English grammar - Pronoun for class 5
Pronouns put simply, are a replacement for nouns. They make sentence formation easier. You would find it confusing to write and speak in English without pronouns. They are the most commonly used words in our daily lives. While pronouns can be of several kinds, their primary purpose is to offer an option to the nouns in a sentence. This allows you to avoid repetitions and make the sentences easier to understand. After all, if a language is not easy to use, it does not become popular. The most commonly used pronouns are: I, we, they, and you.
A student in Class 5 is between 9 and 10 years of age. This is when a child’s brain is highly receptive to learning things quickly. English is not the primary language or the mother tongue. For most families in India, it is always better if children are initiated into the language basics early. The learning material curated by PlanetSpark allows children to learn its usage in a fun way. Our educators have made pronouns for Class 5 students more straightforward with all the learning tools available online. You can find relevant information about the pronouns used in the English language and their usage here.
Kinds of Pronouns
Pronouns for children have been divided into different kinds. We shall discuss the eight main types of pronouns. This classification simplifies the idea behind the use of pronouns. The following sections will inform you how different pronouns can form sentences. This learning material is aligned with the outline for CBSE Class 5 English pronouns. So, you will revise your coursebook while having fun here. You shall find examples, rules, and types of pronouns explained in detail here:
- Personal pronoun
Pronouns that replace nouns, in general, are called personal nouns. These pronouns can refer to persons and animals. We use them while talking or writing about places and things.
Examples
- Ranu is sleeping (Sentence with a noun)
She is sleeping (Sentence with a pronoun)
- I am Padam, and the cat belongs to Padam. (Sentence with a repeated noun)
I am Padam, and the cat belongs to me. (Sentence with a pronoun)
Tip: These pronouns are called personal pronouns because they are used in the first, second and third-person accounts. As you can see, a pronoun simplifies the language and makes it easier to understand.
- Interrogative pronouns
When you use a pronoun to ask questions, it is an interrogative pronoun. These questions can be about anyone or anything.
Example
Who is your mother?
What is there in the bag?
Tip: Interrogative pronouns will always be used in the question format. Such sentences will end with a question mark.
- Demonstrative pronoun
When a noun has been already mentioned in a conversation, a pronoun replaces that noun. These replacements are called demonstrative pronouns.
Example
The roses are beautiful. Who could have sent these?
(Here, ‘these’ replaces roses, the noun, in the second sentence. ‘These’ refers to the ‘roses’, which a reader is already aware of.)
Tip: Demonstrative pronoun points to an ongoing conversation. It presumes a context and carries forward with the subject. Ask yourself if the pronoun you are using describes something or someone you are already aware of. If you are, then it is likely a demonstrative pronoun.
- Reflexive pronoun
When a subject reflects on its action, the pronouns used to identify it are called reflexive pronouns.
Example
- He bought himself a new house.
- God helps those who help themselves.
Tip: Remember that the subject and object will be the same when a reflexive pronoun is used in a sentence.
- Emphatic pronoun
As their name suggests, these pronouns emphasise something or someone. This could be a noun or a pronoun to which an emphatic pronoun draws attention. That is why these pronouns are also referred to as intensive pronouns.
Examples
- They completed the task themselves.
- The cat itself is responsible for the broken leg.
Tip: Students learning pronouns for Class 5 often get confused between emphatic and reflexive pronouns. Whenever you face this question, ask yourself if removing the pronoun takes away the importance of the noun or the pronoun it was drawing attention to.
- Relative pronoun
The pronouns, which we use to provide more information about the subject, are called relative pronouns. They are called relative pronouns because they are linked to the noun in focus—that, which, who, whom and what are examples of relative pronouns.
Example
I loved the cookies that you baked for me.
(In this sentence, ‘that’ gives us some more information about cookies.)
- Indefinite pronoun
When we use a pronoun to address anyone or anything, they are called indefinite pronouns. Such pronouns do not explain a quantifiable, measurable entity; they could be referring to anything under the sun. Typical examples are everyone, anyone, something, little, many, and some.
Examples
- Can you get us something to eat?
- Everyone was late for work today.
- Possessive pronoun
When talking about a person or a place owning something, such pronouns are called possessive pronouns. These pronouns tell us about things or qualities that belong to a subject.
Example
- Our car is bigger than theirs.
- This dog is mine.
Rules for usage
Pronouns for Class 5 are usually easy to spot. They are also not confusing, unlike some other parts of speech in the English language. Some basic guidelines can come in handy in understanding the placement and role of pronouns. Their usage has already been illustrated with examples, rules, and types of pronouns. We will outline the essential points about Class 5 English grammar pronouns that you should bear in mind.
- Pronouns replace a noun. They do not eliminate it.
It is important to remember that pronouns are ‘replacement words’ or ‘replacement nouns’. They help us replace a noun when there is repetition. Pronouns also make it easier to understand other parts of speech in a sentence. But they do not eliminate a noun. A noun can be silent in its treatment, but it is indispensable in a sentence structure. Without a noun, a sentence will look incomplete.
- Always pair a singular noun with a singular version of the personal pronoun. You cannot use a plural form with a singular noun.
- For example: “The manager asked their employees to stay back. This is an incorrect usage.”
- The manager asked her employees to stay back. This is the correct pairing.
- Collective nouns appear singular but can be paired with plural forms of pronouns. For example: “The police took their arms to the crime scene.”
- Cases of pronouns
There are three cases of pronouns. These are: subjective, objective and possessive.
- As the name suggests, subjective pronouns serve as the subject in a sentence. The most commonly used subjective pronouns are: I, you, it, we, they, he and she. Such pronouns also go by the name of nominative pronouns.
- Objective pronouns are also known as accusative pronouns. These pronouns point to something in the process of happening to someone. Examples of such pronouns: Me, us, him, her, and them. Notice how the tone changes in the objective pronouns compared with the subjective ones.
- Possessive pronouns, as discussed above, denote the act of belonging to something or someone. Pronouns such as my and mine, their and theirs, your and yours are possessive pronouns.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a pronoun in the English language?
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence. It is a replacement word that makes the sentence easier to understand.
- How many kinds of pronouns are there?
Pronouns for children have been divided into eight broad categories. There are personal, interrogative, demonstrative, reflexive, emphatic, relative, indefinite and possessive pronouns.
- Can pronouns be used as replacements for pronouns?
Pronouns replace a subject in the sentence. It could be a noun or a pronoun.
- How do you recognise an interrogative pronoun?
Interrogative pronouns end with a question mark. Unlike other pronouns, they bring a subject into question. That is why these pronouns for children are more accessible to spot than others.
- What is an indefinite pronoun?
When a pronoun addresses anyone or anything in general, they are called indefinite pronouns.
- How is PlanetSpark literature different from the books for CBSE class 5 English pronouns?
While aligned with the Class 5 English grammar and pronouns, our learning material is easier for kids to understand. It is always recommended to refer to more than one book for a better grasp of a subject.
Summary
A pronoun is a constructive part of speech in the English language. It takes the burden off the noun in a sentence. A pronoun allows you to attribute the noun multiple times in a sentence without diluting its meaning. It also eliminates confusion and makes the language simpler. There are numerous kinds of pronouns in use. For simplicity’s sake, pronouns for children can be classified into eight types. These are also the most popular and in sync with the CBSE Class 5 English pronouns provided in books recommended in schools affiliated. Pronouns are famous as ‘replacement nouns’. Pronouns for class 5 are used in everyday conversations. PlanetSpark’s learning material on online pronouns for Class 5 can be easily understood by students and teachers alike.