Pronouns are essential words that make our language smoother and less repetitive. Instead of repeating the same noun over and over, we use pronouns to replace them. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about basic pronouns in English.
What is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun. Pronouns help us avoid repetition and make our sentences flow better.
Without pronouns: John went to John’s house because John was tired.
With pronouns: John went to his house because he was tired.
Much better, right? Let’s explore the different types of pronouns you need to know.
Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns replace the subject of a sentence – the person or thing doing the action.
The subject pronouns are: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
Examples:
- I am a student.
- You are my friend.
- He plays football. (replaces “John” or “the boy”)
- She reads books. (replaces “Mary” or “the girl”)
- It is raining. (replaces “the weather” or refers to things/animals)
- We go to school. (replaces “my friends and I”)
- They are happy. (replaces “the children” or “John and Mary”)
Important: Subject pronouns always come before the verb in a statement.
Object Pronouns
Object pronouns replace the object of a sentence – the person or thing receiving the action.
The object pronouns are: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
Examples:
- The teacher called me.
- I saw you yesterday.
- Sarah likes him. (him = John/the boy)
- We helped her. (her = Mary/the girl)
- They bought it. (it = the car/the book)
- He told us a story.
- The dog followed them.
Tip: Object pronouns come after verbs and prepositions (with me, for her, to them).
Subject vs Object: Quick Comparison
| Subject Pronoun | Object Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | me | I helped him. / He helped me. |
| he | him | He is tall. / I know him. |
| she | her | She sings. / We like her. |
| we | us | We study. / They teach us. |
| they | them | They play. / I see them. |
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives show ownership and always come before a noun.
The possessive adjectives are: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Examples:
- This is my book.
- Is this your pen?
- His name is John.
- Her car is red.
- The dog wagged its tail.
- Our house is big.
- Their teacher is kind.
Remember: Possessive adjectives MUST be followed by a noun.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership but stand alone – they don’t need a noun after them.
The possessive pronouns are: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
Examples:
- This book is mine. (= my book)
- Is this pen yours? (= your pen)
- The blue car is his. (= his car)
- That house is hers. (= her house)
- The victory is ours! (= our victory)
- Those bags are theirs. (= their bags)
Possessive Adjectives vs Possessive Pronouns
| Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| my | mine | my book / The book is mine. |
| your | yours | your car / The car is yours. |
| his | his | his dog / The dog is his. |
| her | hers | her house / The house is hers. |
| our | ours | our idea / The idea is ours. |
| their | theirs | their books / The books are theirs. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Using subject pronouns as objects
❌ She gave the gift to I.
✅ She gave the gift to me.
Mistake 2: Confusing possessive adjectives and pronouns
❌ This is my. (missing noun)
✅ This is mine. OR This is my book.
Mistake 3: Using “it’s” for possession
❌ The dog wagged it’s tail. (it’s = it is)
✅ The dog wagged its tail.
Practice Exercise
Choose the correct pronoun:
- _____ (I/me) am a teacher.
- She knows _____ (I/me) well.
- This is _____ (my/mine) book.
- The book is _____ (my/mine).
- _____ (They/Them) are students.
- I saw _____ (they/them) yesterday.
What’s Next?
Now that you understand pronouns, continue building your grammar skills:
- Review nouns to understand what pronouns replace
- Learn about verbs to complete your sentence structure knowledge
- Explore adjectives for describing words
- Return to the Basic English Grammar homepage
Mastering pronouns will make your English sound more natural and fluent. Practice using them correctly, and soon they’ll become second nature!
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