What Are Personal Pronouns? (2024)

A personal pronoun is a short word we use as a simple substitute for the proper name of a person. Each of the English personal pronouns shows us the grammatical person, gender, number, and case of the noun it replaces. I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us, and them are all personal pronouns.

Personal pronouns are the stunt doubles of grammar; they stand in for the people (and perhaps animals) who star in our sentences. They allow us to speak and write with economy because they enable us to avoid repeating cumbersome propernouns all the livelong day.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in South Africa, and Bishop Desmond Tutu rose to international fame in the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Bishop Desmond Tutu in 1984. Bishop Desmond Tutu has written seven books and has cowritten or contributed to many others.

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With personal pronouns, this paragraph becomes much easier, and much less annoying, to read.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in South Africa, and he rose to international fame in the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him in 1984. He has written seven books and has cowritten or contributed to many others.

First-, second-, and third-person pronouns

A personal pronoun can be in one of three “persons.” A first-person pronoun refers to the speaker, a second-person pronoun refers to the person being spoken to, and a third-person pronoun refers to the person being spoken of. For each of these three grammatical persons, there is a plural as well.

Subject and object pronouns

Personal pronouns can be eithersubjects or objects in a sentence. Subject pronouns are said to be in the nominative case, whereas object pronouns are said to be in the objective case.

PersonNominativeObjective
First singularIme
Second singularyouyou
Third singularhe, she, ithim, her, it
First pluralweus
Second pluralyouyou
Third pluraltheythem

The interrogative pronouns for all three persons are the same: who (nominative) and whom (objective). Many people get confused about when to use the interrogative objective pronoun whom, butit is quite easy to learn.

Mrs. Khan asked that the package be delivered to her at the office. (her = third person singular objective)

To whom should I address my letter? (whom = interrogative objective; I = first person singular nominative)

We would like to invite Stacy to join us for dinner. (we = first person plural nominative; us = first person plural objective)

Second person singular vs. plural

One pitfall of English is that it uses the same word, you, for both the second person singular and plural. Many other languages do not have this problem, because they use distinct words for each. But in English, we need a context to determine whether you is singular or plural.

Would you like to come over for dinner?

From this sentence alone, we can’t determine whether one person, or two, or five hundred people are being invited to share a meal. This is why in some parts of the world, we hear additions to you when a plural is indicated, like you lot in the UK or you all (or y’all) in America. It probably goes without saying that you should keep this out of your formal writing.

The singular they

While the second person has a number issue, the third person has a gender solution for cases when the gender of the third-person singular pronoun is indeterminate or neutral.

Using he or she and him or her is preferred by most style guides, but informally, a singular they is often used.

If a customer wants to speak to a manager, they can phone after 10 o’clock.

The singular they is deemed acceptable usage by the Associated Press, Merriam-Webster, and several other language guides.

Personal pronoun FAQs

What are personal pronouns?

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun that substitutes for another noun. Personal pronouns show the number, grammatical person, and sometimes gender of the noun.

What are examples of personal pronouns?

The personal pronouns for subjects are I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. For objects, they are me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.

Should personal pronouns be capitalized?

Only the personal pronoun I should be capitalized all the time. The other pronouns are only capitalized when they begin a sentence or form a proper noun (such as the movie Us).

Should you use personal pronouns in an essay?

Personal pronouns are perfectly acceptable in essays. However, in academic essays and other formal papers, it’s best to avoid the first- and second-person pronouns (I, me, we, us, you) for the sake of objectivity.

What Are Personal Pronouns? (2024)

FAQs

What are personal pronouns answer? ›

A personal pronoun is a short word we use as a simple substitute for the proper name of a person. Each of the English personal pronouns shows us the grammatical person, gender, number, and case of the noun it replaces. I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us, and them are all personal pronouns.

What are the 7 personal pronouns? ›

The personal pronouns that are used as object pronouns are different than the personal pronouns that are used as subject pronouns, but they are just as important. There are seven object pronouns that also happen to be personal pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.

What are the 23 personal pronouns list? ›

In Modern English the personal pronouns include: "I," "you," "he," "she," "it," "we," "they," "them," "us," "him," "her," "his," "hers," "its," "theirs," "our," "your."

What is personal pronoun examples sentences? ›

Personal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence. For example: Joe asked Dante where he bought his Nintendo Switch.

What is pronoun answer example? ›

According to the Collins Dictionary, 'A pronoun is a word that you use to refer to someone or something when you do not need to use a noun, often because the person or thing has been mentioned earlier. Examples are 'it', 'she', 'something', and 'myself'.'

What are the 3 types of personal pronouns? ›

Their function or use determines which form or case will be used in a sentence. The three cases of personal pronouns are nominative, objective, and possessive.

