Pronouns — Part of Speech | MaargX UPSC | Rules, Examples & Practice Questions

A MaargX UPSC Complete Grammar Guide | Rules, Examples & Practice Questions

A Pronoun is a word used in place of a noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition and make sentences more concise. Pronouns refer to persons, places, things, or ideas that have already been mentioned (the antecedent) or are understood from context.

'Ravi studied hard. He passed the exam.' — 'He' is a pronoun replacing 'Ravi'.

Concept Rules Common Errors Rules Summary Questions Practice Q&A

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📖 Complete Concept Explanation — Pronouns | Part of Speech

1.1 Definition of Pronoun

Example: 'Ravi studied hard. He passed the exam.' — 'He' is a pronoun replacing 'Ravi'.

1.2 Types and Classifications of Pronouns

Type of Pronoun	Function	Examples
Personal Pronouns	Replace names of persons or things	I, we, you, he, she, it, they, me, us, him, her, them
Possessive Pronouns	Show ownership or belonging	mine, ours, yours, his, hers, its, theirs
Reflexive Pronouns	Reflect the action back to the subject	myself, ourselves, yourself, yourselves, himself, herself, itself, themselves
Emphatic Pronouns	Add emphasis to the subject or object	myself, himself, herself, itself (same form as reflexive, different function)
Demonstrative Pronouns	Point to specific persons or things	this, that, these, those
Indefinite Pronouns	Refer to non-specific persons or things	all, each, either, neither, none, anyone, everyone, somebody, nobody, much, many
Relative Pronouns	Introduce relative clauses; connect clause to antecedent	who, whom, whose, which, that
Interrogative Pronouns	Used to ask questions	who, whom, whose, which, what
Reciprocal Pronouns	Express mutual action between two or more	each other (2 persons), one another (3+ persons)
Distributive Pronouns	Refer to persons or things one at a time	each, either, neither
Compound Relative Pronouns	Combine relative + indefinite meaning	whoever, whomever, whichever, whatever, whosoever

1.3 Personal Pronouns — Cases and Forms

Personal pronouns change form based on three CASES: Nominative (Subject), Accusative (Object), and Possessive.

Person / Number	Nominative (Subject)	Accusative (Object)	Possessive Adjective	Absolute Possessive
First Person Singular	I	me	my	mine
First Person Plural	we	us	our	ours
Second Person (Sing. & Pl.)	you	you	your	yours
Third Person Sing. (M)	he	him	his	his
Third Person Sing. (F)	she	her	her	hers
Third Person Sing. (Neuter)	it	it	its	its
Third Person Plural	they	them	their	theirs

Memory Tricks & Mnemonics

WHO vs. WHOM: Replace with 'he/she' → use WHO. Replace with 'him/her' → use WHOM. Both 'him' and 'whom' end in M — a useful reminder.

ITS vs. IT'S: Expand 'it's' to 'it is'. If the sentence still makes sense, use 'it's'. If not, use possessive 'its'.

EACH OTHER / ONE ANOTHER: Count the parties. Two → 'each other'. Three or more → 'one another'. Count before you choose.

PREPOSITION + WHOM: All prepositions demand the accusative case. 'For whom', 'to whom', 'with whom' — never 'who' after a preposition.

MYSELF TEST: Try replacing 'myself' with 'I' or 'me'. If either fits naturally, do NOT use 'myself'. Reserve 'myself' only for reflexive or emphatic function.

COLLECTIVE NOUN RULE: One decision, one voice, one action → 'it/its'. Individual members acting separately → 'they/their'.

📏 Grammar Rules — Pronouns

RULE 1: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement in Number

Ex. 1Each student must bring his or her own pen. (NOT: their — 'each' is singular)

Ex. 2The children completed their assignments on time. ('their' agrees with plural 'children')

Ex. 3Neither of the boys has submitted his project. ('neither' is singular → 'his', not 'their')

RULE 2: Nominative Case After Linking Verbs; Accusative Case After Prepositions

Ex. 1It is I who am responsible for the project. (NOT: 'It is me who is...')

Ex. 2Between you and me, the plan has serious flaws. (NOT: 'Between you and I')

Ex. 3She is more experienced than I [am] in this field. ('than' as conjunction → nominative 'I')

RULE 3: Reflexive Pronouns Cannot Replace Subject or Simple Object Pronouns

Ex. 1WRONG: 'Myself attended the conference.' │ CORRECT: 'I attended the conference.'

Ex. 2WRONG: 'Please contact myself.' │ CORRECT: 'Please contact me.'

Ex. 3CORRECT emphatic: 'I myself reviewed the entire document.' (stresses the subject)

RULE 4: Collective Nouns Take Singular Pronoun When Acting as One Unit

Ex. 1The committee announced its decision after a long deliberation. (one body → 'its')

Ex. 2The jury has delivered its verdict. (single collective decision → 'its')

Ex. 3The army has revised its recruitment criteria. ('its' — collective singular)

RULE 5: Who vs. Whom — Nominative vs. Accusative Form

Ex. 1'Who' is SUBJECT: 'The officer who filed the report was transferred.' (He filed → who)

Ex. 2'Whom' is OBJECT: 'The officer whom I briefed was transferred.' (I briefed him → whom)

Ex. 3Prepositions need 'whom': 'To whom did you address the letter?' (NOT: 'To who')

RULE 6: Distributive Pronouns — Each, Either, Neither — Always Singular

Ex. 1Each of the ministers has submitted his or her resignation. (singular verb + pronoun)

Ex. 2Either of the two solutions leads to the same outcome. ('either' = singular → 'leads')

Ex. 3Neither of the candidates was found suitable for the post. (NOT: 'were found')

RULE 7: 'Each Other' for Two; 'One Another' for More Than Two

Ex. 1The two nations agreed to support each other in times of crisis. (exactly two → 'each other')

Ex. 2The five delegates congratulated one another after the summit. (more than two)

Ex. 3WRONG: 'The two friends loved one another.' │ CORRECT: '...loved each other.'

