pronouns
pronouns — noun
- pronounssingular
- pronounsesplural
1. a word that you use in speaking or writing to avoid repeating a noun that your l
a word that you use in speaking or writing to avoid repeating a noun that your listener or reader already knows — for example, 'she' for a woman you have just named, or 'it' for an object you have just described
Dahlia underlined all the pronouns in the paragraph and counted fifteen of them.
In Nila's writing, the same three pronouns appeared more than thirty times.
'I', 'you', and 'we' are three of the first pronouns that English learners study.
Without pronouns, a simple story about one person becomes awkward and full of repetition.
The teacher asked Tuan to circle every pronoun on the page and name its type.
- pro-form
a broader linguistic term that includes pronouns, pro-verbs, and pro-adjectives; rarely used outside academic grammar
- substitute word
a general, non-technical term for anything that takes the place of something else; not specific to grammar
用法筆記
A countable noun. Use 'a pronoun' for one word and 'pronouns' for more than one or for the category in general. 'Pronouns' (plural) is more common when talking about the word class as a whole.
常見錯誤
2. the set of personal pronouns, like 'she/her' or 'they/them', that someone uses t
the set of personal pronouns, like 'she/her' or 'they/them', that someone uses to express their gender identity and asks other people to use when speaking about them
At the workshop, everyone wore a name tag that also showed their pronouns.
Mira added 'she/her' pronouns to her email signature after a colleague suggested it.
collocation: add pronouns to (an email signature / a profile)
When introducing yourself for the first time, sharing your pronouns helps others address you correctly.
Benjamin's manager included his pronouns in the team directory for the first time.
The registration form had a small box where students could write in their pronouns.
- preferred pronouns
an older term that is falling out of use; 'pronouns' alone is now more common and avoids suggesting they are just a preference
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural. You ask 'What are your pronouns?' (not 'What is your pronoun?'). Often appears with a possessive adjective: 'my pronouns', 'her pronouns', 'their pronouns'. Distinguish from sense 1 (GRAMMAR WORD): this sense is about personal identity, not about grammar.