subject case in a sentence serve as a direct or indirect object:

  We called her to congratulate her.
  We called her to congratulate her. ( In this sentence the pronouns her serve as a direct complement.)

  We apologized to him.
  We apologized to him. ( In this sentence the pronoun him performs the function of an indirect complement.)

• Reflexive Pronouns in English

Reflexive pronouns in English formed from possessive pronouns with the addition of a particle –self for singular and –selves for plural.

	Personal pronoun	Possessive pronoun
The only thing number	I	myself
	You	yourself
	He	himself
	She	herself
	It	itself
Plural number	We	ourselves
	You	yourselves
	They	themselves

English reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of the sentence are the same person, or, in other words, when the action is directed towards oneself.

For example:
Alice saw herself in the mirror.
Alice saw myself in the mirror.

John doesn't know what to do with himself.
John doesn't know what's wrong yourself to do.

In Russian, reflexivity can be conveyed by a verb particle –xia or -s:

We had to explain ourselves to the teacher.
We had to explain yourself in front of the teacher.

In addition, reflexive pronouns in English can be used to emphasize that an action is performed independently, without outside help.

For example:
She herself admitted her mistake.
She herself admitted her mistake.

The manager spoke to me himself.
Manager myself talked to me.

I myself cleaned the house.
I myself cleaned up the house.

Reflexive pronouns can often be used instead of personal pronouns after words as, like, but (for), And except (for):

These shoes are especially designed for fast runners like yourself(= like you).
This shoe is specially designed for such fast runners as How are you.

Everybody was happy except myself(= except me).
Everyone was happy, except me.

Some verbs are not used with reflexive pronouns. As a rule, such verbs are the same in Russian and English.

For example:
Suddenly the door opened. (AND NOT Suddenly the door opened itself.)
Suddenly the door opened.

His books are selling well. (AND NOT His books are selling themselves well.)
His books are good for sale.

I tried to concentrate. (AND NOT I tried to concentrate myself.)
I have tried concentrate.

However, some such verbs in Russian and English do not coincide:

He washed and shaved in the morning.
In the morning he washed up And shaved.

She feels happy.
She feels himself happy.

• Interrogative Pronouns in English

Interrogative pronouns in English are used to ask questions. Some of them can only specify people (for example, " Who") and some on objects and people (for example, " What"). They are not divided into singular and plural, therefore they have only one form. Interrogative pronouns introduce the so-called. special questions, which cannot be answered simply “yes” or “no”.

There are the following English interrogative pronouns:

who? - Who?
whom? - whom? to whom?
what? - What? Which?
which? - Which? which?
whose? - whose?

For example:
What is her phone number?
Which does she have a phone number?

What do you want?
What you need?

As can be seen from the table, interrogative pronouns in a sentence can serve as a subject, object or possessive pronoun.

Subject	Addition	Possessive pronoun
who	whom	whose
which

Pronoun who refers to persons and is used without a subsequent noun or pronoun. When consumed who the predicate, as a rule, has a singular form.

Exceptions are those cases when the questioner knows that the answer to his question will be a plural noun.

Pronoun whom is the indirect case form of the pronoun who and is used as question word as a complementary function, especially in formal style. In colloquial speech, these functions are performed by the pronoun who.

For example:
Whom did you phone? (= Who did you phone?)
To whom did you call? ( The first option has a more formal tone.)

For whom will you vote?
Behind whom will you vote? ( Official speech.)

Pronoun what has two meanings - "what?" and which?". Meaning "what?" pronoun what is used separately, while in the meaning “which?” pronoun what is part of the interrogative group at the head of the question.

For example:
What is your name?
How Your name is?

What film are you watching?
Which are you watching the movie?

Pronoun which translated as “which?”, “which?” and offers a choice from a limited number of items, unlike the pronoun what, which rather requires characteristics, or offers a choice from an unlimited number that is not predetermined.

For example:
Which jumper do you like?
Which do you like the jumper? ( This means one of several presented.)

What jumpers do you like?
Which do you like jumpers? ( This means in general, regarding coloring, model, etc.)

• What and Which: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

Both pronouns - and Which, And What used in interrogative sentences, and both translate as " Which", "which", etc. Which can also be translated as " which", "which", etc.