What are 15 types of pronoun? ›

Pronouns are classified as personal (I, we, you, he, she, it, they), demonstrative (this, these, that, those), relative (who, which, that, as), indefinite (each, all, everyone, either, one, both, any, such, somebody), interrogative (who, which, what), reflexive (myself, herself), possessive (mine, yours, his, hers, ...

What are 10 common pronouns? ›

Common pronouns are he, she, you, me, I, we, us, this, them, that. A pronoun can act as a subject, direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, and more and takes the place of any person, place, animal or thing.

What are the 4 gender pronouns? ›

Gendered pronouns specifically reference someone's gender: he/him/his or she/her/hers. Non-gendered or nonbinary pronouns are not gender specific and are most often used by people who identify outside of a gender binary.

Can you give me a list of pronouns? ›

I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us, them. There are two kinds of personal pronouns: Subjective pronouns and objective pronouns.

What are personal pronouns chart? ›

Personal Pronouns Chart
PersonSubjectivePossessive Pronoun
1st Person SingularIMine
3rd Person SingularHeHis
3rd Person SingularSheHers
3rd Person SingularItIts
3 more rows
Jun 16, 2021

How do you write personal pronouns? ›

People usually state the subject and object pronoun (e.g., “she/her”) but may also include the possessive (e.g., “she/her/hers”). Most people go by the masculine “he/him,” the feminine “she/her,” the gender-neutral singular “they/them,” or some combination of these.

What is pronoun give 5 examples with sentence? ›

Definition. A pronoun (I, me, he, she, herself, you, it, that, they, each, few, many, who, whoever, whose, someone, everybody, etc.) is a word that takes the place of a noun. In the sentence Joe saw Jill, and he waved at her, the pronouns he and her take the place of Joe and Jill, respectively.

Why is personal pronoun used? ›

Personal pronouns are used to convey a person's gender identity and don't necessarily align with the sex a person was assigned at birth.

How do you identify a pronoun? ›

A pronoun is a word that refers to either the people talking (“I” or “you”) or someone or something that is being talked about (like “she”, “it”, “them”, and “this”). Gender pronouns (he/she/they/ze etc.) specifically refer to the person you are referring to.

How do you solve a pronoun? ›

RULE: Pronouns have three cases: nominative (I, you, he, she, it, they), possessive (my, your, his, her, their), and objective (me, him, her, him, us, them). Use the nominative case when the pronoun is the subject of your sentence, and remember the rule of manners: always put the other person's name first!

How many personal pronouns are there? ›

How many personal pronouns are there? There are 12 personal pronouns for a person or group, and they are: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us and them.

What are the 5 type personal pronouns? ›

Personal pronouns are short words used to represent people or things. The personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, and they.

How many pronoun words are there? ›

There are seven different types of pronoun, classified according to their meaning and use. The personal pronouns can be used as subject or object in a clause.

What kind of pronoun is my? ›

The independent possessive pronouns are mine, ours, yours, his, hers, its, and theirs. The possessive adjectives, also called possessive determiners, are my, our, your, his, her, its, and their.

What is the most used pronoun? ›

In English, our most commonly used pronouns (he/she) specifically refer to a person's gender.

What is a popular pronoun? ›

Using someone's correct pronouns is an important way of affirming someone's identity and is a fundamental step in being an ally. Common pronouns include she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs. There are other nonbinary pronouns.

What are the 20 example of pronoun? ›

Pronoun examples: I, me, we, they, you, he, she, it, yours, himself, ourselves, its, my, that, this, those, us, who, whom…
...
However, a pronoun could also be one of the following words:
  • He/she.
  • It.
  • They.
  • Me.
  • Himself.
  • Somebody/everybody/anybody.
  • Many.
  • Each.

What's the definition of a pronoun? ›

A pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase. Pronouns refer to either a noun that has already been mentioned or to a noun that does not need to be named specifically.

How do you use pronoun in a sentence? ›

How are pronouns used in sentences? The main function of pronouns is to replace nouns. Because of this, they are used in sentences in similar ways to nouns. Like nouns, pronouns commonly serve as the subject of a sentence, followed by a verb (a word expressing an action).

What kind of pronoun is I? ›

- Easy Learning Grammar. These words are all personal pronouns. Personal pronouns are used as the subject, object, or complement in a clause.

What pronoun is gender neutral? ›

'They', for instance, is a third-person pronoun that is gender neutral. Other gender-neutral pronouns include 'them', 'this person', 'everyone', 'Ze', or 'Hir'. If you're not sure which pronoun to use, you can also use that person's name.

What is a pronoun for a male? ›

She, her, hers and he, him, his are common and more familiar pronouns. Some people call these “female/feminine” and “male/masculine” pronouns, but many avoid these labels because, for example, not everyone who uses he feels like a “male” or “masculine”.

What does it mean when someone's pronouns are she and they? ›

She/They and He/They

Someone who uses she/they pronouns may identify as both being a woman and nonbinary. Or, they could be genderfluid, genderqueer, bigender, or another identity.

