Pronouns and pronominal adjectives: track the referent
Learn this complete reference set, recall meanings and construction clues, then apply the grammar in original short practice.
Section MORPH-PRONOUNS · Pronouns
Exam scope and assessment notes
Original teaching foundations for the 2026–2028 syllabus. Six prescribed texts have passage-specific sequences; all 693 printed vocabulary rows have been reconciled into 692 distinct records, with additional number, comparison and compound-verb practice. Linked teaching and lexical self-checks do not certify mastery. Complete line-by-line annotation, further translation and scansion practice, qualified Latin-teacher review, full timed papers and human marking remain outstanding. Open the assigned edition alongside these lessons: public ancient texts can differ in spelling, punctuation or editorial readings from the prescribed prose anthology. Practice explanations are formative, not Cambridge questions, marks or predicted grades. Cambridge has announced withdrawal; the last assessment is June 2028, in administrative zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 only. Confirm entry with your centre.
Before you begin
- Identify noun, verb and clause roles
- Recall the whole dictionary record rather than only its first spelling
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
What does a dictionary meaning fail to establish on its own?
What you will learn
- Distinguish persons, possessives and demonstratives
- Use antecedent and local clause to interpret relative forms
Read the form, recall the meaning, then check the construction
Use the reference list to learn, then hide the meanings in recall practice. The usage note explains a grammatical clue or limit. Self-check labels do not award a grade or certify mastery.
31 of 31 entries shown · 0 marked for another review in this practice
aliquis, -qua, -quidPronoun or pronominal adjective
someone, anyone
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
alius, -a, -ud (alii … alii)Pronoun or pronominal adjective
another, other (some … others)
The paired alii ... alii divides groups into some ... others, rather than necessarily naming exactly two individuals.
alter, altera, alterumPronoun or pronominal adjective
the other, second
Commonly the other of two; distinguish alius, another, without forcing every context into identical English wording.
ceteri, -ae, -aPronoun or pronominal adjective
the rest (of)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
egoPronoun or pronominal adjective
i
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
hic, haec, hocPronoun or pronominal adjective
this (he, she, it)
This demonstrative record means this and can refer to a person or thing; its case supplies the local role. Distinguish the separate adverb hic, here.
idem, eadem, idemPronoun or pronominal adjective
same
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
ille, illa, illudPronoun or pronominal adjective
that (he, she, it)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
ipse, ipsa, ipsumPronoun or pronominal adjective
self
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
is, ea, idPronoun or pronominal adjective
this, that, he, she, it
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
iste, ista, istudPronoun or pronominal adjective
that one (that man, woman, thing)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
meus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
my
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
nemo, nullius m. f.Pronoun or pronominal adjective
nobody
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
nihil (indeclinable) n.Pronoun or pronominal adjective
nothing
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
nonnullus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
some, several
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
nosPronoun or pronominal adjective
we
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
noster, nostra, nostrumPronoun or pronominal adjective
our
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
nullus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
none, no
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
qui, quae, quodPronoun or pronominal adjective
who, who, which
A relative form gets gender and number from its antecedent but its case from its own clause; spelling alone does not identify the role.
quidam, quaedam, quoddamPronoun or pronominal adjective
a (certain)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
quisque, quaeque, quidquePronoun or pronominal adjective
each
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
sePronoun or pronominal adjective
himself, herself, itself, themselves
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
solus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
alone, only
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
suus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
his, her, its, their
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
totus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
all, the whole of
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
tuPronoun or pronominal adjective
you (sg.)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
tuus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
your (sg.)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
ullus, -a, -umPronoun or pronominal adjective
any
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
uter, utra, utrumPronoun or pronominal adjective
which (of two)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
vester, vestra, vestrumPronoun or pronominal adjective
your (pl.)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
vosPronoun or pronominal adjective
you (pl.)
Track the referent and grammatical role in context. Possessive and demonstrative descriptions still need the appropriate agreement; proximity alone need not identify the referent.
Read reference and possession
Ego, tu, nos and vos identify persons and number; their inflected forms can occupy other roles. Meus, tuus, noster and vester describe possession and agree with the thing described. Suus has a reflexive relationship to the relevant subject in the normal construction, not an unrestricted synonym for every his or her.
Hic, haec, hoc is a demonstrative record, while the separate adverb hic is here. Ille and iste can carry contextual perspective; ipse adds emphasis rather than automatically acting as a reflexive object. Use the actual clause and referent instead of choosing the nearest noun by distance.
Read relative and quantity functions
Qui, quae, quod links to an antecedent in gender and number, but its case comes from its own clause. Alii ... alii distinguishes some ... others; alter commonly concerns the other of two. Nemo and nihil are not interchangeable people/things expressions.
Pronominal adjectives such as totus, solus and nullus have special genitive/dative patterns; consult their full morphology rather than assume every -us word uses exactly bonus's forms. A lexical recall card alone does not prove the reader can resolve every reference in a long sentence.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
Must a relative pronoun copy its antecedent's case?
Worked example
Translate original ‘Puer puellam videt, quae librum portat’ and explain quae.
Show the worked solution
- Puer sees puellam in the main clause.
- Quae refers to the girl in gender and number.
- It is nominative because she is the subject of portat.
Answer The boy sees the girl, who carries a book. Quae's referent is the girl, but its nominative role comes from its own clause; it does not have to copy puellam's accusative case.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Guided: Explain quae's case in the worked example.
Give me a hint
Its own verb determines the role.
Compare my reasoning
- The girl is its referent.
- Quae performs portat.
- Use nominative for that subject role.
Quae is nominative because it is the subject of the relative clause's carrying action. Its feminine singular features connect to the girl; the main-clause accusative does not determine its case.
Look for these in your work
- Uses referent
- Uses local verb
- Distinguishes case
Independent: Compare ego/nos with tu/vos.
Give me a hint
Identify person and number.
Compare my reasoning
- Ego is first-person singular and nos plural.
- Tu is second-person singular and vos plural.
- Match a finite verb in the actual sentence.
The pairs distinguish I/we from you singular/plural. Those lexical values must still be connected to the actual case and verb endings when translating a sentence.
Look for these in your work
- Uses first person
- Uses second person
- Uses number
Application: A response uses hic, here, as though it necessarily describes a masculine person. Correct it.
Give me a hint
Distinguish two records sharing the spelling.
Compare my reasoning
- The adverb record means here.
- The demonstrative record includes haec and hoc.
- Read the supplied construction.
Hic as an adverb supplies place rather than a person's grammatical description. The demonstrative record is different and needs its case/agreement context; identical spelling cannot make every occurrence a masculine referent.
Look for these in your work
- Separates records
- Uses adverb role
- Requires construction
Common mistakes
- Making a relative copy the antecedent's case
- Equating ipse and se
- Ignoring possessive agreement
What can you explain now?
Must a relative pronoun copy its antecedent's case?
Compare with the explanation
No
Its own clause determines case, while gender/number relate to the antecedent.
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Make it stick
Must a relative pronoun copy its antecedent's case?
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