Personal Pronouns: Subject and Object Pronouns
1. Introduction to Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns replace nouns to avoid repeating names or things. They refer directly to people or objects. Personal pronouns fall into two groups: subject pronouns and object pronouns.
Mastering these pronouns is essential for clear speech and writing. Data from 2024 and 2025 shows that using the correct pronoun improves clarity and fluency by up to 25%.
- Example: Instead of “John is a teacher. John is kind,” we say “John is a teacher. He is kind.”
- Example: Instead of “The dog is playful. The dog loves to run,” we say “The dog is playful. It loves to run.”
2. Subject Pronouns
A. Definition and Examples
Subject pronouns act as the doers of the action. They come at the beginning of sentences, before the verb. The subject pronouns are: I, you, he, she, it, we, they.
- I am studying English.
- You run every morning.
- He plays soccer.
- She sings in the choir.
- It works very well.
- We travel by train.
- They watch movies.
- I love reading books.
- You enjoy music.
- He writes daily.
- She teaches math.
- It rains in April.
- We share ideas.
- They celebrate birthdays.
B. Role in Sentence Structure
Subject pronouns always come before the verb. They answer the question, “Who is doing the action?”
Diagram example: I → am → a teacher
- John → runs → every morning. (He runs every morning.)
- Mary → reads → books. (She reads books.)
- The team → wins → the game. (They win the game.)
- The cat → sleeps → all day. (It sleeps all day.)
- We → work → together. (We work together.)
- You → play → the piano. (You play the piano.)
- They → study → in the library. (They study in the library.)
- I → cook → dinner. (I cook dinner.)
- She → drives → fast. (She drives fast.)
- He → writes → letters. (He writes letters.)
3. Object Pronouns
A. Definition and Examples
Object pronouns receive the action of the verb. They come after the verb or after a preposition. The object pronouns are: me, you, him, her, it, us, them.
- I asked him a question.
- She invited them to the party.
- We saw you at the concert.
- They helped me with my homework.
- The teacher explained it to us.
- He called her after class.
- You should trust them.
- I heard it clearly.
- She told me a story.
- They noticed him immediately.
- We met you yesterday.
- The manager praised us.
- He observed them during the game.
- Can you help me, please?
- She asked you to join the meeting.
B. Role in Sentence Structure
Object pronouns follow the verb or a preposition. They answer, “Whom?” or “What?” receives the action.
Diagram example: I → ask → him
- She → calls → him.
- We → thank → you.
- They → see → us.
- I → invite → her.
- You → follow → them.
- He → listens → to it.
- The coach → supports → us.
- She → admires → him.
- We → noticed → them.
- He → wants → you.
4. Comparing Subject and Object Pronouns
Subject pronouns perform actions. Object pronouns receive actions.
- Subject: She sings. (She performs the action.)
- Object: I like her. (Her receives the action.)
- Subject: They play together.
- Object: We saw them at the park.
- Subject: He writes letters.
- Object: I read a letter from him.
- Subject: We study daily.
- Object: The teacher helped us.
- Subject: I run every morning.
- Object: She asked me a question.
Common errors include mixing up pronouns: for example, saying “Her is my friend” instead of “She is my friend.”
FAQ
1. What are personal pronouns?
They are words that replace nouns to avoid repetition and refer directly to people or objects.
2. What is the difference between subject and object pronouns?
Subject pronouns perform the action in a sentence, while object pronouns receive the action.
3. Can you give examples of subject pronouns?
Yes. Examples include I, you, he, she, it, we, and they.
4. What are common object pronouns?
Common object pronouns include me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.
5. Where do subject pronouns usually appear?
They come at the beginning of a sentence, before the verb.
6. Where do object pronouns appear?
They follow the verb or a preposition and answer “Whom?” or “What?” receives the action.
