Mastering the wrong use of pronouns in English grammar is essential for avoiding common errors in sentence structure, agreement, and case. Because a pronoun replaces a noun, matching gender, number, and case accurately prevents awkward phrasing and ungrammatical English.
What is the Wrong Use of Pronouns in English Grammar?
The wrong use of pronouns happens when a writer or speaker misapplies pronoun rules, such as mixing up possessive forms, using incorrect relative pronouns, or failing to maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement. Reviewing common pronoun errors ensures your writing remains polished and professional.
Common Pronoun Errors and Corrections
The following table highlights frequent grammatical mistakes with pronouns alongside their correct forms to improve your everyday English writing.
| Wrong Usage (Incorrect) | Right Usage (Correct) | Grammar Rule / Note |
|---|---|---|
| These are good news. | This is good news. | "News" is treated as singular in English. |
| The ship sank with all his passengers. | The ship sank with all her passengers. | In traditional English, ships and countries take feminine pronouns (she/her). |
| The sun has completed her diurnal journey. | The sun has completed his diurnal journey. | The sun is traditionally personified with masculine pronouns. |
| One should do his duty. | One should do one's duty. | The pronoun "one" must maintain consistency with "one's". |
| Everyone should do his duty. | Everyone should do his or her duty (or their). | Indefinite pronouns require gender-inclusive or plural agreement. |
| This book is your/your's. | This book is yours. | Absolute possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe. |
| He is a friend of me. | He is a friend of mine. | Double genitive structures require the possessive pronoun "mine". |
| It's colour is green. | Its colour is green. | Possessive "its" does not have an apostrophe (it's = it is). |
| Anybody cannot do it. | Nobody can do it. | Avoid double negatives; use affirmative verbs with negative pronouns. |
How to Use "Some", "Any", "None", and "Either" Correctly
Choosing the correct pronoun or determiner in questions and negative sentences frequently confuses English learners. Let's look at specific conversational examples:
- Asking about money:
Question: "Do you have any money?"
Wrong: Yes, I have any. / No, I have no any.
Right: Yes, I have some. / No, I have none. - Inviting people:
Wrong: I invited them all but anybody did not come.
Right: I invited them all but none came. - Choosing between two options ("tea or coffee"):
Wrong (Refusing both): None, thanks.
Right (Refusing both): Neither, thanks.
Wrong (Choosing one freely): There's tea or coffee: you can have any.
Right (Choosing one freely): There's tea or coffee: you can have either.
How to Avoid Common Pronoun Mistakes in Sentences
Additional errors often arise with indefinite pronouns and relative clauses. Here is how to fix them:
- Something / Anything / Nothing:
Wrong: I don't have something to say.
Right: I don't have anything to say. or I have nothing to say. - Relative Pronouns (People):
Wrong: The people those came here are all foreigners.
Right: The people who/that came here are all foreigners. (Never use "those" as a relative pronoun connecting clauses this way).
Key Takeaways
- Always match pronoun case, number, and gender with their correct antecedents.
- Never use apostrophes with absolute possessive pronouns like yours or possessive determiners like its.
- Use neither when choosing between two options negatively, and either when selecting one of two options affirmatively.
- Avoid double negatives by pairing negative verbs with words like any incorrectly.
- Use who or that for people in relative clauses instead of "those".
Quick Practice
Test your understanding by dropping your answers in the comments below:
- Correct this sentence: "This car is yours' and that one is mine."
- Choose the right word: "Neither / None of the two brothers came to the party."
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrong Use of Pronouns
What is the difference between "its" and "it's"?
Its is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership (e.g., "The cat chased its tail"). It's is a contraction for "it is" or "it has" (e.g., "It's a wonderful day").
Why is "yours" written without an apostrophe?
Absolute possessive pronouns such as yours, ours, and theirs already indicate possession inherently, so they never require an apostrophe.
When should I use "either" instead of "any"?
Use either when choosing between exactly two options or alternatives. Use any when choosing from a group of three or more options.