Indefinite Pronouns | Examples & List

Published on October 23, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 14, 2025

Indefinite pronouns (e.g., “someone” or “several”) are different from other pronouns because they refer to nouns that are general, vague, or undetermined. An indefinite pronoun refers to all, one or more, or none of the people, places, or things in a category.

Indefinite pronouns examples
Everyone in the family saw the comet except for me.

I asked Cathy to bring something sweet to the dinner party.

I knocked several times, but nobody answered.

Many indefinite pronouns start with “any,” “no,” “some,” or “every” and end with “-one,” “-body,” or “-thing.” Examples of these include “anybody” or “everything.” Other indefinite pronouns—such as “much,” “little,” and “either”—aren’t compound words.

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Intensive Pronouns | Examples & List

Published on October 10, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

An intensive pronoun (e.g., “myself” or “itself”) refers to another noun or pronoun in the same sentence. The purpose of an intensive pronoun is to show that a person or thing is exceptional, successful, or self-sufficient (because it’s mentioned twice).

In English, the intensive pronouns are the same words as the reflexive pronouns. These words begin with a possessive determiner (e.g., “her”) or an object pronoun (e.g., “him”). They also end in “-self” or “-selves,” depending on whether they’re singular or plural. There are intensive forms for all of the personal pronouns and the impersonal pronoun “one.”

English intensive pronouns list 
Pronoun Person Number Examples
Myself First Singular Some people like bragging, but I myself am quite humble.
Ourselves First Plural We don’t need to buy lettuce. We’re growing it ourselves!
Yourself Second Singular You said yourself that you’re wary of fad diets.
Yourselves Second Plural Did the two of you really draw these pictures yourselves?
Himself Third Singular Trey himself said, “Keep what’s important, and know who’s your friend.”
Herself Third Singular Margaret herself wrote several dystopian novels.
Themself Third Singular Sam themself won five Grammy awards.
Themselves Third Singular Each voter needs to cast a ballot themselves.
Themselves Third Plural The students organized the homecoming parade themselves.
Oneself Third Singular Anyone who wants something done right should do it oneself.
Itself Third Singular This robot vacuum itself is the hardest-working member of this family.
Note
“Themselves” is an intensive pronoun that goes with “they.” It can be plural if it refers to multiple people/objects or singular if it refers to one nonbinary or hypothetical person—just like the singular “they,” “Themself” has also become increasingly common.

“Themselves” and “themself” are both correct singular, third-person intensive pronouns, but some style guides or instructors recommend one instead of the other. When you’re unsure about which one to use, ask your instructor, or consult the style guide you’re using (e.g., APA).

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Reflexive Pronouns | Examples & List

Published on October 9, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

Reflexive pronouns, such as “himself,” “ourselves,” and “yourself,” refer to the noun that’s also the subject of a sentence or clause.

These pronouns end in “-self” or “-selves,” depending on whether they’re singular or plural. The beginning of each reflexive pronoun is either a possessive determiner (e.g., “my”) or an object pronoun (e.g., “them”).

English reflexive pronouns list 
Pronoun Person Number Examples
Myself First Singular Sometimes I talk to myself when I’m alone.
Ourselves First Plural We entertained ourselves for hours with the new karaoke machine.
Yourself Second Singular If you drive yourself to the party, I’ll meet you there.
Yourselves Second Plural Please help yourselves to the free donuts on the table.
Himself Third Singular Juan was so proud of himself when he finished his dissertation.
Herself Third Singular Kloe looked at herself in the mirror and saw her mother staring back.
Themself Third Singular Yudhi considers themself an expert in large language models.
Themselves Third Singular After a long day of classes, Kelly ordered themselves a pizza.
Themselves Third Plural Teachers usually don’t consider themselves heroes, but they truly are.
Oneself Third Singular One should always be able to laugh at oneself.
Itself Third Singular This dirty pan isn’t going to wash itself.
Note
The singular, third-person reflexive pronoun for a nonbinary or hypothetical person can be “themselves” or “themself.” When you’re unsure about which one to use, ask your instructor, or consult the style guide you’re using (e.g., APA).

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Third-Person Pronouns | List & Examples

Published on October 8, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

Third-person pronouns refer to other nouns, which can be people (e.g., “she,” “he,” and “they”) as well as places, ideas, or objects (e.g., “it” or “they”).

Like first-person pronouns and second-person pronouns, third-person pronouns can be singular or plural, and there are four types—subject, object, possessive, and reflexive.

English third-person pronouns list
Subject Object Possessive Reflexive
Singular he, she, it him, her, it his, hers, its himself, herself, itself
Singular or plural they them theirs themselves, themself,
Plural they them theirs themselves

The pronouns “they,” “them,” “theirs,” and “themselves” can be singular or plural depending on who or what they represent.

  • The singular “they” pronouns refer to a nonbinary person or a hypothetical person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown.
  • As plurals, the forms of “they” refer to two or more people or objects.

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Good Luck | Synonyms, Meanings & Examples

Published on October 8, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on April 8, 2026

Saying good luck is a common way to encourage a friend, colleague, or loved one before a big or small endeavor. You might say “good luck” before a competition, presentation, test, or job interview, but it works for ordinary situations, too.

“Good luck” can be used by itself (e.g., “Good luck!”) or in the following ways:

  • With a prepositional phrase (e.g., “Good luck with final exams!)
  • As a noun phrase (e.g., “I’m thinking of you and sending good luck!”)
  • As a compound adjective with a hyphen (e.g. “I’m sending you all the good-luck vibes on your first day of work!)

When you write a good luck message with a person’s name, place a comma before the name (e.g., “Good luck, Ted!”).

Good luck examples
Hi, Gabriela! Good luck on the presentation today. I know you’re going to do great!

