English Grammar: Pronouns

Personal Pronouns Table

5. Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative Pronouns (who, whom, which, what) are used in questions.

Examples:

• Who is calling?
• What is your name?

7. Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite Pronouns (someone, anyone, few, many) refer to non-specific people or things.

Examples:

• Someone is knocking.
• Everyone is ready.

2. Using the Wrong Object Pronoun

❌ She likes I.
✅ She likes me.

Explanation: Use object pronouns like me, him, and them after the verb.

3. Mixing Subject and Object Pronouns

❌ Me am ready.
✅ I am ready.

Explanation: Use I as the subject, not me.

4. Using “He” or “She” for Things

❌ The book is old. She is torn.
✅ The book is old. It is torn.

Explanation: Use it for things.

5. Wrong Possessive Pronouns

❌ This pen is her.
✅ This pen is hers.

Explanation: Use hers, mine, and ours to show possession.

6. Repeating the Subject Pronoun Unnecessarily

❌ My brother he is tall.
✅ My brother is tall.

Explanation: Do not repeat the subject with a pronoun.

7. Confusing “Its” and “It’s”

❌ The dog wagged it’s tail.
✅ The dog wagged its tail.

Explanation: Use its for possession and it’s for it is.

8. Wrong Reflexive Pronouns

❌ She made the cake myself.
✅ She made the cake herself.

Explanation: Use the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject.

9. Using “Them” Instead of “Those”

❌ Them books are new.
✅ Those books are new.

Explanation: Use those when pointing to plural things.

10. Pronoun Does Not Match the Noun

❌ Sara lost their bag.
✅ Sara lost her bag.

Explanation: Make sure the pronoun matches the noun.

1. Identify the Pronoun

2. Fill in the Blank

Choose the correct pronoun.

1. ___ is my friend. (He / His)
2. ___ are students. (They / Them)
3. I saw ___ yesterday. (she / her)
4. ___ am happy. (I / Me)
5. Please help ___. (I / me)

3. Correct the Sentence

Correct the pronoun mistake.

1. ❌ Between you and I
   ✅ Between you and me
2. ❌ Him is my cousin.
   ✅ He is my cousin.
3. ❌ She gave it to we.
   ✅ She gave it to us
4. ❌ Me am tired.
   ✅ I am tired.
5. ❌ The teacher called they.
   ✅ The teacher called them

4. Choose the Correct Pronoun

Select the correct answer.

1. This book belongs to ___. (she / her)
2. ___ is my brother. (He / Him)
3. I saw ___ at school. (they / them)
4. ___ are my friends. (They / Them)
5. We invited ___. (he / him)

5. Replace the Noun with a Pronoun

Replace the noun with the correct pronoun.

1. John is happy. → He is happy.
2. The girls are singing. → They are singing.
3. My dog is hungry. → It is hungry.
4. Sara and I are friends. → We are friends.
5. The book is new. → It is new.

6. Match the Pronoun

Match the noun with the correct pronoun.

1. The boys → They
2. Sarah → She
3. My father → He
4. The dog → It
5. John and I → We

7. Choose the Possessive Pronoun

Pick the correct possessive pronoun.

1. This bag is ___. (my / mine)
2. That pen is ___. (her / hers)
3. The house is ___. (their / theirs)
4. This seat is ___. (our / ours)
5. The keys are ___. (your / yours)

8. Select the Reflexive Pronoun

Choose the correct reflexive pronoun.

1. She made it ___. (herself / herselfs)
2. I taught ___. (myself / me)
3. They enjoyed ___. (themselves / themself)
4. He hurt ___. (himself / hisself)
5. We prepared ___. (ourselves / ourself)

9. Choose the Demonstrative Pronoun

Pick the correct pronoun.

1. ___ are my shoes. (These / This)
2. ___ is my bag. (That / Those)
3. ___ are beautiful flowers. (Those / That)
4. ___ is my pen. (This / These)
5. ___ are your books. (These / This)

10. Rewrite Using a Pronoun

Rewrite the sentence using a pronoun.

1. Maria is kind. Maria is helpful.
   → Maria is kind. She is helpful.
2. Tom and Jack are friends. Tom and Jack play football.
   → Tom and Jack are friends. They play football.
3. The cat is sleeping. The cat is tired.
   → The cat is sleeping. It is tired.
4. Anna has a book. Anna likes reading.
   → Anna has a book. She likes reading.
5. My parents are at home. My parents are resting.
   → My parents are at home. They are resting.

