Personal Pronouns
A pronoun is a small word that takes the place of a noun. We use pronouns so we do not say the same noun again and again. Anna is my sister. She is nice.
Structure
Most personal pronouns have two forms. The subject pronoun is the person or thing the sentence is about. It comes before the verb. The object pronoun comes after the verb or after words like for, to, with, at.
| Subject | Object | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I | me | the person who speaks |
| you | you | the person (or people) you speak to |
| he | him | a man or a boy |
| she | her | a woman or a girl |
| it | it | a thing, an animal or an idea |
| we | us | me and other people |
| they | them | more than one person or thing |
How the Grammar Works
- Find the noun you want to replace. Sarah loves Tom.
- Is the noun before the verb? Use a subject pronoun. Sarah becomes she.
- Is the noun after the verb, or after for, to, with? Use an object pronoun. Tom becomes him.
- Put them together: She loves him.
- In a question, the subject pronoun comes after the helper verb: Do you like tea? Can you help us?
Remember: you and it do not change.
Common Use Cases
- In a normal sentence, the subject pronoun usually comes before the verb: She is happy.
- The object pronoun comes after the verb or after for, to, with, at: He helps me. This gift is for her.
- You is for one person or many people: You are nice.
- It replaces a thing, an animal or an idea: I have a dog. It is small. The bag is blue. It is new.
- English also uses it for the weather. Here it does not replace a noun: It is cold today.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Object pronoun as the subject. Wrong: Her is happy. Right: She is happy.
- Subject pronoun after a verb or for. Wrong: This gift is for she. Right: This gift is for her.
- Using it for a person you already know. Wrong: My sister is nice. It is nice. Right: My sister is nice. She is nice. But it is correct when you say who someone is: Who is it? - It is my sister.
Comparison with Related Grammar
Do not mix pronouns with possessive words. A possessive word (my, his, her) shows who owns something. It comes before a noun.
- I = subject, me = object, my = belongs to me: I like tea. She helps me. This is my bag.
- he = subject, him = object, his = belongs to him: He is here. I help him. This is his bag.
- Her has two jobs. It is an object pronoun and a possessive word: I help her. This is her bag.
Example Sentences
- She calls me.
- We see him every day.
- I help her.
- They are my friends. I like them.
- Can you help us?
- He gives the book to me.
- Where is my pen? - It is on the table.
When to Use This Rule
Use a subject pronoun before the verb in a normal sentence. Use an object pronoun after the verb or after words like for, to, with.