What used in questions where the number of possible answers is unknown in advance. The questioner knows that there are many answers to the question asked, and wants to hear from the answer only the options that interest him.

For example:
What movie did you go to see?
Which did you go to see the movie?

Which used in questions where the number of answers is already known in advance.

For example:
Which shoes should I wear with this dress – my blue ones or my black ones?
Which Should I wear shoes with this dress - blue or black?

Often in the same situations you can use both Which, And What, depending on what the speaker means.

For example:
Which bus goes into the center?
Which does the bus go to the center?

What bus shall I take?
On Which do I need to take the bus?

Both proposals are possible. In the first sentence, the speaker probably means fewer possible buses than in the second sentence.

Note: about pronouns What And Which You can also read in the section on interrogative pronouns.

Pronoun whose- "whose?" in a sentence it functions as possessive pronouns, expressing ownership. And can be used immediately before the noun it refers to, or used independently, without a subsequent noun, similarly absolute form possessive pronouns.

For example:
Whose car did you drive in?
IN whose were you driving?

Whose is this book?
Whose this is a book?

• Demonstrative Pronouns in English

As the name suggests, they are used to indicate something or someone.

Demonstrative pronouns can have singular and plural forms:

This(units) and These close speaker.

That(units) and Those(plural) indicate an object or person located on distance from the speaker.

In addition to indicating distance in space, pronouns this, these, that, those, may indicate distance in time. This And these can indicate something that has already happened, or is about to happen, pronouns that And those may indicate something that just happened or happened some time ago.

For example:
Listen to this. It's going to be interesting.
Listen This. It will be interesting.

Watch this. It's worth seeing.
Look This. It's worth seeing.

Did you see that? That was wonderful!
You This did you see? This it was wonderful!

Who said that?
Who This said?

Sometimes demonstrative pronouns in English can act not only as independent words (as described above), but also as definitions of nouns. In this case they are also called demonstrative adjectives.

For example:
This book is mine.
This my book.

What is that noise?
What This for the noise?

These flowers are very beautiful.
These the flowers are very beautiful.

Those days were the best.
Those the days were the best.

This horse is faster than that horse.
This the horse is faster than that horse.

Sometimes pronouns that And those can be used to avoid repeating the same words:

The streets of Mumbai are busier than those of Paris. (= The streets of Mumbai are busier than the streets of Paris.)
The streets in Mumbai are more congested than the streets in Paris.

In the example above the pronoun those used to avoid repeating words the streets. In the singular, in such cases the pronoun is used that.

• Relative Pronouns in English

Relative pronouns in English (who, whom, that, which) are used to introduce subordinate clauses, and introduce additional information about someone or something already said.

For example:
I know the book that you are describing.
I know the book you're talking about. ( In this sentence that replaces a previously specified word book, and enters additional information.)

In a subordinate clause that introduces relative pronouns, they can serve as the subject. In this case pronouns can be used who, which, that. Who used to refer to people which– to designate objects, that can refer to both people and objects.

For example:
The boy who stole the watch was punished.
Boy, which stole a watch and was punished.

It is a book which will interest children of all ages.
This is a book, which will interest children of all ages.

The people that/who live next door keep having all-night parties.
People, which live next door and continue to have nightly parties.

These are the keys that open the front and back door.
These are the keys which open the front and back doors.

Also pronouns who, whom, which And that can perform the function of a complement in a subordinate clause. In this case the pronouns who And whom interchangeable, but whom has a somewhat formal connotation.

• Who and Whom: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

Pronoun Who used as subject (about other uses of the pronoun Who see That, Which and Who). Speaking in simple language, anywhere in a sentence where pronouns can be used I, she or he, you can also use Who.

In interrogative sentences Who used when talking about a person or group of people who did something, or when asking someone's name. Factual, in informal speech and writing pronouns Who used very often.

Pronoun Whom used in formal language as the object of a verb or preposition.

note

Pronoun Whom rarely used in questions.

For example:
To whom do you wish to speak? ( It sounds old-fashioned, pompous and unnatural.)
WITH by whom do you want to talk?

Attention

If you can't decide what to use, try the test" he or him" – try rewriting the sentence using pronouns he or him.

For example:
"He took out a photo of his son, whom he adores." – “He adores he.” Sounds wrong. So it will be right"He adores him."

