Question

What is a word that replaces a noun to avoid repetition called?

• A. Adjective
• B. Pronoun
• C. Conjunction
• D. Interjection

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Pronoun

Pronoun: A Word to Avoid Repetition

Definition and Purpose

• A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun or noun phrase.
• The primary purpose of using pronouns is to prevent the repetitive use of nouns, making sentences and writing more concise and fluent.

Types of Pronouns (Relevant for Exams)

Understanding different types of pronouns is crucial for grammar and syntax questions in competitive exams.

Personal Pronouns

• Refer to specific persons or things.
• Subject Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they (e.g., She went to the market.)
• Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them (e.g., Give the book to him.)
• Possessive Pronouns: my, your, his, her, its, our, their (used before a noun) and mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs (stand alone). (e.g., This is my car. This car is mine.)

Demonstrative Pronouns

• Point to specific nouns.
• Examples: this, that, these, those (e.g., This is a beautiful flower.)

Interrogative Pronouns

• Used to ask questions.
• Examples: who, whom, whose, which, what (e.g., Who is at the door? What do you want?)

Relative Pronouns

• Introduce relative clauses and connect them to the main clause.
• Examples: who, whom, whose, which, that (e.g., The boy who won the race is my friend.)

Reflexive Pronouns

• Refer back to the subject of the sentence.
• Formed by adding -self or -selves to personal pronouns.
• Examples: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves (e.g., He hurt himself.)

Indefinite Pronouns

• Refer to non-specific persons or things.
• Examples: all, any, each, everybody, everyone, nobody, somebody, someone, few, many, several, some, etc. (e.g., Everybody is welcome.)

Common Exam Pitfalls

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'each', 'nobody' are always singular and require singular verbs.
• Pronoun Antecedent Agreement: The pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it replaces (the antecedent).
• Correct Usage of Who/Whom: 'Who' is used as a subject, 'whom' as an object.