RULE 8: Relative Pronouns: 'Who/That' for Persons; 'Which/That' for Things

Ex. 1The officer who/that filed the complaint was later transferred. (person → who/that)

Ex. 2The document which/that was submitted contained errors. (thing → which/that)

Ex. 3WRONG: 'The leader which won the election...' │ CORRECT: 'The leader who won...'

RULE 9: Possessive 'Its' vs. Contraction 'It's'

Ex. 1Its = possessive: 'The organisation lost its credibility.' (belonging to the organisation)

Ex. 2It's = it is: 'It's a matter of national security.' (always expandable to 'it is')

Ex. 3WRONG: 'The company failed to meet it's targets.' │ CORRECT: '...its targets.'

RULE 10: Whoever vs. Whomever — Role Within the Clause Determines Form

Ex. 1'Whoever' (subject in clause): 'Give this post to whoever is most qualified.' (subject of 'is')

Ex. 2'Whomever' (object in clause): 'He appointed whomever the board recommended.' (object of 'recommended')

Ex. 3The role INSIDE the clause takes priority, regardless of the clause's external function.

RULE 11: Expletive 'It' — Dummy Subject with No Antecedent; Always Singular Verb

Ex. 1It is impossible to complete the mission without adequate resources. ('it' = dummy subject)

Ex. 2It was the officers who bore the greatest burden of the operation. ('It was...who' cleft)

Ex. 3WRONG: 'It were the regulations that caused the delay.' │ CORRECT: 'It was the regulations...'

RULE 12: Indefinite Pronoun Agreement — Singular, Plural, and Variable Groups

Ex. 1Singular (always): anyone, everyone, someone, nobody, each, either, neither, one → singular.

Ex. 2Plural (always): both, few, many, several, others → plural verb and pronoun.

Ex. 3Variable: all, none, some, any, most, more — agree with the noun they refer to.

⚠️ Common Pronoun Errors — Correct vs. Incorrect

INCORRECT	CORRECT
Between you and I, this is difficult.	Between you and me, this is difficult.
Myself will attend the meeting.	I will attend the meeting.
The committee gave their approval.	The committee gave its approval.
Neither of them are eligible.	Neither of them is eligible.
The dog wagged it's tail.	The dog wagged its tail.
Who did you speak with? (formal writing)	Whom did you speak with? / With whom did you speak?
Each soldier submitted their report.	Each soldier submitted his or her report.
The two friends loved one another.	The two friends loved each other.
The leader which won spoke to the crowd.	The leader who won spoke to the crowd.
It was me who took the final decision.	It was I who took the final decision.

📋 Rules Summary — Quick Revision Reference

Rule	Statement	Sharp Example
Rule 1	Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number.	Each officer must submit his or her report.
Rule 2	Nominative after linking verbs; Accusative after prepositions.	It is I. │ Between you and me.
Rule 3	Reflexive pronouns cannot be subjects or simple objects.	'Contact me', not 'contact myself'.
Rule 4	Collective nouns acting as one unit → singular pronoun.	The jury gave its verdict.
Rule 5	Who = subject form; Whom = object form.	Who called? │ Whom did you call?
Rule 6	Each, Either, Neither — always singular verb and pronoun.	Neither of them is eligible.
Rule 7	Each other = 2 people; One another = 3 or more.	The two partners helped each other.
Rule 8	Who/That = persons; Which/That = things.	The boy who won. │ The book which I read.
Rule 9	Its = possessive; It's = it is. Never confuse them.	Its policy is clear. │ It's raining today.
Rule 10	Whoever (subject in clause); Whomever (object in clause).	Give it to whoever needs it most.
Rule 11	Expletive 'it' has no antecedent; always takes singular verb.	It was the officers who responded first.
Rule 12	Indefinite pronouns: singular group → singular; plural group → plural.	Everyone has his or her duty. │ Both are present.

🎯 Practice Questions — Part 1 (Q1 to Q60)

CATEGORY 1 — Spot the Mistake Q1–Q15

Each question contains a sentence or group of sentences with one or more pronoun errors. Identify the error and correct it — with a clear reason.

Spot the error: 'Between you and I, this policy is deeply flawed.'

Identify and correct the pronoun error: 'The committee has released their annual report to the public.'

Spot the error: 'Each of the officers have to submit their own assessment report.'

Find the mistake: 'It is me who is responsible for the delay in the project.'

Identify the error: 'Myself and the senior director attended the inauguration ceremony.'

Spot the error: 'The dog injured it's paw while crossing the rocky terrain.'

Correct the following: 'Neither of the two proposals are acceptable to the board.'

Find the pronoun error: 'The army have decided to deploy their additional forces along the border.'

Spot the mistake: 'He is one of those leaders who never admits his mistakes publicly.'

Identify the error: 'One must always fulfill your obligations before claiming one's rights.'

Spot the error: 'The person which filed the complaint has now withdrawn it unconditionally.'

Find the mistake: 'Rama and Sita expressed their devotion for one another throughout their journey.'

Identify and correct: 'The government have published their new defence procurement policy.'

Spot the error: 'Who did the principal award the scholarship to at the annual ceremony?'

