Personal and possessive forms
| Subject | Object | Possessive adjective | Possessive pronoun | Reflexive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | me | my | mine | myself |
| you | you | your | yours | yourself, yourselves |
| he | him | his | his | himself |
| she | her | her | hers | herself |
| it | it | its | (none) | itself |
| we | us | our | ours | ourselves |
| they | them | their | theirs | themselves |
- She called me. · This is my helmet; that one is yours.
After prepositions, use object pronouns: "between you and me" (not between you and I).
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: Me and him went to the PX.✓Right: He and I went to the PX.
- ✗Wrong: This book is her's.✓Right: This book is hers.
- ✗Wrong: The dog wagged it's tail.✓Right: The dog wagged its tail.
Reflexive pronouns and each other
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| the subject and the object are the same person | He cut himself while shaving. |
| emphasis: that person and nobody else | The general himself came to see us. |
| by + reflexive = alone, without help | She repaired the radio by herself. |
| each other, one another: the action goes both ways | The two soldiers helped each other. |
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: The two brothers called themselves every week.✓Right: The two brothers called each other every week.
Another, other, the other, others
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| another + singular noun | one more, or a different one | Can I have another cup? · Let's try another way. |
| other + plural noun | different ones | I have other plans. |
| the other + singular noun | the second of two | One hand was cold; the other one was warm. |
| the other + plural, the others | the rest of a group | Two stayed; the others left. |
| others (alone) | some different people or things | Some like coffee; others prefer tea. |
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: I need an other pen.✓Right: I need another pen.
Indefinite pronouns
| Group | People | Things | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| some- (positive) | someone, somebody | something | somewhere |
| any- (negative, questions) | anyone, anybody | anything | anywhere |
| no- (negative meaning) | no one, nobody | nothing | nowhere |
| every- (all) | everyone, everybody | everything | everywhere |
They take a singular verb: "Everyone is here." · "Nobody knows the answer." They and their can refer back to them: "Somebody left their jacket."
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: I didn't see nobody.✓Right: I didn't see anybody. (or I saw nobody.)
Quick check
Choose an answer: the explanation appears straight away.
1The recruits introduced ___ to the new sergeant.
2This locker is ___.
3I have two brothers. One is a pilot; ___ is a doctor.
4The two pilots greeted ___ warmly.
5There isn't ___ in the office right now.
Practice grammar
Start practicing1,045 grammar questions with explanations, in the trainer.