Attributive Pronouns in English

Attributive pronouns in English are: all, each, every, everybody, everyone, everything, either, both, other, another.

1. The pronoun “all” is a generalizing pronoun that describes a group of persons or objects as a single unit.

Sorry to say, we all forgot about it.

2. The English pronoun “both” indicates two persons or things mentioned earlier. In a sentence it has the function of a subject, a predicate, an object and an attribute.

They are brothers and both of them are students.

3. Pronouns each, every, everybody, everyone, everything.

• Pronouns “each” and “every” indicate all members of a group of persons or things mentioned earlier.

The friends returned from a field trip. Each looked tired and exhausted.

• The pronoun “every” in a sentence could only have the function of an attribute.

We searched through the whole building, every line of it.

• “Everything” could refer to animals, objects or abstract concepts.

Everything is Ok, Isn’t it?

4. The “either” pronoun has two meanings:

1) each of the two;

2) one or the other.

We have two opportunities, either of which is rather promising.

5. Pronouns “other” and “another”.

• The “Other” pronoun indicated an object that differs from the one mentioned earlier. It has a singular form (other) and plural form (others).

If you want to stay here, you should find other excuse.

• The “another” pronoun could mean:

1) the other;

2) one more.

I won’t say another word. That’s enough with me.