Impersonal Pronouns
This comprehensive lesson dives into Impersonal Pronouns in English, featuring detailed examples and a quiz to test your knowledge.
What Are Impersonal Pronouns?
An impersonal pronoun is one that does not refer to a specific person or thing. These pronouns are usually used to refer to an unspecified person or people in general.
English Impersonal Pronouns
There are three impersonal pronouns in English:
Let us take a look at each one of them.
'One' as an Impersonal Pronoun
"One" is used when making general statements that apply to people in general, not just a specific individual. 'One' can be used in various roles and forms within a sentence. Below are some of the common uses and placements of 'one'.
1. 'One' as the Subject
'One' is often used as the subject of a sentence. In this case, the verb follows the form for third-person singular subjects.
One can always count on this place to serve great food.
In this example, 'one' is the subject and it means everyone or people in general.
Tip!
Using 'one' is now considered very formal and old-fashioned. It is much more usual to use you for people in general and I when you want to refer to yourself.
2. 'One' as the Object
'One' can be used as the object of a sentence, in which case the sentence requires a transitive verb followed by 'one' as its object.
Exercising too hard can make one get muscle cramps.
In this case, 'make' is a transitive verb and 'one' is its direct object.
3. 'One' as a Possessive
'One' does not have a special possessive form like the other impersonal pronouns. In order to use it as a possessive determiner, a possessive 's is added to it. Keep in mind that 'one's' is only used as possessive determiner and not a pronoun, which means it is always followed by a noun. Take a look at this example:
No one can ever replace one's own family.
One's is the possessive determiner, so it will be followed by a noun (own family).
4. 'One' as a Reflexive Pronoun
The reflexive form of 'one' is 'oneself.' 'Oneself' does not refer to a specific person either and can be used to refer to a previously mentioned noun/pronoun:
One would need time to find oneself again after such a trauma.
'Oneself' can also be used as the object of a sentence without a clear subject:
It's important to seek help for oneself at such strange times.
'You' as an Impersonal Pronoun
The use of 'you' as an impersonal pronoun is known as 'generic you' in grammar. Some consider 'generic you' to be the colloquial equivalent of 'one'. Generic 'you' follows the same grammatical rules as personal 'you,' meaning it takes a plural verb and has the same form in subject and object cases. It can also form possessive and reflexive forms.
While 'you' is considered as a less formal alternative for 'one', they are not always interchangeable because there is a slight difference in their meaning. Generic 'you' means 'you and everyone in your hypothetical situation'. 'You' as an impersonal pronoun can be used to refer to:
An unspecified person:
If you had to work 10 hours a day, you would be exhausted too.
In this example, 'you' refers to an unspecified person.
People in general:
You can't smoke in this area.
This sentence means 'people' cannot smoke in this area.
You and everyone else in your hypothetical situation:
You can buy a car and pay for it in installments if you can't afford to buy in cash.
This sentence means 'anyone that cannot afford to buy a car in cash.'
'They' as an Impersonal Pronoun
Impersonal 'they' is used to exclude the speaker from a generic statement and, like 'you,' follows the grammatical rules governing its personal counterpart, meaning it takes a plural verb and has distinct forms for subject (they), object (them), possessive (their), and reflexive forms (themselves). The impersonal 'they' can refer to:
One or more unknown person(s)
A particular group
When 'they' is used to talk about the government or authorities, it usually bears a negative connotation, because it refers to them as people who are not one of us (normal people) and therefore do not understand us. That is why 'they' is used in conspiracy theories and songs to refer to the government, rich people, and any other minority that holds the majority of control, power, financial assets, etc.
They live in mansions and eat caviar; do you really think they care about the poor at all?
In this example, 'they' conveys a negative feeling towards the rich.
They speak French in Quebec.
Here, 'they' refers to a particular group of people: residents of Quebec.
Review
An impersonal pronoun is one that does not refer to a specific person or thing.
One | You | They | |
|---|---|---|---|
Impersonal Pronouns | is used as a subject/ as an object/ as a possessive/ as a reflexive pronoun | refers to unspecific person/ people in general/ you and anybody else in your hypothetical situation | refers to unknown people/ a particular group |
Quiz:
Which of the following sentences correctly uses an impersonal pronoun in a formal context to refer to people in general?
One must always consider the consequences before making a decision.
You must always consider the consequences before making a decision.
They must always consider the consequences before making a decision.
I must always consider the consequences before making a decision.
Sort the words to make a sentence using an impersonal pronoun.
Match each impersonal pronoun with its correct description.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the impersonal pronouns.
If
is not careful with
words, it can lead to misunderstandings.
People say
will increase taxes again this year.
When
travel abroad, you need to be aware of local customs.
To truly understand others, one must first understand
.
Which of the following sentences uses the impersonal pronoun "one" correctly?
One speaks English fluently.
One are going to the store.
One can always rely on one's friends.
One have to follow the rules.
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