Demonstrative pronouns

The demonstrative pronouns are: this, these, that, those, such, same. They are used to point out a person or a thing. This and these are used to point at what is nearer in space or time, while that and those point at things and persons that are farther away in space or time:

This is Jane and that girl by the window is Ann.

I've looked through these books; can I have a look at some of those?

The pronouns this, these, that and those have the grammatical category of number: this and that are singular, while these and those are plural, e.g. this boy - these boys; that box - those boxes.

The pronoun such is used to talk about a person or thing, which is of the same kind as that already mentioned:

Such behaviour is not allowed here.

The pronoun such can be used to emphasize a quality of a person or a thing:

Did you have to say such a silly thing?

The pronoun same is always used with the definite article. It is used to point at one particular person or thing:

I'll never make the same mistake again.

It is also used to say that two or more people or things are exactly like each other:

These pictures look the same to me.

The pronoun same can be preceded by the demonstrative pronouns this/these and that/those and have the meaning «этот самый», «тот самый»:

It is this same man who helped me who now tries to ruin me.

Тот самый человек, кто помогал мне, теперь пытается погубить меня.

The pronoun same is used in a number of phrases: at the same time (в однои то же время ), in the same way ( так же, таким же образом ), all the same (все равно ), one and the same (один и тот же).

The pronoun that/those may also be used as a word-substitute:

I like your plan more than that we discussed before.

We tried to find some pictures like those we saw in the window of an old shop.

Demonstrative pronouns can be used as subject, object, predicative, and attribute:

Subject – This is rather interesting.

Object – He told me the same.

Predicative – She looks the same.

Attribute – I don’t know this person.

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

Indefinite pronouns point out persons or things without saying who or what they are. The indefinite pronouns are some, somebody, someone, something, any, anybody, anyone, anything, and one.

The pronouns somebody, someone, anybody, and anyone have the grammatical category of case. They have two cases - the common case and the genitive case:

There is somebody in the house, knock again.

I remember someone's words about her said many years ago.

Anyone can do this easy job.

She will follow anybody's advice without thinking it over.

Some, somebody, someone, and something are mostly used in affirmative sentences, while any, anybody, anyone, and anything are used in interrogative and negative sentences:

Look, somebody is coming.

Is anybody going out tonight?

There isn't anybody at home now.

I'm sure she knows something.

Do you know any new facts?

Some people never change.

I don't know anything about this phenomenon.

When some and any are followed by the preposition of and a noun in plural they refer to an indefinite number of things:

Some of his stories are rather interesting.

Have you answered any of his questions?

When some and any modify nouns of material they denote indefinite quantity of the material:

I would like some tea now. Is there any soup for dinner today?

Я бы выпила чаю сейчас. На обед сегодня есть суп?

Some, somebody, someone and something are used in special and general questions expressing requests and proposals:

Who wants some ice cream? – Кто хочет мороженого?

Can I have some water please? – Можно мне воды?

Can I do something for you? – Я могу что-нибудь сделать для тебя?

Note: The pronoun "any" in this context will sound rude.

Some used with a noun in the singular has the meaning 'какой-то':

He has some reason to say it.

Some used with a noun in the plural can have the meaning 'одни’, ‘какие-то':

Some people like it, but others don't.

Any, anybody, anyone, anything are used in affirmative statements with the meaning ‘ любой, кто угодно, что угодно ’:

Any child will do the same.

Don't boast. Anyone can do it.

I'm so hungry that I can eat anything.

The indefinite pronouns some and any may be used as subject, object and attribute:

Subject - Some were walking slowly, others just stood and watched.

Which pencil do you want? - Any will do.

Object - There is no milk at home. Buy some on the way back.

Don't argue. You can take any.

Attribute - Some people like to make fun of others.

Have you seen any newspapers here?

The indefinite pronouns somebody, someone, something, anybody, anyone, and anything may be used as subject, object and predicative:

Subject - Someone told me about him, but I don't remember who.

Does anybody know how to cook fish?

Object - Wait a moment, I want to tell you something.

