Lesson 2: The Direct Object
Those Other Pronouns
Yes, there are more pronouns.
More specifically, there are more pronoun categories, with more pronouns in them. When you stop to think of it, it is amazing how many pronouns there are and how prolific they are in language.
Demonstrative Pronouns
The demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those. They show (or “demonstrate”) who or what is being referred to. This is my book. That is James' cat. Those are the Cookie Monsters' cookies.
A demonstrative pronoun is always followed (or preceded) by a verb, because it is replacing the noun that would be there. Don’t get demonstrative pronouns confused with another type of demonstrative—demonstrative adjectives. A demonstrative adjective will be snuggled right up next to a noun, because it’s modifying that noun, not replacing a noun.
For example, here we have a demonstrative pronoun, replacing a noun and followed by a verb:
“That is James’ cat.”
Whereas here we have a demonstrative adjective, modifying and attached to a noun:
“That cat is James’”
Let’s look at some other contrasting examples.
“Those are the Cookie Monsters’ cookies.” (pronoun)
“Those cookies belong to Cookie Monster.” (adjective)
“This caused the explosion.” (pronoun)
“This leak caused the explosion.” (adjective)
“You ate that?” (pronoun)
“You ate that cookie?” (adjective)
A helpful tip to tell the two apart is to insert a noun. Pronouns are standing in for a noun. Replacing one with a noun will make sense if the demonstrative is a pronoun, but will not make sense if it’s an adjective:
“You ate that?”
↓
“You ate pickle-flavored cookies?”
✔ makes sense, so it’s a pronoun
“You ate that cookie?”
↓
“You ate pickle-flavored cookies cookie?”
✘ doesn’t make sense, so it’s an adjective
Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns ask questions. They are who, which, whom, what, and whose.
“Who ate my cookie?”
“Which cookie did he eat?”
“What am I going to do now that I don’t have a cookie?!”
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns indicate something that is indefinite—that is, not specific. Words like “somebody,” “anyone,” “everything,” and the like are indefinite pronouns.
“Somebody ate my cookie!”
“Did anyone see the cookie thief?”
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns are a rather large topic that we will cover in Lesson 6.