Personal Pronouns helps you communicate about referring to people and things without repeating nouns. Start with the meaning, notice the pattern, and then use it in complete sentences.
By the end of this lesson, you can
- I can choose personal pronouns according to person, number and grammatical role.
- Recognise and build the form: subject and object personal-pronoun paradigms.
- Use the pattern accurately in a meaningful sentence.
Meaning and use
Use Personal Pronouns for referring to people and things without repeating nouns. Always read the whole situation before choosing the form: grammar expresses a meaning, not only a pattern.
Mia is my friend. She lives nearby.
Use the subject pronoun 'She' to replace a female person's name.
Tom and I work together. We share an office.
Use 'We' as the subject pronoun for Tom and the speaker.
I like this book. It is very useful.
Use 'It' as a subject pronoun for one thing.
subject and object personal-pronoun paradigmsKeep this pattern visible while you study the examples. Then cover it and rebuild one example from memory.
Key rules to notice
These rules explain why the form is correct. Focus on the subject, auxiliary, verb form, word order and time or meaning clues.
- Use the subject pronoun 'She' to replace a female person's name.
- Use 'We' as the subject pronoun for Tom and the speaker.
- Use 'It' as a subject pronoun for one thing.
- Use 'They' as the subject pronoun for plural people.
- Use the personal pronoun 'you' for the person being addressed.
Common mistakes
Not:Mia is my friend. Her lives nearby.
Use:Mia is my friend. She lives nearby.
Use the subject pronoun 'She' to replace a female person's name.
Not:Tom and I work together. Us share an office.
Use:Tom and I work together. We share an office.
Use 'We' as the subject pronoun for Tom and the speaker.
Not:I like this book. Its is very useful.
Use:I like this book. It is very useful.
Use 'It' as a subject pronoun for one thing.
Check before you practise
Complete each sentence mentally, then reveal the answer.
My parents are travelling. ____ are in Japan now.
They
Use 'They' as the subject pronoun for plural people.
Can ____ help me, please?
you
Use the personal pronoun 'you' for the person being addressed.
This message is for Mia and ____.
me
After a preposition, use the object pronoun 'me'.