Don't tell anybody that you have seen me.

Predicative - You must see the film. It's something wonderful.

Everybody who is anybody will come to the party.

The genitive case of the pronouns somebody, someone, anybody and anyone may be used as attribute and predicative:

Attribute - Somebody's face in the crowd attracted her attention.

Do you know anybody's plans for tonight?

Predicative - The book is somebody's. Don't take it.

No, it isn't anybody's. It has been here for so long.

The indefinite pronoun one is used instead of a countable noun already mentioned or known:

The train was crowded, so we decided to catch the later one.

It can be also used in general sense in a formal context:

One can do what one likes here.

Note: The pronoun one is not used to refer to an item that has been defined: Have you seen my bag? – Here it is.

The pronoun one has the grammatical category of case. It has two forms - the common case and the genitive case. The pronoun one in the common case may be used as subject, object or predicative:

Subject - One never knows what is going to happen to him.

Object - I have left my umbrella today. - Don't worry, I can give you one.

Predicative - Ask this man. He is the one who can help you.

The genitive case of the pronoun one has the function of an attribute:

It's difficult to hide this feeling. One's voice will show it.

As a word-substitute the pronoun one has the category of number and can be used in plural:

He wrote a number of books. The most interesting ones were translated into Russian.

NEGATIVE PRONOUNS

Negative pronouns denote the absence of a person, thing or quality. They are: no, none, nobody, no one, nothing, neither. They correspond to indefinite pronouns:

INDEFINITE	NEGATIVE
somebody, someone; anybody, anyone	nobody, no one, none
something; anything	nothing, none
some, any, one	no, none

There is correlation between negative pronouns and defining pronouns:

DEFINING	NEGATIVE
everybody, everyone	nobody, no one, none
everything	nothing
all, every, each	no
both, either	neither

The negative pronouns nobody and no one refer to human beings. The pronoun nobody has the category of case. It has the forms of the common case and the genitive case (nobody, nobody's). The negative pronoun nothing refers to things.

The pronoun none means not one of the group of people or things:

I heard the news but none was interesting.

When none of is used with a plural noun or pronoun it can be both singular and plural:

None of the trains is/are going to Moscow tonight.

The negative pronouns nobody, no one and nothing can be used as subject, object and predicative:

Subject - Nobody will help you if you keep silent.

There was nothing to do and we left.

Object - He saw nobody in the room but he felt somebody's presence.

I want no one here.

Sorry, but I can do nothing at the moment.

Predicative - He felt he would become nobody for those people.

Don't worry, it's nothing.

The genitive case of the negative pronoun (nobody's) can be used as attribute or predicative:

Attribute - He doesn't have friends. He himself is nobody's friend.

Predicative - The cat is nobody's. It's a stray cat.

The negative pronoun none can refer both to human beings and things. It can be used as subject or object:

Subject - They expected about a dozen people but none came.

I wanted an apple but there was none in the cupboard.

Object - Everybody has left. You'll find none here.

The negative pronoun no is used before a noun as its attribute:

No cars were seen in the street.

The negative pronoun neither refers both to persons and things and it has the meaning "not one or the other of two people or things". It takes the predicate in the form of the 3^rd person singular. It can be used as subject, object or attribute:

Subject - Two people entered the room. Neither looked familiar to me.

Object - Would you like coffee or tea? - I want neither.

Attribute - He offered me a couple of ideas. Neither idea seemed exciting.

DEFINING PRONOUNS

The defining pronouns are all, each, every, everybody, everyone, everything, either, both, other, another.

The pronoun all is used to denote a complete amount or quantity of something or somebody. It refers to three or more items. In a sentence it can be used as subject, predicative, object or attribute:

Subject - All are present.

Predicative - It is all I have now.

Object - You can give her all you have, you won't make her happy.

Attribute - I will take all the flowers in the basket.

When all modifies a noun it is used in pre-position; when it modifies a pronoun it can be used in pre-position and in post-position:

All (of) the people were laughing. All (of) them seemed happy.

Soon I will see them all.

