LoginImpersonal Pronouns
An impersonal pronoun does not refer to a specific person or thing. These pronouns help us talk about a thing or person without mentioning what or who.
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 Impersonal Pronoun
'One' can be used in various parts 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 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 direct object of a sentence, in which case the sentence requires a transitive verb followed by 'one' as its object.
Exercising too hard can make
In this case, 'make' is a transitive verb and 'one' is its direct object.
Using 'One' as the Object of a sentence
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. Take a look at this example:
No one can ever replace
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' can also be used as the object of a sentence without a clear subject:
It's important to seek help for
'You' as 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'. While 'you' is considered less formal than 'one', they are not interchangeable because there is a slight difference in their meaning. 'Generic you' refers to 'you and everyone in your hypothetical situation'. 'You' as an impersonal pronoun can be used to refer to:
- An unspecified person:
If
In this example, 'you' refers to an unspecified person.
- People in general:
This sentence means 'people' cannot smoke in this area.
- You and everyone else in your hypothetical situation:
This sentence means 'all of us can buy a car and pay for it in installments.'
'They' as Impersonal Pronoun
Impersonal 'they' is used to 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.
In this example, 'they' conveys a negative feeling towards the rich.
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 |
refers to |
refers to |
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