Identify all pronoun errors in: 'Everyone in the team must give their best, and they should report to myself by Friday.'

CATEGORY 2 — Fill in the Right Word Q16–Q30

Choose the most grammatically precise pronoun to complete each sentence. More than one option may seem correct at first glance — think carefully.

Fill in the blank: 'The Prime Minister, along with his cabinet colleagues, expressed _____ solidarity with the affected families.'

ahis

btheir

cits

dher

Fill in the blank: 'It is _____ who must bear the ultimate responsibility for the failure.'

bme

cmy

dmine

Fill in the blank: 'The jury delivered _____ verdict after seven days of careful deliberation.'

atheir

bits

chis

dher

Fill in the blank: 'Give this assignment to _____ is best equipped to handle its complexity.'

awhoever

bwhomever

cwho

dwhom

Fill in the blank: 'This is the same document _____ was recovered from the disputed site.'

athat

bwhich

cwho

das

Fill in the blank: '_____ you choose from the available options, ensure it is defensible under the existing framework.'

aWhichever

bWhatever

cWhoever

dWhomever

Fill in the blank: 'She performed far better than _____ in every written test conducted this year.'

bme

cmy

dmine

Fill in the blank: 'The delegation presented _____ consolidated findings to the parliamentary committee.'

aits

btheir

chis

dher

Fill in the blank: 'He distributed the responsibilities among _____ the selection panel deemed most reliable.'

awhoever

bwhomever

cwho

dwhom

Fill in the blank: 'Neither the director nor the officers submitted _____ objection within the stipulated time.'

atheir

bhis

cits

dhis or her

Fill in the blank: 'The police have released _____ official statement regarding the incident.'

atheir

bits

chis

dher

Fill in the blank: 'The two nations pledged to support _____ in all diplomatic endeavours.'

aeach other

bone another

cthemselves

deach one

Fill in the blank: '_____ is she that even her critics cannot deny her contributions to the field.'

aWho

bWhom

cWhose

dSuch

Fill in the blank: 'The data, despite _____ apparent simplicity, conceals several structural flaws.'

aits

btheir

cit's

dhis

Fill in the blank: 'He is the only officer in the division _____ can be trusted with such sensitive intelligence.'

awho

bwhom

cthat

dwhich

CATEGORY 3 — Choose the Correct Sentence Q31–Q45

Four sentences are given. Only one is grammatically correct. Identify it and explain exactly why the other three are wrong.

Choose the grammatically correct sentence:

aIt is me who is responsible for the oversight.

bIt is I who am responsible for the oversight.

cIt is me who am responsible for the oversight.

dIt is I who is responsible for the oversight.

Choose the correct sentence:

aNeither of the candidates were found eligible.

bNeither of the candidates was found eligible.

cNeither of the candidates have been found eligible.

dNeither of the candidates are found eligible.

Choose the sentence that uses the emphatic pronoun correctly:

aMyself will deliver the keynote address at the summit.

bPlease send the final report to myself.

cThe chairman himself reviewed every clause of the agreement.

dThe task was accomplished by himself.

Choose the correct sentence:

aShe and me will lead the investigation team.

bHer and I will lead the investigation team.

cShe and I will lead the investigation team.

dHer and me will lead the investigation team.

Which sentence uses reciprocal pronouns correctly?

aThe two rival nations finally agreed to assist one another.

bThe two rival nations finally agreed to assist each other.

cThe seven member nations agreed to assist each other.

dThe three allied forces supported themselves mutually.

Choose the sentence that correctly uses 'whose':

aThe officer who's application was rejected filed an appeal.

bThe officer whose application was rejected filed an appeal.

cThe officer whom application was rejected filed an appeal.

dThe officer which application was rejected filed an appeal.

Choose the grammatically correct sentence:

aBetween you and I, the merger is unlikely to succeed.

bBetween you and me, the merger is unlikely to succeed.

cBetween you and myself, the merger is unlikely to succeed.

dBetween I and you, the merger is unlikely to succeed.

Identify the error-free sentence:

aThe committee has submitted their recommendations to the ministry.

bThe committee has submitted its recommendations to the ministry.

cThe committee have submitted its recommendations to the ministry.

dThe committee submitted they're recommendations to the ministry.

Choose the correct sentence regarding 'whoever / whomever':

aWhomever breaks the protocol will face strict disciplinary action.

bWhoever breaks the protocol will face strict disciplinary action.

cWho breaks the protocol will face strict disciplinary action.

dWhom breaks the protocol will face strict disciplinary action.

Which sentence correctly uses the pronoun after a comparative conjunction?

aThe new recruit performed better than him in the field exercises.

bThe new recruit performed better than he in the field exercises.

cThe new recruit performed better than his in the field exercises.

dThe new recruit performed better than himself in the field exercises.

Choose the sentence with correct pronoun-antecedent agreement:

aEach minister and each secretary stated their position clearly.

bEach minister and each secretary stated his or her position clearly.

cEach minister and each secretary stated its position clearly.

dEach minister and each secretary stated our position clearly.

Which sentence correctly uses an interrogative pronoun?

aWhom do you think will be selected for the mission?

bWho do you think will be selected for the mission?

cWhose do you think will be selected for the mission?

dWhich do you think will be selected for the mission?

Choose the sentence that correctly uses 'it' as an expletive:

aIt are the officers who must take responsibility.

bIt were the regulations that caused the failure.

cIt is the officers who must take responsibility.

dIt have been proved that he is guilty.

Choose the correct sentence regarding pronoun case after a linking verb:

aThe person most affected was her.

bThe person most affected was she.

cThe person most affected was herself.

dThe person most affected was hers.