Note: The pronoun all is not used separately to mean ‘everybody’ or ‘everything’.

The pronoun both is used to refer to two persons, things, situations, etc. It is used in affirmative sentences as subject, object or attribute:

Subject - John and Mary have called. Both will come.

Object - I don't know what book to choose. I'll take both.

Attribute - You'll like them. Both books are interesting.

Before a noun with a determiner (e.g. the, my, these), both and both of are both possible:

Both (of) my parents like gardening.

We have eaten both (of) the apples.

Both (of) these apples are sweet.

The definite article and the possessive pronoun are often dropped:

He lost both parents when he was a child.

We have eaten both apples.

Note: The definite article cannot precede the pronoun both.

Both of precedes the objective case of a personal pronoun; both is used when it follows a pronoun:

They invited both of us. They invited us both.

When both refers to the subject, it can precede a notional verb or a predicative like some adverbs:

These apples are both sweet. We can both speak English.

We both speak English.

‘ Both... and’ is used with the same kind of words:

She plays both the piano and the violin. She is both nice and clever.

She both sings and dances.

The pronoun each is used to denote every single one of two or more people or things considered separately. It can be used as subject, object or attribute:

Subject – First w atch me, and then each will do the same.

Object - I read each of his books but I didn't find this description.

Attribute - Each story regarded separately seems rather primitive.

The pronoun every is used to refer to each one of a group of people or things. It is used as attribute:

Every person here knows what I am talking about.

The pronouns everybody and everyone refer to all the members of a group of people. They have the category of case. The common case of the pronouns is used as subject and object:

Subject - Everybody will be glad to see you. – Все будут рады видеть вас.

Object - You cannot help everybody. – Вы не можете помочь всем.

The personal pronoun corresponding to the pronoun everybody is they:

Everybody knows you, don’t they?

The genitive case of these pronouns is used as attribute:

Everybody's advice will be appreciated.

The pronoun everything refers to each thing or all things of a group. It can be used as subject, predicative or object:

Subject - Everything is ready, we can start.

Predicative - It is everything I can say just now.

Object - He'll do everything you ask him to.

The pronoun either means each of the two, or one or the other of two people or things:

Would you like coffee or tea? - Either. It doesn't really matter.

The pronoun either can be used as attribute, subject, or object:

Subject - Which one will you take? - Either will do.

Attribute - Which team will win today? - Either team is strong enough to win.

Object – Which book do you want? – I can take either.

The pronoun other is used to denote a person or thing different from the one mentioned before:

I don't want to go there. I'd like to go to some other place this time.

It has the category of number: singular - other, plural - others. It has the category of case and has two case forms: the common case and the genitive case (other – other's, others – others').

The pronoun other can be used as subject, object or attribute:

Subject - Some were walking, others were running.

Object - He can't keep a secret. He will tell others.

Attribute - I saw him the other day.

Do this exercise. Other exercises are too difficult for you.

When preceded by the definite article, it denotes the second one of the two or all the rest:

John and Pete were standing by the window. John was looking out, the other was looking at us.

Write this exercise and do the other ones orally.

‘The others’ means all the rest:

John has come, the others will come later.

The pronoun another is used to refer to one more person or thing of the same kind or to a different person or thing:

I'd like anothe r helping of the cake. – Я хочу еще порцию торта.

I don't like this magazine, give me another one. –

Мне не нравится этот журнал, я хочу другой.

It can be used as subject, object or attribute:

Subject - She watched the guys. One was talking, another was listening, and the others were quiet.

Object - No, I don't like this cake. I'd rather take another.

Attribute - I am sure, there is another blanket somewhere.

RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS

Reciprocal pronouns each other and one another are used to show that each of two or more people does something to the other or others:

They looked at each other in surprise.

Each other usually refers to two subjects, one another to more than two:

John and Mary blamed each other for being late.

In our group we always help one another.

Reciprocal pronouns have two cases. The common case is used as an object, while the genitive case is used as an attribute:

Object - They used to tell one another everything they felt.

The sisters always helped each other.

Attribute - They no longer believed each other's words.