Personal pronouns are words used in English to refer to specific people or things in place of their names. They play a crucial role in communication by allowing us to talk about individuals without repeating their names constantly. They vary depending on the grammatical person they represent, which indicates the perspective of the speaker in relation to the subject of the sentence. In English, personal pronouns are categorized into three persons:
- First Person: This refers to the speaker or speakers. It includes the pronouns “I” and “we.”
- “I” is used when a single person is speaking or referring to themselves.
Example: I am going to the store.
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- “We” is used when the speaker includes themselves and others in a group.
Example: We are going to the beach this weekend.
- Second Person: This refers to the person or people being spoken to. It includes the pronoun “you.”
- “You” is used when addressing one or more people directly.
Example: You should come to the party with us.
- Third Person: This refers to someone or something not directly involved in the conversation. It includes the pronouns “he,” “she,” “it,” “they,” and their variants.
- “He” is used for a male person or animal.
Example: He is playing soccer with his friends.
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- “She” is used for a female person or animal.
Example: She is reading a book at the library.
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- “It” is used for objects, animals, and things without gender.
Example: It is raining outside.
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- “They” is used for a group of people or things.
- Example: They are coming to the party tonight.
Personal pronouns can also be categorized based on the number of people or things they represent. There are two main types of personal pronouns based on number:
- Singular Pronouns: These pronouns are used to refer to one person or thing.Singular subject pronouns are:
- I
- You
- He
- She
- It
Singular object pronouns are:
- Me
- You
- Him
- Her
- It
Singular possessive pronouns are:
- Mine
- Yours
- His
- Hers
- Its
- Plural Pronouns: These pronouns are used to refer to more than one person or thing.Plural subject pronouns are:
- We
- You
- They
Plural object pronouns are:
- Us
- You
- Them
Plural possessive pronouns are:
- Ours
- Yours
- Theirs
Here are examples of personal pronouns based on number:
Singular:
- I am going to the store.
- You should come with me.
- He is playing soccer.
Plural:
- We are going to the beach.
- You should bring your friends.
- They are coming to the party.
Personal pronouns can also be categorized based on gender. In English, there are pronouns that are traditionally associated with specific genders, and there are also gender-neutral pronouns that are used when the gender of the person is unknown, irrelevant, or when referring to a non-binary individual. Here’s an explanation of personal pronouns based on gender:
- Masculine Pronouns: These pronouns are traditionally associated with male individuals. The main masculine pronouns are:
- He (subject pronoun): Used when referring to a male person or animal as the subject of the sentence.
- Him (object pronoun): Used when referring to a male person or animal as the object of a verb or preposition.
- His (possessive pronoun): Used to show ownership by a male person or animal.
Example: He is playing soccer. I saw him at the park with his friends.
- Feminine Pronouns: These pronouns are traditionally associated with female individuals. The main feminine pronouns are:
- She (subject pronoun): Used when referring to a female person or animal as the subject of the sentence.
- Her (object pronoun): Used when referring to a female person or animal as the object of a verb or preposition.
- Hers (possessive pronoun): Used to show ownership by a female person or animal.
Example: She is reading a book. I gave the book to her; it’s hers.
- Gender-Neutral Pronouns: These pronouns are used to refer to individuals whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or to non-binary individuals who don’t identify strictly as male or female. Some common gender-neutral pronouns are:
- They (subject and object pronoun): Used to refer to a person or group of people without specifying their gender. This is increasingly used to refer to individuals whose gender identity is non-binary or when the gender is unknown.
- Them (object pronoun): Used to refer to a person or group of people as the object of a verb or preposition.
- Their (possessive pronoun): Used to show ownership by a person or group of people, without specifying their gender.
Example: They are coming to the party. I invited them; it’s their first time attending.
Personal pronouns can represent different grammatical roles, such as the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb or preposition, and possession. In English, there are three categories of personal pronouns:
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Subject Pronouns:
These pronouns are used as the subjects of sentences, performing the action. The subject pronouns are:
- I
- you
- he
- she
- it
- we
- they
Subject Pronouns in a Sentence:
- I am going to the park to play.
- You should eat your vegetables for good health.
- He is playing soccer with his friends.
- She is reading a book at the library.
- It is raining outside, so bring an umbrella.
- We are going to the beach this weekend.
- They are coming to the party tonight.
Personal Pronouns Definition and Examples
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Object Pronouns:
These pronouns are used as the objects of verbs or prepositions, receiving the action. The object pronouns are:
- Me
- you
- him
- her
- it
- us
- them
Object Pronouns in a Sentence:
- She saw me at the park.
- They invited you to the party.
- John is helping him with his homework.
- The teacher praised her for the excellent presentation.
- The cat is sleeping; please don’t disturb it.
- They invited us to their party.
- I gave the book to them.
Note: “you” can be used as both a subject pronoun and an object pronoun.
- Possessive Pronouns:
These pronouns show ownership or possession. The possessive pronouns are:
- Mine
- yours
- his
- hers
- its
- ours
- theirs
Possessive Pronouns in a Sentence:
- The blue car is mine.
- Is this book yours?
- John lost his keys at the park.
- His house is bigger than hers.
- The cat licked its paws.
- The beautiful garden is ours.
- Our dog is playful, but theirs is shy.
- The laptop is ours.
- Whose phone is this? Is it yours?
- The project is complete; the credit is all theirs.
- The delicious cake is hers.
Personal Pronouns Chart:
| Person | Subject Pronouns | Object Pronouns | Possessive Adjectives | Possessive Pronouns | Reflexive Pronouns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Person Singular | I | Me | My | Mine | Myself |
| 2nd Person Singular | You | You | Your | Yours | Yourself |
| 3rd Person Singular | He/She/It | Him/Her/It | His/Her/Its | His/Hers/Its | Himself/Herself/Itself |
| 1st Person Plural | We | Us | Our | Ours | Ourselves |
| 2nd Person Plural | You | You | Your | Yours | Yourselves |
| 3rd Person Plural | They | Them | Their | Theirs | Themselves |