Which sentence is entirely free of pronoun errors?

aThe police has released its statement on the matter.

bThe police have released their statement on the matter.

cThe police has released their statement on the matter.

dThe police have released its statement on the matter.

CATEGORY 4 — Analyse, Rewrite & Explain Q46–Q60

These questions require deep analysis of pronoun roles in complex sentences, rewriting for clarity, correcting full paragraphs, or discussing competing grammatical rules — the way a real grammar expert would.

Deep analysis: Identify every pronoun in the following sentence, state its exact type, grammatical case, and function — 'It was he whom she had trusted unconditionally, yet who, in the end, betrayed her.'

Rewrite to eliminate pronoun ambiguity: 'When the director met the commissioner, he appeared visibly nervous and avoided eye contact.'

Advanced correction: Correct all pronoun errors in the following paragraph and provide a rule-based justification for each change — 'The army announced their new deployment policy. Neither of the two units were found combat-ready. The task force also expressed their reservations. It is me who have to present the final report.'

Nuanced analysis: Explain the grammatical and semantic difference between — (i) 'The officials who attended the briefing were informed.' (ii) 'The officials, who attended the briefing, were informed.'

Justify your answer: A student writes — 'If any candidate fails to appear, they will be disqualified.' Is 'they' grammatically correct here? Discuss from both the traditional formal grammar perspective and the modern usage perspective.

Transformation: Combine the following three sentences into one precise sentence using appropriate pronouns — 'A witness came forward. The authorities had not identified the witness before. The witness claimed to have recorded the entire incident.'

Expert correction: Identify the error and correct — 'One should always be loyal to your country and do his duty without expecting reward.'

Analyse the pronoun usage: 'The data, in all its complexity, defies simple categorisation.' — (i) Identify the pronoun; (ii) state its type and case; (iii) explain why 'their' would be incorrect here.

Choose the correct option and explain why each of the other three fails:
(a) Between you and I, this matter is closed.
(b) It was her who authorised the transfer.
(c) The committee submitted its final report without dissent.
(d) Neither of the officers have filed their complaint.

Pronoun shift correction: Rewrite the following passage correcting all pronoun shifts and agreement errors — 'A good leader must always remember their responsibilities. When one leads, you must set an example. Everyone in the team looks up to them for guidance, and each member of the team should feel that their concerns are heard.'

Reflexive vs. emphatic: State whether each use is reflexive or emphatic and justify:
(i) 'She herself drafted every clause of the agreement.'
(ii) 'He hurt himself during the exercise.'
(iii) 'The president himself inaugurated the facility.'
(iv) 'They found themselves in an impossible situation.'

Near-antecedent rule: Correct and explain — 'Neither the general nor the soldiers submitted his report on time.'

Rewrite using a precisely chosen relative pronoun and justify your choice: 'I know a scientist. She has developed a treatment. The treatment has never been tested on humans.'

Expert synthesis: The following sentence contains three pronoun-related errors. Identify all three, state the rule each violates, and write the corrected sentence — 'Everyone in the department have submitted their proposal, and it is them who deserve recognition for its timely completion.'

Critical analysis: Read the following and answer the questions — 'The board of directors, in its capacity as the governing body, decided to exercise their authority to override the decision of the committee, which itself had earlier reversed it's own earlier ruling.'
(i) Identify every pronoun and its type.
(ii) Spot all errors.
(iii) Write the fully corrected sentence.

✅ Practice Q&A — Part 2 (All 60 Answers with Explanations)

CATEGORY 1 — Spot the Mistake — Answers & Explanations Q1–Q15

✔ Answer Error: 'I' should be 'me'.

📌 Explanation'Between' is a preposition and all prepositions must be followed by the objective (accusative) case. 'Me' is the object form of 'I'. 'I' is the nominative (subject) form and cannot follow a preposition. Correct: 'Between you and me, this policy is deeply flawed.'

✔ Answer Error: 'their' should be 'its'.

📌 Explanation'Committee' is a collective noun. When it acts as a single unified body issuing one report, it takes the singular pronoun 'its'. 'Their' implies individual members acting separately, which is not the case here. Correct: '...released its annual report.'

✔ Answer Errors: 'have' should be 'has'; 'their' should be 'his or her'.

📌 Explanation'Each' is a singular distributive pronoun. It always takes a singular verb ('has') and a singular pronoun ('his or her') in formal writing. 'Their' and 'have' both introduce plural agreement, violating the singular nature of 'each'. Correct: 'Each of the officers has to submit his or her own assessment report.'

✔ Answer Error: 'me' should be 'I'; 'is' should be 'am'.

📌 ExplanationAfter a linking verb ('is'), the subject complement must be in the nominative case — hence 'I', not 'me'. Furthermore, the relative pronoun 'who' refers to 'I' and the verb must agree: 'I am', not 'I is'. Correct: 'It is I who am responsible for the delay.'

✔ Answer Error: 'Myself' should be 'I'.

📌 ExplanationReflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, etc.) cannot function as subject pronouns. They are used only when (a) the subject and object are the same person, or (b) for emphatic intensification after the noun. Here 'I' is needed as the grammatical subject. Correct: 'The senior director and I attended the inauguration ceremony.'

✔ Answer Error: 'it's' should be 'its'.

📌 Explanation'It's' is a contraction of 'it is'. 'Its' (without apostrophe) is the possessive form of 'it'. The paw belongs to the dog — possessive is required. Expanding the contraction reveals the error: 'The dog injured it is paw' is nonsensical. Correct: '...injured its paw.'