Based on the above, it follows that they serve two purposes: they serve as the subject or object of a subordinate clause, and, at the same time, they connect the main clause with the subordinate clause.

For example:
I have found the car keys. You were looking for them.
I have found the car keys which you were looking for.
I found my car keys which you were looking for.

This is Mr. Peter. You met him last year.
This is Mr. Peter whom you met last year.
This is Mister Peter whom you met last year.

Indefinite Pronouns in English

Indefinite pronouns in English indicate unknown, uncertain objects, signs, quantities. They do not point to specific objects or people, but are used to describe them in general.

For example:
None of them have come yet.
Nobody one of them hasn't arrived yet.

Some are born great, some achieve greatness.
Some great people are born, but some become great.

Nobody came to his rescue.
Nobody did not come to his rescue.

Somebody has let the cat in.
Somebody let the cat in.

Few escaped unhurt.
Few managed to get out unscathed.

Indefinite pronouns can take singular, plural, or change their number form depending on the context.

Below is a table with all the indefinite pronouns, indicating what number form they can take.

Singular		Plural	Singular or plural
anybody- anyone	anyone- somebody	several- some	all- All
anything- anything	each- every	both- both	more- more
either– any (of two)	everybody- All	others- other	some- some
everyone- All	everything- All	few- A little	most- majority
much- a lot of	nobody- nobody	many- a lot of	none- no one, nothing
neither- none (of two)	no one- nobody	any- any
nothing- nothing	one- one
other- another	somebody- anyone
someone- somebody	something something

Many indefinite pronouns in English can be used as adjectives:

One day my prince will come.
My prince will come one day.

He is man of few words.
He is a man of few words.

Some milk was split.
Some milk was spilled.

• Any and Some: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

Pronouns Any And Some are determinants. They are used when talking about uncertain quantities, numbers, in cases where the exact quantity or number is not important. Mainly, Some used in declarative sentences, and Any- in interrogative and negative. To Russian Some And Any, as a rule, are not translated.

For example:
I asked the barman if he could get me some sparkling water I said, "Excuse me, have you got any sparkling water?" Unfortunately they didn't have any.
I asked the bartender if he could get me some sparkling water. I said, "Excuse me, do you have sparkling water?" Unfortunately, they didn't have it.

note

Sometimes Some can be found in interrogative sentences, and Any- in affirmative sentences.

Some used in interrogative sentences if the question is an invitation, a request, or if a positive answer to the question asked is expected.

For example:
Would you mind fetching some gummy bears while you"re at the shops?
Please buy me some gummy bears while you're at the store.

Any can also be used in affirmative sentences if it comes after a word that has a negative or restrictive connotation.

For example:
"She gave me some bad advice." "Really? She rarely gives any bad advice."
She gave me bad advice. - Seriously? She rarely gives bad advice.

Note: pronouns Any And Some belong to the type of indefinite pronouns. Such pronouns are discussed in more detail in the section on indefinite pronouns.

• Much and Many: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

Adverbs Much And Many used mainly in interrogative and negative sentences meaning " a lot of". There are also synonyms of these adverbs - a lot of, lots of, a great deal of, large amounts of, etc., depending on the context.

Interrogative sentences

How much (how much = how much)... + uncountable nouns

For example:
How much sugar do you take in your coffee?
How many do you put sugar in your coffee?

How much money do you want for this?
How many(money) do you want for this?

Do you have much work to do?
At your place a lot of work?

How many (how many = how many)... + countable nouns

Negative sentences

In negative construction sentences Not Much And Not Many usually translated as " few", "A little".

For example:
He doesn't earn much money ( noun money- uncountable).
He earns few (= A little) money.

Not many people have heard of her ( noun people- countable).
Few heard about her.

Barbara doesn't have many friends.
At Barbara's few (= A little) friends.

• Each and Every: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

Both pronouns have the same meaning – “each”. General rule the use of these pronouns is such that Each used when talking about two or more objects or things, Every– when we are talking about three or more objects or things.

For example:
The orange was split into two halves; each half was given to them. (AND NOT...every half.)
The orange was divided into two parts, and every part was given to them.

Pronoun usage Each it is preferable when the described things or objects are presented separately, the use of the pronoun Every It is preferable when the described things or objects are presented as a whole.

For example:
Each boy in the class was given a present.
To every boy a gift was given in class. ( Each one separately.)