1. Start with Basic Pronouns First

Learn simple pronouns before advanced ones.

Examples:

• I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• me, him, her, us, them

👉 Example sentence:
She is my friend. / They are students.

2. Remember Subject vs Object Pronouns

Subject pronouns do the action, object pronouns receive it.

Examples:

• Subject: He likes apples.
• Object: I saw him.

3. Practice with Daily Sentences

Use pronouns in everyday speech.

Examples:

• I am going to school.
• She is reading a book.
• We are playing football.

4. Replace Names with Pronouns

Practice by changing names into pronouns.

Examples:

• Rahim is a student. He is smart.
• Sara and I are friends. We study together.

5. Learn Possessive Pronouns Step by Step

Understand ownership words.

Examples:

• This book is mine.
• That bag is hers.
• The house is ours.

6. Use “It” for Things and Animals

Use “it” when gender is not important.

Examples:

• It is raining.
• The dog is hungry. It needs food.

7. Practice Small Conversations

Use pronouns in short dialogues.

Examples:
A: Who is that?
B: He is my brother.

A: Where are your friends?
B: They are at school.

8. Read Simple English Sentences

Reading helps you see pronouns in real use.

Examples:

• She goes to school every day.
• They play in the park.

9. Avoid Mixing Pronouns

Don’t mix subject and object forms.

Wrong: Me am happy. ❌
Correct: I am happy. ✅

10. Practice Every Day

The more you use pronouns, the easier they become.

Examples:

• I wake up early.
• We go to school together.
• They study English daily.

14. Pronouns Agreement Rules

Pronoun agreement means a pronoun must match its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number, gender, and person.

1. Pronoun Agreement in Number (Singular/Plural)

A singular noun takes a singular pronoun, and a plural noun takes a plural pronoun.

Examples:

• Each student must bring his or her notebook.
• The boys finished their homework.
• The cat licked its paw.

2. Pronoun Agreement in Gender

Pronouns must match the gender of the noun when known.

Examples:

• Rina said she will come.
• Rahim lost his bag.

3. Pronoun Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns

Some indefinite pronouns are always singular and take singular pronouns.

Examples:

• Everyone must do his or her duty.
• Somebody left his or her bag here.

👉 (Modern English often uses “their” for natural gender-neutral use.)

4. Pronoun Agreement in Person

Pronouns must stay in the same person (I, you, he/she/it, we, they).

Examples:

• If a student studies hard, he or she will pass.
• We believe we can improve.

15. Subject vs Object Pronouns

Subject and object pronouns are used in different positions in a sentence. They replace nouns to avoid repetition.

Key Difference

• Subject pronoun = does the action
• Object pronoun = receives the action

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns act as the subject of the sentence (the one doing the action).

Forms: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Examples:

• I am reading a book.
• She plays football.
• They are coming today.

👉 The subject performs the action.

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns receive the action in a sentence.

Forms: me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Examples:

• He called me.
• I saw her at school.
• We invited them to the party.

👉 The object receives the action.

16. Possessive Pronouns vs Possessive Adjectives

Possessive Adjectives

👉 Note: The possessive adjective is always followed by a noun (book, job, keys, house).

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns replace a noun and show ownership without repeating the noun.

Forms: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs

Examples:

• This book is mine.
• The job is hers.
• The keys are ours.
• The house is theirs.

👉 Note: There is no noun after the possessive pronoun.

17. Reflexive vs Emphatic Pronouns

Reflexive and emphatic pronouns look the same, but their functions are different in a sentence.

Key Difference

• Reflexive → Action returns to subject
• Emphatic → Adds stress to subject

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object are the same person or thing.

Forms: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves

Examples:

• I hurt myself while playing.
• She taught herself English.
• They prepared themselves for the exam.

👉 The action comes back to the subject.

Emphatic Pronouns

Emphatic pronouns are used to give stress or emphasis to the subject.

Examples:

• I myself completed the work.
• The manager himself approved the plan.
• They themselves fixed the problem.

👉 If you remove the pronoun, the sentence still makes sense.

18. Pronoun Reference in Sentences

Clear Pronoun Reference

A pronoun should clearly point to the noun it replaces.

Examples:

• Sara lost her bag, and she is looking for it.
• The dog was hungry because it had not eaten.

👉 Here, the pronouns clearly refer to Sara and the dog.

