Personal Pronouns: What is a Personal Pronoun? Useful Examples

• Peter likes her, not me.

Grammatical Roles

Subject Pronouns such as I, you, he, she, it, we, and they, which perform the action in a sentence.

Example:

• We are going to the store.
• They watched a movie.

Object Pronouns such as me, you, him, her, it, us, and them, which receive the action in a sentence.

Example:

• The teacher called us to the front.
• She sent an email to them.

Possessive Pronouns such as mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs indicate ownership.

Example:

• This book is mine.
• That idea is theirs.

Types of Personal Pronouns

Subjective Case

Subjective case pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence, meaning they are doing the action.

• Singular: I, you, he, she, it
• Plural: we, you, they

Examples:

• I tell you hopeless grief is passionless
• If you wish for peace, be prepared for war.
• He that saves his dinner will have the more for his supper.
• Experience keeps no school, she teaches her pupils singly.
• It is a great art to laugh at your own misfortune.
• We see not what is in the wallet behind.
• They who live in a worry, invite death in a hurry.

Objective Case

Objective case pronouns serve as the object of the sentence, which means they receive the action of the verb.

• Singular: me, you, him, her, it
• Plural: us, you, them

Examples:

• If you are rude to me, I shall retaliate with equal rudeness.
• I know him not should I meet him in my pottage dish.
• The leader beckoned the others to follow her.
• I invited them to dinner, a gesture of goodwill.
• We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.
• We know not what is good until we have lost it.
• Improve your time and your time will improve you.

Possessive Case

Possessive case pronouns indicate ownership or possession. These pronouns do not require an apostrophe to show possession.

• Singular: my/mine, your/yours, his, her/hers, its
• Plural: our/ours, your/yours, their/theirs

Examples:

• This is our house, and that car is ours.
• The choice is yours to make.
• This book is mine; I bought it last week.
• The final decision must be yours since you are the team leader.
• The cat is licking its paws after the meal.
• That car in the driveway is ours; we just got it washed.
• The responsibility for this project is theirs; they need to ensure it’s completed on time.
• The success of the presentation was hers; she worked tirelessly on it.

Singular and Plural Forms

In this section, we’ll explore the singular and plural pronouns that help us indicate the number of subjects we are referring to in our sentences.

Singular Pronouns

Singular pronouns are used when we are referring to one individual entity. This could be a person, an animal, or an inanimate object. Here is a list of the common singular personal pronouns in the subjective and objective forms:

• Subjective: I, you, he, she, it
• Objective: me, you, him, her, it

For example:

• Subjective: “She is going to the store.”
• Objective: “The book belongs to him.”

Plural Pronouns

Plural pronouns come into play when the subject involves more than one entity. These pronouns can refer to groups, pairs, or any number greater than one. Below are the primary plural personal pronouns in subjective and objective forms:

• Subjective: we, you, they
• Objective: us, you, them

For instance:

• Subjective: “We are on our way to the meeting.”
• Objective: “The gifts are for them.”

Interactive Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the correct personal pronoun

1. (He/She/It) is my brother, and his name is John.
2. The flowers are blooming; (it/they) look beautiful in the spring.
3. (We/They) are going to the movies tonight; would you like to join us?
4. My sister and (I/me) are planning a surprise party for our parents.
5. The teacher said (he/she) would grade the tests over the weekend.
6. The company is expanding, and (it/they) are opening a new branch.
7. (You/They) must be tired after such a long flight.
8. My friends are not here yet; (they/it) should arrive any moment.
9. (He/She) is a talented musician; (he/she) plays the guitar beautifully.
10. The dog chased its tail until (it/he) got tired.

Answers:

1. He
2. they
3. We
4. I
5. she
6. it
7. You
8. they
9. He, he
10. it

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct personal pronoun

For each sentence, fill in the blank with the appropriate personal pronoun (he, she, it, they, we, I, you).

1. __ am excited to start my new job tomorrow.
2. Sarah and Mike went to the park, and __ took their dog with them.
3. The book is on the table, but __ is not mine.
4. __ saw a beautiful bird in the garden this morning.
5. __ think __ should all go out for dinner tonight.
6. The phone is ringing; can __ answer it, please?
7. __ and Tom are planning to go hiking next weekend.
8. The cat is hungry; __ needs to be fed.
9. __ is raining, so we might have to cancel the picnic.
10. __ are learning French; it’s a beautiful language.

Answers:

1. I
2. they
3. it
4. I
5. I, we
6. you
7. I
8. it
9. It
10. We

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you distinguish between different types of personal pronouns?

We distinguish personal pronouns by their function in a sentence, which typically reflects who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and who is being spoken about. In English, these categories are first person (I, we), second person (you), and third person (he, she, they, it).

In what ways can personal pronouns reflect gender, and what are some common gender pronouns?

Personal pronouns can reflect gender identity. Common gender-specific pronouns include ‘he’ for males and ‘she’ for females. ‘They’ is a gender-neutral pronoun often used singularly by non-binary individuals. Familiarizing ourselves with a person’s pronouns shows respect for their identity.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when learning personal pronouns in a new language?

A common mistake is assuming the gender and number pronouns correspond exactly between languages. Misgendering an individual or using plural pronouns for singular entities can happen when we transfer our native language habits directly to the new language.

Can you provide examples of personal pronouns used in a sentence?

Certainly! Here are examples: “She left her keys on the table,” “They went to their favorite restaurant,” and “I forgot to bring my book.” Each sentence uses a different personal pronoun: “she/her,” “they/their,” and “I/my” respectively.

How does the use of personal pronouns vary across different languages?

In different languages, personal pronouns can vary widely. Some languages include formal and informal versions of ‘you’, like ‘tú’ and ‘usted’ in Spanish. Other languages might use completely different sets of pronouns based on gender, formality, or hierarchy.