Every boy in the class went on a picnic.
Every boy (= all boys) went on a picnic in class. ( All the boys are as one.)

Every, but not Each, can be used with abstract nouns:

You have every reason to be happy. (AND NOT You have each reason to be happy.)
Do you have every reason to be content.

The same way, Every(but not Each) can be used with cardinal nouns:

Buses leave every ten minutes. (AND NOT...each ten minutes.)
Buses run every ten minutes.

• Little and Few, A Little and A Few: rules of use, translation, example, difference, difference in meaning

As an adverb Little, so and adverb Few means " few", "small, insufficient amount of something". The difference is that Little used with Not, A Few- With countable nouns.

For example:
They have very little money.
They have very few money.

There seems little hope.
There seems to be hope few.

Hey very much little at lunch.
He ate a lot few at lunch.

Only few people can afford to pay such prices.
Few who can afford such prices.

I know few places that I could recommend to you.
I few I know places that I can recommend to you.

note

Adverbs Little And Few have a somewhat negative connotation.

For example:
I know few places that I could recommend to you. = I would like to be able to recommend more places, but unfortunately there aren't more.
I few I know places that I can recommend to you. = I wish I could recommend more places to you, but unfortunately there are no other places.

If before adverbs Little And Few the indefinite article is used a, they acquire a positive connotation and have a meaning similar to the word some – "some", "some amount", "A little" etc.

A Few used with countable nouns.

For example:
We need to get a few things in town.
We need something pick up in the city.

We've got a few cakes left over from the party. = We've got some cakes left over from the party.
We have some left over from the evening some cakes.

A Little used with .

For example:
With a little training Mike could do very well.
A little With practice, Mike will succeed.

• Use of the pronoun all in English

The pronoun all in English can be used both as an adjective pronoun and as a noun pronoun. All means "all", "whole", "all", etc.

More often all used with uncountable nouns and with plural nouns (in this case there must be more than two objects being described).

For example:
All children need love.
To all children need love. ( Pronoun all children. )

I love all music.
I like all (= all, different) music. (Pronoun all used with an uncountable noun music. )

All the guests turned up.
All invited came. ( Pronoun all used with a plural noun invites. )

If all used with a plural noun, the verb usually also has a plural form. After an uncountable noun, the verb has a singular form.

For example:
All cheese contains fat.
Any (= all) cheese contains fats.

All the lights were out.
All the lights were extinguished.

Pronoun all followed by a noun is not usually used as a subject with a verb in the negative form. In this case, as a rule, the design is used not all + noun + positive verb.

For example:
Not all birds can sing. (NOT All birds cannot sing.)
Not all birds can chirp.

All or All of

Before a noun without a determiner (articles, demonstrative and possessive pronouns, etc.), it is used all:

All children need love.
All cheese contains fat.
All lights were out.

Before a noun with a determiner (for example: the, my, this, etc.), can be used as all, so all of:

All the lights were out. = All of the lights were out.
All the lights were extinguished.

I have invited all my friends to my birthday party. = I have invited all of my friends to my birthday party.
I invited all my friends to my birthday.

Used before a personal pronoun all of:

All of us love music (AND NOT All us love music.)
We all love music.

I have invited all of them. (AND NOT...all them.)
I invited them all.

Using all with nouns and pronouns

Pronoun all can define both nouns and pronouns, and is usually placed before the word being defined.

For example:
I have invited all (of) my friends.
I invited all my friends.

All of us love music
We all love music.

I love all of you.
I love you all.

All of us are going to the movies.
We're all going to the cinema.

All can be used after the defined pronoun if it serves as a complement:

I love you all. (= I love all of you.)
I love you all.

Give my love to them all. (= Give my love to all of them.)
Say hello to them all from me.

I have made you all something to eat. (= I have made all of you something to eat.)
I prepared food for you all.

Using all with verbs

All can be used with a verb that functions as the subject of a sentence.

If the verb consists of only one word, and is not a form be(i.e. is, am, are, was, were), all any used in negative and interrogative sentences, and may have a connotation of doubt, disbelief, or denial. To Russian pronoun any, as a rule, is not translated.

For example:
Is there any water in the bottle?
There is in the bottle water?

Have you got any friends?
Do you have Friends?

Are there any witnesses?
Eat witnesses?

