Pronouns in English : complete course

What Is a Pronoun?

A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence. Instead of repeating the same name or thing over and over, we use a pronoun to make our speech and writing cleaner and more natural. For example, instead of saying ‘Maria likes pizza. Maria eats pizza every day.’, we can say ‘Maria likes pizza. She eats it every day.’

Simple Examples to Get Started

• John is my friend. He is very kind.
• I have a cat. It is orange.
• Sara and I went to the park. We had a great time.
• Can you help me?

As you can see, pronouns are very common in everyday English. You use them all the time without even thinking about it!

The Key Elements of Pronouns in English

English pronouns can be divided into several important groups. Let us look at the main ones.

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used as the subject of a verb. They tell us who is doing the action.

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used as the object of a verb or preposition. They receive the action.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns show ownership. They replace a noun to say who something belongs to.

• This book is mine.
• That car is hers.
• The bag is theirs.
• Is this pen yours?

Note: possessive pronouns are different from possessive adjectives like ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘his’, ‘her’. For example: ‘my book’ (adjective) vs. ‘the book is mine’ (pronoun).

Why Pronouns Matter in English

Using pronouns correctly is essential for speaking and writing natural English. Here is why they are so important:

• They help you avoid repeating the same words, which makes your sentences flow better.
• They are used in almost every sentence in English, so knowing them gives you a strong foundation.
• In English, unlike some other languages, you almost always need a subject pronoun. You cannot simply drop it from a sentence.

For example, in English you must say: ‘It is raining.’ You cannot just say ‘Is raining.’ The pronoun ‘it’ is required.

Comparison With Other Languages

If you speak French or Spanish, you already know pronouns, but there are some important differences with English.

In Spanish, you can say ‘Habla inglés.’ without a subject. In English, you must say ‘He speaks English.’ In French or Spanish, objects have a gender, but in English, objects are always referred to as ‘it’.

A Complete Example

Let us look at a short paragraph that uses different types of pronouns:

‘My friend Lucas has a new dog. He got it last week. I visited him on Saturday and we played with the dog together. The dog is so friendly! Lucas loves it very much. The dog is his.’

• He = subject pronoun, replaces ‘Lucas’
• it = subject/object pronoun, replaces ‘the dog’
• him = object pronoun, replaces ‘Lucas’
• we = subject pronoun, refers to ‘Lucas and I’
• his = possessive pronoun, shows the dog belongs to Lucas

Key Takeaways

• A pronoun replaces a noun to avoid repetition.
• The main types are: subject pronouns, object pronouns, and possessive pronouns.
• In English, the subject pronoun is always required in a sentence.
• English does not use gender for objects: we always say ‘it’.
• There is only one word for ‘you’ in English, whether formal or informal.
• Practice using pronouns every day to make your English more natural and fluent.

Sources

• Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.
• Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., and Svartvik, J. (1985). A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman.
• Council of Europe (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Cambridge University Press.