✔ Answer Error: 'are' should be 'is'.

📌 Explanation'Neither' is a singular indefinite pronoun and always takes a singular verb. 'Is' is the correct form. 'Are' treats 'neither' as plural, which is grammatically incorrect. Correct: 'Neither of the two proposals is acceptable to the board.'

✔ Answer Error: 'have' should be 'has'; 'their' should be 'its'.

📌 Explanation'Army' is a collective noun acting as one unified body making a single decision. It requires the singular verb 'has' and singular pronoun 'its'. Using 'have' and 'their' treats the army as individuals acting separately, contradicting the unified nature of the action. Correct: 'The army has decided to deploy its additional forces along the border.'

✔ Answer Error: 'admits' should be 'admit'.

📌 ExplanationThe relative pronoun 'who' refers to its true antecedent — 'those leaders' (plural), not 'one'. The verb in the relative clause must agree with the actual plural antecedent: 'who never admit'. The singular 'admits' incorrectly treats 'one' as the antecedent. Correct: 'He is one of those leaders who never admit their mistakes publicly.'

✔ Answer Error: 'your' should be 'one's'.

📌 ExplanationWhen 'one' is established as the impersonal generic pronoun, it must be maintained consistently. Switching to 'your' (second person) creates an ungrammatical person shift. 'One's' is the possessive form of 'one'. Correct: 'One must always fulfill one's obligations before claiming one's rights.'

✔ Answer Error: 'which' should be 'who'.

📌 ExplanationThe relative pronoun 'who' (or 'whom') must be used for persons. 'Which' is reserved for animals and inanimate objects. Since 'the person' is human, 'who' is the correct relative pronoun. Correct: 'The person who filed the complaint has now withdrawn it unconditionally.'

✔ Answer Error: 'one another' should be 'each other'.

📌 Explanation'Each other' is the correct reciprocal pronoun when exactly two persons are involved. 'One another' is used when more than two are involved. Since Rama and Sita are two people, 'each other' is required. Correct: '...expressed their devotion for each other throughout their journey.'

✔ Answer Error: 'have' should be 'has'; 'their' should be 'its'.

📌 Explanation'Government' is a collective noun acting as a single governing authority. It requires the singular verb 'has' and the singular pronoun 'its'. 'Have' and 'their' treat the government as a collection of separate individuals rather than a unified body. Correct: 'The government has published its new defence procurement policy.'

✔ Answer Error: 'Who' should be 'Whom'.

📌 Explanation'Whom' is the object form of the interrogative pronoun. The pronoun is the object of the preposition 'to' — 'the principal awarded the scholarship to him/her'. Substituting 'him' confirms the object form needed → 'whom'. Correct: 'Whom did the principal award the scholarship to?' or 'To whom did the principal award the scholarship?'

✔ Answer Errors: (1) 'their' with 'Everyone' should be 'his or her'; (2) 'they' is a number shift from singular 'everyone'; (3) 'myself' should be 'me'.

📌 Explanation(1) 'Everyone' is singular → 'his or her' in formal writing. (2) Shifting from singular 'everyone' to plural 'they' violates number agreement. (3) 'Myself' cannot replace the simple object pronoun 'me' — reflexive pronouns cannot function as plain objects. Correct: 'Everyone in the team must give his or her best, and he or she should report to me by Friday.'

CATEGORY 2 — Fill in the Right Word — Answers & Explanations Q16–Q30

✔ Answer his

📌 Explanation'Along with' does not form a compound subject. The main subject is 'The Prime Minister' (singular, masculine), so the pronoun must agree with it: 'his'. The phrase 'along with his cabinet colleagues' is parenthetical. 'Their' would incorrectly imply a compound subject.

✔ Answer I

📌 ExplanationAfter the linking verb 'is', the subject complement must be in the nominative (subject) case. 'It is I' is the correct formal construction. 'Me' is the accusative/object form and is grammatically incorrect as a subject complement after a linking verb.

✔ Answer its

📌 Explanation'Jury' functions here as a single decision-making unit delivering one collective verdict. Collective nouns acting as one body take the singular possessive pronoun 'its'. 'Their' would imply individual jurors each delivering a separate verdict — contrary to the meaning.

✔ Answer whoever

📌 ExplanationThe noun clause 'whoever is best equipped' is the object of 'to'. However, within its own clause, the pronoun is the subject of 'is'. The subject role inside the clause takes priority. Therefore 'whoever' (nominative) is correct, not 'whomever' (accusative).

✔ Answer that

📌 ExplanationAfter 'the same', 'that' is the preferred relative pronoun in restrictive clauses. 'Which' is also acceptable but more common in non-restrictive clauses. 'Who' is for persons only. 'As' would require a different structural construction ('the same...as').

✔ Answer Whichever

📌 Explanation'Whichever' is a compound relative pronoun meaning 'any one that' from a defined, limited set of options. It correctly introduces the adverb clause here. 'Whatever' refers broadly to things or situations (undefined). 'Whoever/Whomever' refer exclusively to persons, not choices.

✔ Answer I

📌 Explanation'Than' here functions as a conjunction (not a preposition), so the subject form follows. The full sentence: 'She performed far better than I [did] in every written test.' The nominative 'I' is the subject of the understood verb 'did'. Using 'me' would treat 'than' as a preposition — acceptable only in informal usage.

✔ Answer its

📌 Explanation'Delegation' presenting 'consolidated findings' acts as one unified body. Collective nouns acting as one unit take the singular pronoun 'its'. 'Their' would imply individual members presenting separate findings, contradicting 'consolidated'.