Do you need any help?
Help needed?

I haven't got any money.
I have no money.

I have hardly any food in the larder.
In my pantry almost no food.

You never give me any help.
You to me never don't offer help.

Also any often used after a conjunction if:

If you need any help, let me know.
If you will need help, let me know.

Any, no, not any

Please note that the pronoun itself any has no negative meaning. It takes on a negative value only together with the partial not.

For example:
See that you don"t do any damage. (AND NOT See that you do any damage.)
Try not to cause any damage.

Instead of a combination not any you can use a pronoun no, which means the same thing, but has a more expressive connotation.

For example:
He has got no friends. Him no (no) friends. (More expressive than He hasn't got any friends. )

Any and any of

Before pronouns and nouns with a determiner (for example, the, this, my, your, etc.), the form is used any of.

For example:
Do any of these books belong to you?
belongs to you at least one of these books?

I don't think any of us want to work tomorrow.
I think, none of us doesn't want to work tomorrow.

She doesn't like any of my friends.
None of my friends she does not like.

It is important to note when a noun after any of has a plural form, the verb following the noun can also take a plural form, or it can take a singular form.

For example:
If any of your friends is interested, let us know. ( Formal option.)
If any of your friends are interested, let us know. ( Informal option.)
If any of your friends are interested, please let us know.

Using any with singular countable nouns

Pronoun any is the equivalent of the article a/an, but in the plural. It is often used before plural and uncountable nouns.

"Which is your boy?" " The one in the blue shirt."
Which child is yours? - The one in the blue shirt.

"I"d like to buy a magazine." " This one?" "No, that one ."
I want to buy a magazine. - This? - No, that one over there.

"Can you lend me a pen?" "Sorry, I haven't got" one."
Can you lend me a pen? - Sorry, I don’t have a pen.

I"ve already read this book, I"m going to get a new one.
I have already read this book and am going to buy a new one.

As can be seen from the examples above, one can be used to replace any specific noun (when it is clear what exactly is being discussed) - in this case one used with definite article, either with a demonstrative pronoun, or to replace a common noun - in this case one used either without an article or with an indefinite article if the noun is preceded by an adjective.

To replace a plural noun, use ones.

For example:
Green apples often taste better than red ones.
Green apples often taste better than red ones.

In what cases can one/ones be omitted?

Substitute words one/ones may be omitted immediately after superlative adjectives, demonstrative pronouns, some indefinite pronouns ( either, neither, another), as well as after some other qualifiers ( which, whichever, and etc.).

For example:
I think my dog ​​is the fastest (one).
I think my dog ​​is the fastest.

Either (one) will suit me.
Any will suit me.

Let us have another (one).
Let's take one more.

"Which (one) would you like?" "That looks the nicest."
Which one would you like? “That one over there is the best.”

Substitute word one not used immediately after possessive pronouns ( my, your, etc.), indefinite pronouns some, any, both, and also after numbers.

For example:
Take your coat and pass me mine. (AND NOT... my one.)
Take your coat and give me mine.

I need some matches. Have you got any? (AND NOT... any ones?)
I'd like some matches. Do you have?

"Are there any grapes?" "Yes, I bought some today." (AND NOT... some ones today.)
Are there any grapes? - Yes, I bought it today.

However, please note that one will be used in all the above cases if an adjective is used.

For example:
"Are there any mangoes?" "Yes, I bought some sweet ones today."
Do you have any mango? – Yes, I bought sweet mangoes today.

"Has the cat had her kittens?" "Yes, she had four white ones." (AND NOT... four white.)
Has your cat already given birth to kittens? – Yes, she gave birth to four white kittens.

One not used to replace uncountable and abstract nouns.

For example:
If you haven't got fresh cream I will take tinned cream. (AND NOT... tinned one.)
If you don't have fresh cream, I'll use canned cream.

The Dutch grammatical system is very similar to the English system. (AND NOT... the English one.)
The grammatical system of the Dutch language is very similar to the grammatical system of the English language.

Substitute word one and pronoun it

To replace a noun that has been very clearly marked, a pronoun is used it, not a word one.

Compare:
"Could you lend me a bicycle?" "Sorry, I haven't got one."
Can you lend me a bike? - Sorry, I don't have a bike.

"Could you lend me your bicycle?" "Sorry, I need it."
Can you lend me your bike? - Sorry, I need him.