Unclear Pronoun Reference

If it is not clear which noun the pronoun refers to, the meaning becomes confusing.

Example:

• Rahim told Karim that he was late.

👉 Who was late — Rahim or Karim? The pronoun he is unclear.

Better:

• Rahim was late, so he told Karim.

19. Common Agreement Errors

Agreement errors happen when the subject, verb, or pronoun do not match correctly in number or person.

👉 Always make sure the subject matches the verb and the pronoun matches the noun.

1. Subject–Verb Agreement Error

A singular subject needs a singular verb, and a plural subject needs a plural verb.

Incorrect: She go to school.
Correct: She goes to school.

2. Pronoun Agreement Error

A pronoun must agree with the noun it replaces.

Incorrect: Every student must bring their book.
Correct: Every student must bring his or her book.

3. Agreement with Compound Subjects

Two subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb.

Incorrect: Rahim and Karim is friends.
Correct: Rahim and Karim are friends.

4. Agreement with Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Words like everyone, each, somebody are singular.

Incorrect: Everyone must bring their ID.
Correct: Everyone must bring his or her ID.

20. Compound Subjects and Pronouns

A compound subject is made of two or more subjects joined by words like and or or. The pronoun used must agree with the compound subject.

Key note

👉 And = plural pronoun
👉 Or / Nor = pronoun agrees with the nearest subject

Compound Subjects with and

When two subjects are joined by and, they usually take a plural pronoun.

Example: Rahim and Karim forgot their books.

👉 Rahim and Karim = plural, so the pronoun is their.

Compound Subjects with or / nor

When subjects are joined by or or nor, the pronoun agrees with the nearest subject.

Example: Either Rina or the boys will bring their lunch.

👉 The nearest subject is boys, so the pronoun is their.

More Examples

Example: My brother and sister finished their homework.
Example: Neither the teachers nor the principal forgot his or her speech.

17. What is wrong in unclear pronoun reference?

It creates confusion about who or what is being referred to.

Pronouns in formal writing must be clear, precise, and unambiguous. Each pronoun should have a clearly identifiable noun (antecedent) to avoid confusion.

Formal writing generally prefers third-person references to maintain objectivity.

✔ The company delivers digital services to clients.
✔ It ensures secure data handling. (clear reference to “company”)

Gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them are used when the person is unknown or not specified.

✔ If a user logs in, they can access their dashboard.

Repetition of nouns is preferred over unclear pronouns when meaning may become ambiguous.

❌ The system updates the data and stores it in its database. (unclear reference)
✔ The system updates the data and stores the information in the database.

In formal and web writing, pronouns should always support clarity, consistency, and professionalism.

24. Gender-Neutral Pronouns

Gender-neutral pronouns are pronouns used when the gender of a person is unknown, irrelevant, or when referring to someone who does not identify strictly as male or female.

They help make writing more inclusive and avoid unnecessary assumptions.

📌 Examples

2. General reference

✔ If someone calls, tell them I will call back.

👉 We don’t know the caller’s gender, so “them” is neutral.

3. Formal usage

✔ Every applicant must bring their ID card.

👉 Even in formal writing, “their” is now widely accepted as correct singular usage.

4. Referring to a specific person (preferred identity)

✔ Alex said they will join the meeting later.

👉 “they” is used for a person who prefers gender-neutral pronouns.

Key Rule

Even though “they” is plural in origin, it is grammatically correct as a singular gender-neutral pronoun in modern English.

Simple takeaway

Use “they / them / their” when:

• Gender is unknown
• Gender is irrelevant
• Referring to a person who prefers it

❌ Ambiguous (unclear)

• Rafi told Ali that he was late.
  👉 Who was late—Rafi or Ali?

✅ Clear (fixed)

• Rafi told Ali that Ali was late.
• Rafi told Ali, “You are late.”

❌ Ambiguous

• The teacher spoke to the principal about his decision.
  👉 Whose decision?

✅ Clear

• The teacher spoke to the principal about the principal’s decision.
• The teacher spoke to the principal about the teacher’s decision. (if that’s the meaning)

❌ Ambiguous

• When John met David, he was nervous.
  👉 Who was nervous?

✅ Clear

• When John met David, John was nervous.
• When John met David, David was nervous.

Simple rule:

If a pronoun can refer to more than one person/thing, replace it with the exact noun or restructure the sentence.

✔️ Rule: If a pronoun can refer to more than one person/thing, replace it with the exact noun.