Safe travels, and good luck with your flight, Nancy! We’re going to miss you!

“Good luck” isn’t the only way to show support. Depending on the situation and your relationship with the person, you can substitute “good luck” with one of the synonyms below.

Tip
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First-Person Pronouns | List, Examples & Explanation

Published on October 3, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

First-person pronouns, such as “I” and “we,” refer to the person or group of people who is speaking or writing. The first-person pronouns include “I,” “we,” “me,” “us,” “mine,” “ours,” “myself,” and “ourselves.”

They’re a type of personal pronoun just like second-person pronouns (e.g., “you” and “your”) and third-person pronouns (e.g., “he,” “she,” and “they”).

First-person pronouns can be singular or plural, and there are four types—subject, object, possessive, and reflexive.

English first-person pronouns list
Subject Object Possessive Reflexive
Singular I me mine myself
Plural  we us ours ourselves

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Second-Person Pronouns │ List & Examples

Published on October 2, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

The second-person pronouns—“you,” “yours,” “yourself,” and “yourselves”—refer to the person or people that you’re speaking or writing to.

They are a type of personal pronoun that can be a subject, an object, possessive, or reflexive just like third-person and first-person pronouns.

There are fewer second-person pronouns than first- or third-person pronouns for two reasons:

  • The second-person subject pronouns and object pronouns are both “you,” but first- and third-person pronouns have different subject and object forms (e.g., “I” and “me”).
  • “You” and the possessive pronoun “yours” can be plural or singular whereas first- and third-person pronouns have different singular and plural forms (e.g., “I” and “we”).

Second person is common in everyday speech and some formal writing, but it’s usually unnecessary and too informal in academic writing.

English second-person pronouns list
Subject Object Possessive Reflexive
Singular you you yours yourself
Plural you you yours yourselves

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Nice to Meet You | Meaning, Synonyms & Examples

Published on September 27, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on July 21, 2025

It’s nice to meet you is the most common way to show respect and kindness to a person you just met. The expression creates a positive tone for the rest of your conversation. This short sentence can also have a big impact on the relationship moving forward.

Whether you’re meeting someone face-to-face, online, professionally, or socially, “It’s nice to meet you” is one of many ways to make a good first impression. There are several other expressions that have the same or slightly different meanings like “It’s great to meet you” or “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Nice to meet you example
Job Interviewer: Thank you for meeting with me today. I’m the branch manager, Max. I’m excited to get to know you a little better.

Job Interviewee: It’s so nice to meet you, Max. My name is Aditi, and I’m excited to learn more about the position.

Job Interviewer: The pleasure is all mine. Your resume is impressive! Tell me about your background in the banking industry.

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Interrogative Pronouns | Examples, Definition & List

Published on September 25, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

Interrogative pronouns (“what,” “which,” “who,” “whom,” and “whose”) are pronouns that refer to the missing piece of information in a question.

Interrogative pronouns are often question starters, but they can also go in the middle or at the end of a question. Some questions even have two or more interrogative pronouns.

Like all pronouns, interrogative pronouns have antecedents—the nouns that they represent. Unlike other pronouns, the antecedent for an interrogative pronoun isn’t known until someone answers the question.

Each interrogative pronoun asks about a specific type of antecedent, which can be a thing, animal, or person.

Interrogative pronouns examples
Pronoun Asks about… Question Answer
What A thing or animal from a large or unlimited number of options What is your favorite Rolling Stones song? “No Expectations” is my favorite Rolling Stones song.
Which A thing or animal from a narrow range of options Which is Jake’s favorite musical instrument? The dobro is Jake’s favorite instrument
Who A person who performs the action in the answer or is described Who lives in that giant Victorian mansion on the hill? The Kauffman family has lived in that mansion for decades.
Whom A person who receives the action in the answer Whom did Terry interview on the podcast this week? Terry interviewed Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Whose The owner of something Whose is that white van in the driveway? That van is Tom’s.

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Object Pronouns | Examples, Definition & List

Published on September 23, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed. Revised on November 24, 2025

An object pronoun (“me,” “us,” “her,” “him,” “them,” “you,” “whom,” or “it”) represents another noun and functions as a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.

Whereas subject pronouns (“I,” “we,” “she,” “he,” “who”) perform the action in a sentence or clause, object pronouns receive the verb or the direct object.

Object pronouns can be first person, second person, or third person. They can also be plural or singular.

  • Us is always plural.
  • Me, her, him, and it are always singular.
  • Them, you, and whom can be singular or plural.

Third-person, singular object pronouns sometimes show gender: “her” (feminine), “him” (masculine), and “them” (nonbinary). In addition, “them” is a singular object pronoun for a hypothetical person whose gender is irrelevant to the context or is unknown.

Object pronoun examples 
Pronoun Person Number Examples
Me First Singular Clark taught me how to crochet.
Us First Plural The instructor gives us homework on Fridays.
You Second Singular Since you’re my best friend, I’ll let you borrow my favorite sweater.
Plural Because you’re such great neighbors, I’m making you dinner.
Her Third Singular Jelena won the writing contest, so the college gave her a scholarship.
Him Third Singular Jinx was hiding again, but I found him under the bed.
Them Third Singular We haven’t seen Shay in ages, and I hope we see them this weekend. (Shay is a person whose pronouns are “they”/”them”)

Every time a patient makes an appointment, the office sends them an email confirmation.

(In this context, gender is irrelevant, so “them” is correct)
Plural If you have any extra coats, please donate them to charity.
Whom Third Singular Taylor Swift, whom I’ve never seen in concert, had dinner at my favorite restaurant.
Plural Taylor’s biggest fans, whom she absolutely adores, trade friendship bracelets at concerts.
It Third Singular The old dresser looked dingy, so I painted it blue.

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