One as an indefinite pronoun

Pronouns one or you can be used to describe people in general.

For example:
One / you should not do such an unkind thing as that.
There is no need to do such unkind deeds.

One / you should love one "s / your country.


Please note that the pronoun one has a more formal tone than you.

Pronoun one not used to describe people in general, unless the speaker himself refers to them, the pronoun you not used to describe people in general unless the speaker is one of them.

For example:
One / you must believe in something.
A person needs to believe in something.

In the sixteenth century people believed in witches. (AND NOT ... one / you believed in witches, since this pronoun does not include either the speaker or the interlocutor.)
In the sixteenth century, people believed in witches.

In American English, in sentences where it is used one, in order to indicate one, pronouns are often used he, him, his, himself. In British English, the possessive form is usually used in this case one – one's And oneself.

Compare:
One should love his country. ( AmE)
One should love one's country. ( BrE)
Everyone should love their country.

• Reciprocal Pronouns in English

English reciprocal pronouns (one another, each other- each other, one another) indicate that some action is performed jointly, or some persons or objects are compared with each other.

For example:
Peter and Mary kissed each other.
Peter and Mary kissed each other.

With the help of reciprocal pronouns, the same idea can be expressed twice as briefly and simply.

For example, a sentence

On their wedding day John gave Mary a gold ring and Mary gave John a gold ring.
On their wedding day, John gave Mary a gold ring, and Mary gave John a gold ring.

using a reciprocal pronoun each other can be expressed more simply:

On their wedding day Mary and John gave each other gold rings
On their wedding day, Mary and John gave each other Golden rings.

Differences between pronouns each other And one another No. However, when talking about more than two people or things, the pronoun is often preferred one another.

For example:
The students in this classroom help one another.
Students in this class help each other.

To make your speech in a foreign language expressive, correct and varied, and also to learn to understand what other people say (write), you need to know English pronouns. The table (and more than one) will be presented in this article with the necessary explanations to facilitate the assimilation of grammatical material.

What is a pronoun and what is it for?

This part of speech is used in any language to avoid tautology, enliven dry statements, and also make them more logical. Pronouns in English are called Pronouns, which translates as “instead of nouns.”

This service component functions as a substitute for those parts of speech that have already been mentioned in spoken or written text. Nouns and adjectives can be replaced, and a little less often - adverbs and numerals. Pronouns help us maintain consistency and clarity in the presentation of thoughts, but at the same time not repeat ourselves, naming the same people, objects, phenomena, signs, etc. again.

What are the pronouns in English?

English pronouns, like Russian ones, change according to person, gender and number. In addition, they must be consistent with the part of speech that they replace. For example, agreement based on gender: girl (girl) - she (she). In the same way, agreement is carried out in numbers: boys (boys) - they (they).

Now let's take a closer look at what each variety is and how this functional part of speech manages to simplify English.

Personal Pronouns

They get their name because they replace nouns - animate and inanimate. There are seven of them in total.

• I - I;
• you - you (you);
• he - he;
• she - she;
• it - it;
• we - we;
• they - they.

Please note the following features:

1. You is used in both singular and plural. It is translated accordingly: “you”, “You” (addressing one person) or “you” (addressing a group of people).

2. It denotes not only inanimate objects, but also animals.

The above personal pronouns are given in the nominative case. But what if you need to say: “to you”, “me”, “about us”, etc.? What is conveyed in Russian by other cases (dative, genitive, prepositional, etc.), in English is called in one word - the subject case. Such pronouns replace words that are not the subject of a sentence. The correspondence table is presented below.

Start practicing using the subject case once you thoroughly understand and learn the nominative forms. Otherwise, you simply risk getting confused. In general, remembering pronouns is quite simple, and the more often you practice foreign language, the more confident you will become in speaking.

Possessive Pronouns

This group is the second most frequently used. But don't be afraid when you see new English pronouns. The table below shows the correspondence between personal and possessive types.

As you can see, almost all pronouns have the same base, and the differences are most often only in one letter.

It is recommended to learn and practice in exercises first personal pronouns, then possessive ones, and then practice in mixed tests, where you need to choose the option that is appropriate in meaning and grammar: you or your, etc. This way you will firmly understand everything and will never confuse these two superficially similar groups.

