Distributive Pronouns
The reader task is recognizing standalone uses such as “Each was checked” or “Neither works.” The category label depends on the grammar framework, so the guide separates the practical use from the taxonomy.
In traditional school grammar, words such as “each,” “either,” and “neither” can be called distributive pronouns when they stand alone and refer to members or alternatives individually. Modern grammars often analyze these words primarily as determiners that can function pronominally.
Key details
Important caveats
Boundary
Do not present “distributive pronoun” as the only grammatical classification. State the framework-sensitive terminology explicitly.
Further guidance
Contrast
In “each report,” each is used before a noun; in “each was checked,” it stands independently.
Diagnostic
Check whether the word stands without a following noun and carries the noun-phrase role itself.
Worked Example
“Neither was available” uses “neither” independently to select between alternatives; a modern grammar may describe this as a determiner functioning as a pronoun.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Determiners used as pronouns (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge shows that each, either, and neither are among determiners that can function independently as pronouns, supporting the traditional distributive-pronoun grouping with a taxonomy caveat.
- Each (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge explicitly states that each can be a determiner or a pronoun and explains its individual-member meaning and each-of constructions.