Personal Pronouns: Understanding I, You, He, She, It, We, They

Personal pronouns are words that replace specific nouns to avoid repetition and simplify sentences. They refer to specific people or things and indicate their roles in a sentence, such as the speaker, the listener, or someone else. Personal pronouns vary based on person (first, second, or third), number (singular or plural), and case (subject, object, or possessive).

Examples of Personal Pronouns:

Your classification of personal pronouns into the first, second, and third-person categories is correct. Here’s a brief overview:

• First-Person Pronouns: These pronouns refer to the speaker or speakers.

• Singular: I (subject), me (object), my (possessive), mine (possessive pronoun)

• Plural: we (subject), us (object), our (possessive), ours (possessive pronoun)

• Second Person Pronouns: These pronouns refer to the listener or listeners.

• Singular/Plural: you (subject and object), your (possessive), yours (possessive pronoun)

• Third-Person Pronouns: These pronouns refer to someone or something other than the speaker or listener.

• Singular: he, she, it (subject); him, her, it (object); his, her, its (possessive); his, hers, its (possessive pronoun)

• Plural: they (subject), them (object), their (possessive), theirs (possessive pronoun)

Personal Pronouns Chart

These pronouns are used in both nominative (subject) and objective (object) cases, and they vary between singular and plural forms to match the number of people being referred to.

The following table includes all personal pronouns in the nominative (subject), objective (object), possessive adjective, and possessive pronoun forms, covering singular and plural numbers.

Rules and Usage of Personal Pronouns

1. Subject Pronouns:

• Usage: Used as the subject of a sentence.

• Examples:

• I am going to the store.

• She is reading a book.

• They are playing football.

2. Object Pronouns:

• Usage: Used as the object of a verb or preposition.

• Examples:

• She gave me the book.

• He saw him at the park.

• They spoke to us about the event.

3. Possessive Adjectives:

• Usage: Show ownership and are placed before a noun.

• Examples:

• This is my car.

• That is her bag.

• Their house is big.

4. Possessive Pronouns:

• Usage: Show ownership and replace a noun.

• Examples:

• The book is mine.

• The choice is yours.

• The decision is theirs.

5. Agreement in Number and Gender:

• Rule: Personal pronouns must agree in number (singular/plural) and, where applicable, gender (he/she/it).

• Examples:

• The teacher gave her advice. (Singular, feminine)

• The teachers gave their advice. (Plural)

6. Reflexive Pronouns:

• Usage: Used when the subject and the object are the same.

• Examples:

• I made the cake myself.

• She taught herself to play the piano.

7. Indefinite Usage:

• Rule: Pronouns should be used clearly to avoid ambiguity.

• Examples:

• He said he would come. (Specify who "he" is if needed for clarity.)

8. Formal and Informal Contexts:

• Rule: Use the appropriate pronouns based on the formality of the situation.

• Examples:

• Informal: You are invited to the party.

• Formal: You are invited to the event. (In formal contexts, "you" remains the same, but the structure might change.)

9. Pronoun Replacement:

• Rule: Replace proper nouns with pronouns to avoid repetition.

• Examples:

• Maria went to the market. Maria bought some apples. (Repeated noun)

• Maria went to the market. She bought some apples. (Pronoun used)

10. Clarity and Ambiguity:

• Rule: Ensure pronouns clearly refer to the correct noun to avoid confusion.

• Examples:

• John and Dave went to the store. He bought some milk. (Clarify "he" to avoid confusion about who bought the milk.)

These rules and usages help in crafting clear, concise, and grammatically correct sentences.

Gender-Neutral Pronouns

Gender-neutral personal pronouns are used to refer to individuals without specifying their gender. These pronouns are important for inclusivity and respect, acknowledging and affirming people's identities. Here’s a guide to using gender-neutral personal pronouns:

Common Gender-Neutral Pronouns

1. They/Them/Their

• Usage: Used for individuals who prefer not to be identified by traditional gender pronouns. They are widely accepted and used in both singular and plural forms.

• Examples:

• Subject: They are coming to the party.

• Object: I saw them at the store.

• Possessive Adjective: That is their book.

• Possessive Pronoun: The choice was theirs.

Singular and Plural ‘You’

The pronoun "you" is unique because it serves both singular and plural functions in English. Here’s a breakdown of how "you" is used in both contexts:

Singular ‘You’

• Usage: Refers to one person.

• Examples:

• Subject: You are doing a great job.

• Object: I will meet you at the café.

• Possessive Adjective: Is this your book?

• Possessive Pronoun: The idea is yours.

Plural ‘You’

• Usage: Refers to more than one person.

• Examples:

• Subject: You all did well on the project.

• Object: I saw you at the event last night.

• Possessive Adjective: Your assignments are due tomorrow.

• Possessive Pronoun: The decision was yours.