✔ Answer whomever

📌 ExplanationThe clause 'whomever the selection panel deemed most reliable' is the object of 'among'. Within this clause, 'whomever' is the object of 'deemed' (the panel deemed him/her reliable). Since the pronoun is the object within the clause, the accusative form 'whomever' is correct.

✔ Answer his or her (formal) / their (proximity rule, nearer = officers)

📌 ExplanationIn 'neither...nor' constructions, the pronoun agrees with the nearer subject (proximity rule). Here 'the officers' (plural) is nearer — so 'their' is acceptable under that rule. However, in strict formal usage, 'his or her' is the safest. Formal competitive answer: 'his or her'. Both perspectives should be known.

✔ Answer their

📌 Explanation'Police' is a unique always-plural noun in English — it invariably takes a plural verb and plural pronoun ('their'), unlike collective nouns such as 'committee' or 'jury'. 'The police have released their statement' is correct in all contexts.

✔ Answer each other

📌 Explanation'The two nations' — exactly two parties. 'Each other' is the reciprocal pronoun for two. 'One another' is for three or more. 'Themselves' is reflexive, changing the meaning entirely.

✔ Answer Who

📌 ExplanationThis is an exclamatory sentence. The pronoun functions as the subject complement of the linking verb 'is', requiring the nominative form 'Who'. 'Whom' is accusative. 'Whose' is possessive. 'Such' is not a pronoun in this construction.

✔ Answer its

📌 Explanation'Data' is used with a singular verb ('conceals'), treating it as singular. The possessive pronoun must agree: 'its'. 'Their' would agree with plural 'data' but is inconsistent with the singular verb used here. 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' — incorrect as a possessive.

✔ Answer who / that

📌 ExplanationAfter 'the only', 'that' is traditionally preferred as the relative pronoun in restrictive clauses. 'Who' is also acceptable for persons. 'Whom' would only be correct if the pronoun were the object of a verb or preposition within the clause. 'Which' is for things only.

CATEGORY 3 — Choose the Correct Sentence — Answers & Explanations Q31–Q45

✔ Answer (b) It is I who am responsible for the oversight.

📌 ExplanationAfter the linking verb 'is', the nominative 'I' is required as the subject complement. 'Who' refers back to 'I' and must agree: 'I am', not 'I is'. Option (a) uses accusative 'me' after a linking verb — incorrect. Option (c) pairs accusative 'me' with 'am' — doubly wrong. Option (d) pairs nominative 'I' with 'is' — correct pronoun but wrong verb agreement.

✔ Answer (b) Neither of the candidates was found eligible.

📌 Explanation'Neither' is a singular indefinite pronoun and always takes a singular verb. 'Was' is the correct singular past form. Options (a), (c), and (d) use plural verb forms — all violate the singular agreement required by 'neither'.

✔ Answer (c) The chairman himself reviewed every clause of the agreement.

📌 ExplanationEmphatic pronouns follow the noun or pronoun they intensify. 'Himself' correctly follows and emphasises 'the chairman'. Option (a) uses 'Myself' as a subject pronoun — incorrect. Option (b) uses 'myself' as an object pronoun — incorrect. Option (d) uses 'himself' as a standalone subject without a preceding noun — invalid.

✔ Answer (c) She and I will lead the investigation team.

📌 ExplanationBoth pronouns in a compound subject must be nominative. 'She' and 'I' are both subject forms. Test by removing one: 'I will lead' ✓; 'She will lead' ✓. Options (a) and (d) use 'me' — accusative, wrong as subject. Option (b) uses 'Her' — accusative, wrong as subject.

✔ Answer (b) The two rival nations finally agreed to assist each other.

📌 Explanation'Each other' is the reciprocal pronoun for exactly two parties. Two nations = two → 'each other'. Option (a) uses 'one another' for two — incorrect. Option (c) uses 'each other' for seven — incorrect (should be 'one another'). Option (d) uses reflexive 'themselves' — not reciprocal.

✔ Answer (b) The officer whose application was rejected filed an appeal.

📌 Explanation'Whose' is the possessive relative pronoun for persons. Option (a) uses 'who's' (= 'who is') — a contraction, not possessive. Option (c) uses 'whom' — the object form, cannot precede a noun as possessive. Option (d) uses 'which' — for things, not persons.

✔ Answer (b) Between you and me, the merger is unlikely to succeed.

📌 Explanation'Between' is a preposition requiring the accusative case. 'Me' is the object form. Option (a) uses nominative 'I' after a preposition — incorrect. Option (c) uses 'myself' — a reflexive pronoun cannot function as a simple prepositional object. Option (d) reverses order but still uses nominative 'I' — still incorrect.

✔ Answer (b) The committee has submitted its recommendations to the ministry.

📌 Explanation'Committee' acting as one body → singular verb 'has' + singular pronoun 'its'. Option (a) uses plural 'their' with singular 'has' — inconsistent. Option (c) uses plural 'have' with singular 'its' — inconsistent. Option (d) uses 'they're' (they are) — a contraction, not possessive.

✔ Answer (b) Whoever breaks the protocol will face strict disciplinary action.

📌 Explanation'Whoever' introduces the noun clause as the subject of 'will face'. Within its clause, 'whoever' is also the subject of 'breaks' — nominative form required. Option (a) uses 'Whomever' — accusative, wrong as clause subject. Options (c) and (d) use simple interrogative pronouns which cannot introduce indefinite noun clauses in this way.

✔ Answer (b) The new recruit performed better than he in the field exercises.

