What role does a pronoun serve in a sentence?

A pronoun serves the essential function of replacing a noun in a sentence, which helps to avoid repetition and makes sentences clearer and more concise. For example, instead of saying "Maria went to Maria’s house," one could say, "Maria went to her house," where "her" is the pronoun replacing the noun “Maria.” This substitution streamlines communication and helps maintain the flow of a sentence. In addition to enhancing clarity, using pronouns can also facilitate smoother writing and speaking by preventing the awkwardness of repetitive noun use.

The other functions mentioned do not accurately describe the role of a pronoun. Connecting clauses is better described by conjunctions, while interjections express strong emotions or reactions, and modifiers typically alter verbs, nouns, or adjectives rather than replacing them. Therefore, understanding that pronouns specifically function to stand in for nouns is fundamental to grasping their role in sentence structure.