Using Subject Pronouns and Object Pronouns

Subject Pronouns

Definition: Subject pronouns are used to indicate who is performing the action of the verb. They are placed before the verb in a sentence.

List of Subject Pronouns:

• I: Refers to the speaker.

• You: Refers to the listener or listeners.

• He: Refers to a male person or animal.

• She: Refers to a female person or animal.

• It: Refers to a non-specific thing, animal, or concept.

• We: Refers to the speaker and others.

• They: Refers to people or things other than the speaker or listener.

Examples:

• I am going to the store.

• You are invited to the party.

• He is reading a book.

• She will join us later.

• It is raining outside.

• We are planning a trip.

• They are travelling to Paris.

Object Pronouns

Definition: Object pronouns are used to indicate who or what is receiving the action of the verb. They are placed after the verb or preposition.

List of Object Pronouns:

• Me: Refers to the speaker.

• You: Refers to the listener or listeners.

• Him: Refers to a male person or animal.

• Her: Refers to a female person or animal.

• It: Refers to a non-specific thing, animal, or concept.

• Us: Refers to the speaker and others.

• Them: Refers to people or things other than the speaker or listener.

Examples:

• She gave me a gift.

• I will call you tomorrow.

• He saw him at the concert.

• She thanked her for the help.

• They didn’t invite it.

• He can meet us at the restaurant.

• I’ll help them with the project.

Review your Understanding of Personal Pronouns

1. Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct personal pronouns.

1. (He/She/They) said that (he/she/they) would join us later.

2. Maria and John invited (I/me) to their party.

3. The teacher asked (we/us) to submit our assignments.

4. The cat is sitting next to (he/him).

5. Can you give (they/them) the message?

2. Identify the Pronouns

Read the sentences and identify the personal pronouns used. Then, specify if they are subject or object pronouns.

1. She loves her new book.

2. I will meet them at the café.

3. They are excited about the trip.

4. The teacher gave me a compliment.

5. Did you see him at the event?

3. Replace with Pronouns

Rewrite the sentences by replacing the underlined nouns with the correct personal pronouns.

1. Lisa and Mark went to the market. Lisa and Mark bought some groceries.

2. The dog barked at the mailman.

3. The students are working hard on the project.

4. Jane called her friend yesterday.

5. The team won the championship.

4. Pronoun Matching

Match each sentence with the correct personal pronoun from the list provided.

List of Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

1. ( ) are planning a surprise party.

2. ( ) said that ( ) would come to the meeting.

3. ( ) gave ( ) a wonderful gift.

4. ( ) is very helpful with homework.

5. Can ( ) help ( ) with the presentation?

5. Create Sentences

Create sentences using the following sets of pronouns. Ensure to use each pronoun at least once.

1. We / they / our

2. She / him / their

3. I / it / my

4. You / her / me

5. He / them / his

6. Pronoun Errors

Find and correct the errors in the following sentences.

1. Me went to the store and I bought some apples.

2. She gave I a call yesterday.

3. They are excited because their friends are coming.

4. The dog followed they home.

5. Us are ready for the test.

Here are the answers to the exercises:

1. Fill in the Blanks

1. They said that they would join us later.

2. Maria and John invited me to their party.

3. The teacher asked us to submit our assignments.

4. The cat is sitting next to him.

5. Can you give them the message?

2. Identify the Pronouns

1. She loves her new book. (Subject Pronoun)

2. I will meet them at the café. (Object Pronoun)

3. They are excited about the trip. (Subject Pronoun)

4. The teacher gave me a compliment. (Object Pronoun)

5. Did you see him at the event? (Object Pronoun)

3. Replace with Pronouns

1. They went to the market. They bought some groceries.

2. It barked at him.

3. They are working hard on it.

4. She called her yesterday.

5. They won it.

4. Pronoun Matching

1. We are planning a surprise party.

2. He said that he would come to the meeting.

3. She gave me a wonderful gift.

4. It is very helpful with homework.

5. Can you help them with the presentation?

5. Create Sentences

1. We are planning a surprise party. They are invited, and our friends will be there.

2. She called him because it was their anniversary.

3. I forgot it at home, so my plan was delayed.

4. You helped her with the task, and me with the preparation.

5. He gave them his book, and his notes as well.

6. Pronoun Errors

1. I went to the store and I bought some apples.

2. She gave me a call yesterday.

3. They are excited because their friends are coming.

4. The dog followed us home.

5. We are ready for the test.

Takeaways on this Page

This page provided a comprehensive review of personal pronouns, covering their classifications, rules, and usage in both subject and object forms. It also offered practical exercises to help students reinforce their understanding of how to correctly use personal pronouns in sentences. Key takeaways include understanding the difference between subject and object pronouns, the importance of using gender-neutral pronouns for inclusivity, and how pronouns like "they" and "them" function in both singular and plural contexts.