📌 Explanation'Than' is a conjunction, not a preposition. Full sentence: 'better than he [performed]'. Subject form 'he' is correct after conjunctive 'than'. Option (a) uses accusative 'him' — informal, incorrect in formal grammar. Option (c) uses possessive 'his'. Option (d) uses reflexive 'himself' — no grammatical basis.

✔ Answer (b) Each minister and each secretary stated his or her position clearly.

📌 ExplanationWhen 'each' is used twice connecting two singular subjects, the construction is strongly singular. Formal grammar requires 'his or her'. Option (a) uses 'their' — informal, not accepted with double 'each' in strict formal usage. Option (c) uses 'its' — incorrect for persons. Option (d) uses 'our' — first-person plural with no referent.

✔ Answer (b) Who do you think will be selected for the mission?

📌 ExplanationThe pronoun is the subject of 'will be selected' in the embedded clause. 'Do you think' is a parenthetical aside. Substitution: 'He/she will be selected' — subject form → 'who'. Option (a) uses 'Whom' — object form, incorrect here. Options (c) and (d) use possessive/general forms — grammatically inappropriate.

✔ Answer (c) It is the officers who must take responsibility.

📌 ExplanationExpletive 'it' introduces a cleft sentence and always takes the singular verb 'is'. Options (a) and (b) use plural verbs 'are'/'were' with expletive 'it' — always wrong. Option (d) uses 'have been proved' — does not correctly deploy the cleft 'it...who' construction. Option (c) is a clean, fully correct cleft sentence.

✔ Answer (b) The person most affected was she.

📌 ExplanationAfter a linking verb ('was'), the subject complement must be nominative. 'She' is nominative. Test: reverse — 'She was the person most affected' — confirms nominative. Option (a) uses accusative 'her' — incorrect after a linking verb. Option (c) uses emphatic/reflexive 'herself'. Option (d) uses absolute possessive 'hers' — grammatically nonsensical.

✔ Answer (b) The police have released their statement on the matter.

📌 Explanation'Police' is always a plural noun in English, invariably taking a plural verb ('have') and a plural pronoun ('their'). Unlike collective nouns (jury, committee), 'police' is always plural. Options (a) and (c) use singular 'has' with 'police' — always incorrect. Option (d) uses plural 'have' but pairs it with singular 'its' — inconsistent.

CATEGORY 4 — Analyse, Rewrite & Explain — Answers & Explanations Q46–Q60

✔ Answer It — expletive (no antecedent, subject); he — personal, nominative, subject complement; whom — relative, accusative, object of 'had trusted'; who — relative, nominative, subject of 'betrayed'; her — personal, accusative, object of 'betrayed'.

📌 ExplanationFive pronouns, five distinct roles: 'It' is a dummy subject filling the subject slot with no referent — always takes singular verb. 'He' is nominative as subject complement of the linking verb 'was'. 'Whom' is accusative because it is the object of 'had trusted' ('she had trusted him'). 'Who' is nominative because it is the subject of 'betrayed'. 'Her' is accusative as the object of 'betrayed'. The sentence models correct case usage throughout.

✔ Answer (i) '...the director appeared visibly nervous...' OR (ii) '...the commissioner appeared visibly nervous...' — depending on intended meaning.

📌 ExplanationThe original is pronominally ambiguous — 'he' could refer to either noun. Two third-person masculine nouns before a pronoun makes reference unclear. Rule: every pronoun must have a clear, unambiguous antecedent. When ambiguity exists, replace the pronoun with the intended noun. The writer must decide the intended meaning before rewriting.

✔ Answer (1) 'their' → 'its'; (2) 'were' → 'was'; (3) 'their' → 'its'; (4) 'me' → 'I'; 'have' → 'am'.

📌 Explanation(1) 'Army' acting as unified authority → singular 'its' (Rule 4). (2) 'Neither of the two units' — 'neither' is always singular → 'was found' (Rule 6). (3) 'Task force' as collective body → 'its reservations' (Rule 4). (4) After linking verb 'is', nominative 'I'; 'who' refers to 'I' → 'am'. Corrected: 'The army announced its new deployment policy. Neither of the two units was found combat-ready. The task force also expressed its reservations. It is I who am to present the final report.'

✔ Answer (i) Restrictive — defines which officials (only those who attended). (ii) Non-restrictive — all officials attended; clause adds supplementary information.

📌 ExplanationIn (i), 'who attended the briefing' is restrictive: it limits 'officials' to only those present. No commas. Removing the clause changes the meaning materially. In (ii), commas mark the clause as non-restrictive (parenthetical): all officials are already identified. Removing it leaves the core sentence intact and unchanged. Both use 'who', but punctuation and syntactic role are fundamentally different — a critical distinction in formal writing.

✔ Answer Traditional formal grammar: Incorrect — 'he or she'. Modern usage: Increasingly accepted as singular 'they'.

📌 Explanation'Any candidate' is singular. Traditional formal grammar requires 'he or she will be disqualified' to maintain singular pronoun-antecedent agreement. However, contemporary grammar — including AP, Chicago, and Oxford style guides — now accepts singular 'they' as a gender-neutral epicene pronoun. In formal competitive examination contexts, 'he or she' remains the safest answer. Students must know both perspectives.

✔ Answer 'A witness who claimed to have recorded the entire incident came forward, though the authorities had not previously identified her.'

📌 Explanation'Who' introduces the relative clause — 'a witness' is a person, and 'who' is the subject of 'claimed'. 'Her' replaces 'the witness' as the object of 'identified'. The three sentences are merged without unnecessary repetition while preserving all information.