1. Wrong Case (subject/object form)

❌ Him and me went to school.
✅ He and I went to school.

2. Agreement Error (number/person mismatch)

❌ Each student must bring their book. (informal but traditionally incorrect in formal grammar)
✅ Each student must bring his or her book.

3. Ambiguous Reference

❌ Rina told Suma that she was late.
👉 Who was late?
✅ Rina told Suma that Rina was late.

4. Vague “it / this / that”

❌ It is bad, which is annoying.
👉 What is “it”?
✅ The noise is bad, which is annoying.

✔️ Rule:

Use pronouns only when the reference is clear, grammatically correct, and unambiguous.

B. Multiple Choice Questions (With Answer)

1. The students said ___ were happy.
   A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
2. The boy said ___ was hungry.
   A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
3. The girls said ___ would come.
   A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
4. The man said ___ was late.
   A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
5. The teacher told the students that ___ must read.
   A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
6. The dog chased the cat until ___ climbed.
   A) it B) he C) they. Answer: it
7. The teacher said ___ was ready.
   A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she
8. The students said ___ had finished.
   A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
9. The child told his mother that ___ was scared.
   A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
10. The man told Rafi that ___ was correct.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
11. The class said ___ would come.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
12. When she saw me, ___ waved.
    A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she
13. The girls helped ___ friends.
    A) their B) them C) they. Answer: their
14. The boy said ___ was tired.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
15. The teacher said ___ would check.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
16. The students said ___ were excited.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
17. The woman told the girl that ___ was lucky.
    A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she
18. The dog wagged ___ tail.
    A) its B) it C) they. Answer: its
19. When I saw them, ___ were running.
    A) they B) them C) he. Answer: they
20. The boys said ___ were ready.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
21. The teacher told Rina that ___ was correct.
    A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she
22. The child said ___ was hungry.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
23. The man told the boy that ___ was late.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
24. The girls said ___ would go.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
25. Sara helped Nila with ___ work.
    A) her B) she C) hers. Answer: her
26. The boy lost ___ bag.
    A) his B) him C) he. Answer: his
27. The teacher told the class that ___ must study.
    A) they B) it C) he. Answer: they
28. The students said ___ had finished.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
29. The child said ___ was tired.
    A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she
30. When John met David, ___ was nervous.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
31. The girl said ___ was tired.
    A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she
32. The boys said ___ were ready.
    A) they B) them C) he. Answer: they
33. Ali told Rafi that ___ had won.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
34. The teacher said ___ would help.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
35. The dog wagged ___ tail.
    A) its B) it C) they. Answer: its
36. The students said ___ were happy.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
37. When Ali met Karim, ___ smiled.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
38. The girls said ___ would come.
    A) they B) them C) it. Answer: they
39. The man said ___ was late.
    A) he B) him C) they. Answer: he
40. The teacher said ___ was ready.
    A) she B) her C) they. Answer: she

C. Error Identification & Correction (20 with Answers)

1. Him and me went home.
   Answer: He and I went home.
2. Each student must bring their books.
   Answer: Each student must bring his or her book.
3. Rafi told Karim that he was late.
   Answer: Rafi told Karim that Karim was late (or Rafi was late, depending on meaning).
4. When Sara met Mina, she was happy.
   Answer: Sara was happy (or Mina was happy, depending on meaning).
5. The dog chased the cat and it was scared.
   Answer: The cat was scared.
6. The teacher said him was correct.
   Answer: The teacher said he was correct.
7. The boys said him were ready.
   Answer: The boys said they were ready.
8. She gave it to he.
   Answer: She gave it to him.
9. The man told they to leave.
   Answer: The man told them to leave.
10. Me and Ali went there.
    Answer: Ali and I went there.
11. Each boy lost their bag.
    Answer: Each boy lost his bag.
12. The girl told her that she was wrong.
    Answer: The girl told her that she was wrong (clarity needed for “she”)
13. The students said him had finished.
    Answer: The students said he had finished.
14. When I saw them, it were running.
    Answer: When I saw them, they were running.
15. The teacher told we to study.
    Answer: The teacher told us to study.
16. Him and her are friends.
    Answer: He and she are friends (better: He and she are friends / or They are friends).
17. The boy said her was tired.
    Answer: The boy said she was tired.
18. The girls said him would come.
    Answer: The girls said he would come.
19. The dog wagged his tail.
    Answer: The dog wagged its tail.
20. The class said it were ready.
    Answer: The class said it was ready (or They were ready).