Personal pronoun chart
Subject pronouns do the action. Object pronouns receive it or come after a preposition. The possessive forms before a noun (my, your, their) are often called possessive determiners or possessive adjectives. The forms that stand alone (mine, yours, theirs) are possessive pronouns.
| Subject | Object | Before a noun | Standing alone | Reflexive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | me | my | mine | myself |
| you (one person) | you | your | yours | yourself |
| he | him | his | his | himself |
| she | her | her | hers | herself |
| it | it | its | (rarely used) | itself |
| we | us | our | ours | ourselves |
| you (more than one) | you | your | yours | yourselves |
| they | them | their | theirs | themselves |
Other types of pronoun
Some words, such as which, that and this, belong to more than one type, depending on how they are used.
| Type | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Reflexive | The object is the same person as the subject, or for emphasis | She taught herself. I fixed it myself. |
| Demonstrative | Points to something near or far | this, that, these, those |
| Relative | Begins an adjective clause | who, whom, whose, which, that |
| Interrogative | Asks a question | who, what, which, whose |
| Indefinite | Refers to no particular person or thing | someone, anything, everybody, none |
| Reciprocal | Shows a two-way action | each other, one another |
Pronoun agreement and clear reference
A pronoun should match the noun it replaces in number: "The students handed in their essays."
Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, someone and nobody take a singular verb: "Everyone is here." To refer back to them, they is standard in both speech and writing: "Someone has left their umbrella."
Make sure each pronoun points clearly to one noun. In "Raj told Amit that he had passed", he could mean either person. Repeat the name if the meaning isn't clear.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Me and my sister went to the market.
Right: My sister and I went to the market.
The subject needs I, and it is polite to put the other person first.
Wrong: Between you and I, the plan won't work.
Right: Between you and me, the plan won't work.
After a preposition, use the object pronoun me.
Wrong: Everyone have finished their work.
Right: Everyone has finished their work.
Everyone takes a singular verb.
Wrong: Please contact myself for details.
Right: Please contact me for details.
Use a reflexive pronoun only when it refers back to the subject or adds emphasis.
Using this in IELTS and PTE
Pronouns help your IELTS and PTE essays flow, which supports the IELTS Coherence and Cohesion score. Instead of repeating "public transport" five times, use it, this or such systems. Watch out for a vague this or it at the start of a sentence: "This shows..." works only if the reader knows what this means. "This trend shows..." is clearer.
5 questions
Exercise
Try each one, then open it to check your answer.
1. Choose: "The teacher gave (we / us) a test."
us
The pronoun receives the action, so it takes the object form.
2. Choose: "This book is (my / mine)."
mine
It stands alone, with no noun after it.
3. Complete with a reflexive pronoun: "They enjoyed ___ at the party."
themselves
The object is the same people as the subject.
4. Name the type: "Somebody called you." (somebody)
Indefinite pronoun.
It doesn't say which person.
5. Correct this: "Him and his brother run a shop."
He and his brother run a shop.
The subject needs the subject form he.
Frequently asked questions
Is my a pronoun?+
Traditional grammar calls my a possessive pronoun or possessive adjective. Many modern grammars call it a possessive determiner, because it comes before a noun. Mine is the possessive pronoun that stands alone.
Can I use they for one person?+
Yes. Singular they is used when a person's gender is unknown or not important, or when someone prefers it: "Each candidate must bring their passport."
Who or whom?+
Who is a subject and whom is an object. Whom is formal, and in everyday English who is common in both places. Directly after a preposition, use whom: "the person to whom I spoke".
Keep going
More grammar lessons
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