Pronouns are NOT nouns, but they FUNCTION like nouns.
* Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas.
* Examples: *cat, *teacher, *city, *freedom*
* Pronouns are words that replace nouns to avoid repetition. They stand in for a noun that has already been mentioned or is understood.
* Examples: *he, she, it, they, we, you, I, this, that*
Here's the key: Pronouns take on the grammatical role of a noun in a sentence. They are the subject, object, or possessive in a sentence just like a noun would be.
Example:
* "The cat sat on the mat." (Here, "cat" is the noun)
* "It sat on the mat." (Here, "it" replaces the noun "cat")
So, while pronouns aren't technically nouns, they act like nouns and are essential for clear and concise language.