Demonstrative Pronouns

We continue to study pronouns in English and now move on to the variety that helps to navigate in space, to show a certain object, direction and place. They do not change according to persons and genders, but they have singular and forms. Further in the table you will see English demonstrative pronouns with translation.

For example, if there is a picture hanging on the wall in the distance, then they say about it: That is a picture. And if there are pencils on the table nearby, it can be indicated as follows: These are pencils.

This group of auxiliary parts of speech has another function. They can replace individual words or even entire expressions. This is done to avoid repetitions. For example: Air quality in the village is better than that in the city - Air quality in the village is better than (air quality) in the city.

Relative Pronouns

This variety can often be found in complex sentences to connect the main and subordinate parts. Such an English pronoun with translation and understanding of foreign speech can create difficulties. Therefore, you need to understand this issue well. The following relative pronouns exist:

• that - that, which (used to denote both animate and inanimate objects);
• which - which (only to designate objects or phenomena);
• who - who, which (indicates only people);
• whom - to whom, who, whom (in spoken language does not occur, is used only in official speech as a speech cliche).

Interrogative Pronouns

As you might guess, this type is used in interrogative sentences. If you are already familiar with the topic “Special Questions,” then you know these English pronouns well. All of them are notable for the fact that they begin with the letter wh:

• what? - What? Which? which?
• which? - Which? which (of the two)?
• who? - Who?
• whom? - to whom? whom?
• whose? - whose?

Sometimes the suffix -ever can be added to them, and then the combinations whatever (any, whatever), whoever (any, anyone), etc. are obtained.

Pay special attention to the following features.

Who is singular and assumes the verb form is as well as the ending -s in the present simple tense.

Who is there? Who likes this film?

The exception is when a plural personal pronoun is used (you, we, they), if the answer involves naming several people, objects, phenomena, etc.

Who of you live in this house? - We do. (Which of you lives in this house? - We.)

(Indefinite Pronouns)

Situations often arise when information is not entirely clear, or the speaker is not sure of its veracity. For such cases, there is a special group of function words. Next you can see all the indefinite English pronouns with translation.

Please note that all pronouns listed in the table refer to the singular (even if translated into Russian they mean many objects or people).

The plural of indefinite pronouns is represented by the following words:

• any - any;
• both - both;
• several - several;
• others - others, the rest;
• many - few;
• few - few.

Reflexive Pronouns

Used to denote actions that are performed on oneself. These English pronouns are related to the varieties you already know - personal and possessive. Only in this case the particle -self (singular) or -selves (plural) is added.

• (I) I - myself;
• (you) you - yourself;
• (he) he - himself;
• (she) she - herself;
• (it) it - itself (about animals and inanimate objects);
• (we) we - ourselves;
• (you) you - yourselves;
• (they) they - themselves.

How to translate This is most clear with examples.

Sometimes it can be translated as “yourself”, “yourself”, etc.

“Why?”, she asked herself - “Why?” - she asked herself.

We arranged a great holiday for ourselves - We arranged a great vacation for ourselves.

In some cases, it is possible to translate such pronouns with reflexive particles -sya and -sya.

A cat washed itself - The cat washed itself.

Where are you hiding yourself? -Where are you hiding?

In cases where the fact that the action was performed by someone independently is emphasized, reflexive pronouns can be translated with the words “himself”, “herself”, etc.

He has built this house himself - He built this house himself.

Reciprocal Pronouns

This variety includes only two representatives: each other and one another. They are synonyms.

Such pronouns are used in cases where two objects perform the same action directed at each other.

We love each other - We love each other.

They hugged and kissed one another - They hugged and kissed.

On Christmas day the friends gave each other presents - On Christmas, friends gave each other gifts.

In cases where it is necessary to designate a group of people performing the same action in relation to each other, it is necessary to use the form one another. For example:

We are a united family and always help one another. - We are a friendly family and always help each other.

People of different generations have difficulties in understanding one another - People of different generations have difficulty understanding each other.

This is what the pronoun system looks like in English. There is nothing complicated in it, since some groups of function words are formed from others: reflexive and possessive - from personal, reciprocal - from indefinite, etc.

Once you have studied and understood the theory, start practicing different types of exercises. The more often you do this, the sooner you will achieve a noticeable result: you will begin to use English pronouns in your speech without hesitation.