A comprehensive list of pronouns characterized by type

Pronouns in English are words that substitute for nouns or noun phrases. If you want to learn more about why we use them, click here. Here’s a comprehensive list of pronouns categorized by type:

Personal pronouns

• Subject pronouns
  • I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Object pronouns
  • me, you, him, her, it, us, them
• Possessive pronouns
  • mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
• Possessive adjectives (determiners)
  • my, your, his, her, its, our, their

Reflexive pronouns

• myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves

Demonstrative pronouns

• this, that, these, those

Interrogative pronoun

• who, whom, whose, which, what

Relative pronouns

• who, whom, whose, which, that
  • Note: “who” and “whom” refer to people; “which” for things or sometimes animals; “that” can refer to both people and things.

Indefinite pronouns

• Singular
  • anybody, anyone, anything, everybody, everyone, everything, nobody, no one, nothing, somebody, someone, something, each, either, neither, one, another
• Plural
  • both, few, many, several, others
• Singular or plural (depending on context)
  • all, any, more, most, none, some

Reciprocal pronouns

• each other, one another

Archaic or less common pronouns

• thou, thee, thine (archaic forms of “you” in singular), ye (archaic plural of “you”)

Intensive pronouns

• These are actually the same as reflexive pronouns but used for emphasis rather than to refer back to the subject:
  • myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves

Pronoun-like words

• Pronominal adverbs
  • here, there, where, when, why, how (used in questions or to replace prepositional phrases)

Keep in mind

• Some pronouns can serve multiple functions (e.g., “who” can be interrogative, relative, or in some contexts, a personal pronoun in questions).
• The usage of pronouns can vary based on dialect, formality, and context, including changes in modern English usage (like the increasing acceptance of “they/them” as singular pronouns for gender neutrality).
• Pronouns like “it” can have multiple uses, including as a placeholder subject for impersonal constructions (e.g., “It is raining”).

This list covers most pronouns you’ll encounter in English, but remember, language evolves, and new pronoun forms or uses might emerge, especially concerning gender inclusivity.