Do I have to list my pronouns? ›

It's an essential step toward inclusivity

Whether you're cisgender, transgender, or non-binary, listing your pronouns on professional materials is an important step toward workplace inclusivity.

Why should I list my pronouns? ›

It makes it easier to avoid misgendering someone. It helps combat sexism. It is a common assumption that gender-neutral names belong to men. By not sharing their pronouns, some folks are treated with greater respect because the other party believes they are a man1.

What are personal pronouns exercises? ›

Personal pronouns include first-person, second-person and third-person pronouns. They are used to identify the speaker/listener or the person/thing being referred to. I, me, you, we, us, he, him, she, her, it, they and them are the different personal pronouns in the English language.

What are types of pronoun? ›

Other Types of Pronoun
Pronoun TypeMembers of the Subclass
Reflexivemyself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
Reciprocaleach other, one another
Relativethat, which, who, whose, whom, where, when
Demonstrativethis, that, these, those
3 more rows

What are the four characteristics of personal pronouns? ›

Personal pronouns have four characteristics: number, person, case, gender. singular (one person, place, or thing) if what it stands for is singular. I was the one responsible for the final outcome. plural (more than one) if what it stands for is plural.

How do you introduce yourself with your pronouns? ›

If you are beginning a conversation with someone, try introducing yourself with your pronouns. For example, you could say, 'Hi my name is Maria. I'm from Ohio and I use she/her/hers pronouns. '

Is a name a personal pronoun? ›

No, a name is not a pronoun. A name is a noun, and specifically, it is a proper noun. Proper nouns are capitalized, whereas common nouns are not. A pronoun would be a word used to take the place of a name, or of another noun.

How do you ask a personal pronoun? ›

Try asking: “What pronouns do you use?” or “Can you remind me what pronouns you use?” It can feel awkward at first, but it is not half as awkward as making a hurtful assumption.

What is class 7 pronoun and its types? ›

I, we, me, us, my, our, mine and ours are pronouns of first person. The listener is the second person. You, your and yours are the pronouns of second person. About whom/which the speaker is saying something.

What is a Class 7 pronoun? ›

The pronoun definition Class 7 is that it is a word that we use instead of a noun in a sentence. It substitutes a noun in a paragraph or a piece of writeup to avoid repetition of the noun. In addition, the noun that is alternated by a pronoun is called the antecedent of the pronoun.

What are the 9 pronouns? ›

There are nine types of pronouns:
  • Personal pronouns (e.g., he, they, we)
  • Demonstrative pronouns (e.g., this, that, these)
  • Interrogative pronouns (e.g., which, who, whose)
  • Indefinite pronouns (e.g., none, several, any)
  • Possessive pronouns (e.g., his, yours, ours)
  • Reciprocal pronouns (e.g., each other, one another)

What are the 8 subject pronouns? ›

Subject pronouns are those pronouns that perform the action in a sentence. They are I, you, he, she, we, they, and who.

What are the rules of pronoun? ›

RULE: Pronouns have three cases: nominative (I, you, he, she, it, they), possessive (my, your, his, her, their), and objective (me, him, her, him, us, them). Use the nominative case when the pronoun is the subject of your sentence, and remember the rule of manners: always put the other person's name first!

What is pronoun full answer? ›

What is a pronoun? A pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase. Pronouns refer to either a noun that has already been mentioned or to a noun that does not need to be named specifically.

What is a pronoun for Grade 5? ›

A Pronoun is used to avoid the repetition of a noun. It can be singular or plural. In the sentences, Supriya knows them; she comes from an educated family; this book belongs to me, the words like she, them, and me are examples of pronouns.

What is pronoun Z? ›

Ze/hir/hirs, ze/zir/zirs

The ze/hir, ze/zir pronoun sets come from the trans community as another gender-neutral pronoun set. It's up to each individual to decide which pronoun best fits them and their identities. Ze is typically pronounced like the letter Z.

What type of pronoun is me? ›

Objective personal pronouns are pronouns that act as the object of a sentence. If you are learning English as a second language, remember that the objective personal pronouns are me, you, her, him, it, us, you, and them.

What is a pronoun Grade 9? ›

By definition, a Pronoun is a word which is used in place of a noun. To avoid repetition of nouns in a sentence or paragraph, a pronoun is used.

What are the 11 types of pronouns? ›

Types of pronouns
  • Possessive pronouns.
  • Personal pronouns.
  • Relative pronouns.
  • Reflexive pronouns.
  • Indefinite pronouns.
  • Demonstrative pronouns.
  • Interrogative pronouns.
  • Intensive pronouns.
Sep 30, 2021

What are the 5 pronouns? ›

Other Types of Pronoun
Pronoun TypeMembers of the Subclass
Possessivemine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
Reflexivemyself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves
Reciprocaleach other, one another
Relativethat, which, who, whose, whom, where, when
3 more rows

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