✔ Answer Errors: (1) 'your' → 'one's'; (2) 'his' → 'one's'. Corrected: 'One should always be loyal to one's country and do one's duty without expecting reward.'

📌 ExplanationWhen 'one' is established as the impersonal generic pronoun, it must be sustained with 'one' and 'one's' throughout. Switching to 'your' (second person) is a person shift error. Switching to 'his' (third person gendered) is both a person shift and a gender-specificity error. Consistency demands 'one's' for all possessive references following impersonal 'one'.

✔ Answer (i) 'its' — possessive form of personal pronoun 'it', functioning as possessive adjective; (ii) Possessive (no case distinction); (iii) 'Their' would be wrong because 'data' is treated as singular here (singular verb 'defies').

📌 Explanation'Its' is the third-person singular neuter possessive form of 'it', modifying 'complexity'. Since the verb 'defies' is singular, the writer treats 'data' as singular, making 'their' inconsistent and incorrect in this specific sentence. This demonstrates the importance of internal consistency between verb agreement and pronoun choice.

✔ Answer (c) is correct. The committee submitted its final report without dissent.

📌 ExplanationOption (a): 'Between you and I' — preposition 'between' requires accusative 'me'. Violates Rule 2. Option (b): 'It was her who authorised' — after linking verb 'was', nominative 'she' required, not accusative 'her'. Violates Rule 2. Option (c): 'committee...its' — collective noun, one body, singular possessive 'its'. Fully correct. Option (d): 'Neither...have filed their complaint' — 'neither' is singular → 'has filed' and 'his or her complaint'. Violates Rules 2 and 6.

✔ Answer Corrected: 'A good leader must always remember his or her responsibilities. When one leads, one must set an example. Everyone in the team looks up to him or her for guidance, and each member of the team should feel that his or her concerns are heard.'

📌 ExplanationFour errors corrected: (1) 'their' with 'A good leader' (singular) → 'his or her'. (2) 'you must' after 'one leads' — person shift → 'one must'. (3) 'them' after singular 'Everyone' → 'him or her'. (4) 'their' with 'each member' (singular) → 'his or her'. All corrections maintain formal singular agreement and eliminate person shifts throughout.

✔ Answer (i) Emphatic — 'herself' intensifies 'She'; (ii) Reflexive — 'himself' is the object of 'hurt'; (iii) Emphatic — 'himself' intensifies 'The president'; (iv) Reflexive — 'themselves' is the object of 'found'.

📌 Explanation(i) 'She herself drafted' — 'herself' adds emphasis, is not the grammatical object — emphatic. (ii) 'He hurt himself' — 'himself' is the direct object of 'hurt'; subject and object are the same — reflexive. (iii) 'The president himself inaugurated' — emphasises personal involvement, not a grammatical object — emphatic. (iv) 'They found themselves' — 'themselves' is the direct object; subject and object are the same — reflexive. Key: reflexive = same-subject object; emphatic = intensifier that is NOT the grammatical object.

✔ Answer Proximity rule: 'Neither the general nor the soldiers submitted their report on time.' OR reorder: 'Neither the soldiers nor the general submitted his report on time.'

📌 ExplanationIn 'neither...nor' constructions, the verb and pronoun agree with the nearer subject (proximity rule). 'The soldiers' is the nearer subject and is plural → 'their' is correct. If reversed ('neither the soldiers nor the general'), 'his' (singular, masculine) applies. Word order directly determines which agreement form is correct.

✔ Answer 'I know a scientist who has developed a treatment that has never been tested on humans.'

📌 Explanation'Who' is the relative pronoun for persons (the scientist). 'That' introduces the restrictive relative clause for the treatment (a thing). Both are restrictive clauses — no commas needed. The three sentences are fused into one fluent, precise sentence with correct relative pronoun selection throughout.

✔ Answer Three errors: (1) 'have submitted' → 'has submitted'; (2) 'their proposal' → 'his or her proposal'; (3) 'it is them' → 'it is they'. Corrected: 'Everyone in the department has submitted his or her proposal, and it is they who deserve recognition for its timely completion.'

📌 Explanation(1) 'Everyone' is singular → singular verb 'has'. (2) 'Everyone' is singular → 'his or her' in formal writing. (3) After the linking verb 'is', the nominative form is required — 'they' not 'them'. Note: 'its timely completion' referring to 'proposal' (singular) is correct and is NOT an error. Three clear rule violations in one sentence.

✔ Answer (i) Pronouns: 'its' (possessive adjective), 'their' (possessive personal — error), 'which' (relative), 'itself' (emphatic — correct), 'it's' (error — intended possessive). (ii) Errors: 'their' → 'its'; 'it's' → 'its'. (iii) Corrected: 'The board of directors, in its capacity as the governing body, decided to exercise its authority to override the decision of the committee, which itself had earlier reversed its own earlier ruling.'

📌 Explanation(1) 'their authority' — 'board of directors' is a collective noun acting as one unified body → 'its authority'. Violates Rule 4. (2) 'it's own earlier ruling' — 'it's' = 'it is'; the possessive is 'its'. Violates Rule 9. 'Itself' is correctly used as an emphatic pronoun emphasising that the committee reversed its own ruling. The first 'its' (in its capacity) is correctly singular. Full correction restores both 'its' forms and removes the erroneous apostrophe.

Pronouns — Part of Speech | MaargX UPSC | Rules, Examples & Practice Questions

1.1 Definition of Pronoun

1.2 Types and Classifications of Pronouns

1.3 Personal Pronouns — Cases and Forms

Memory Tricks & Mnemonics

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