Understanding Personal Pronouns: Rules, Explanation, and Exercises

Understanding Personal Pronouns: Rules, Explanation, and Exercises

Personal pronouns are essential in English grammar. They replace nouns to avoid repetition and make sentences clearer. This article explains their rules, provides examples, corrects common mistakes, and offers exercises for practice.

What Are Personal Pronouns?

Personal pronouns replace specific nouns and refer to people or things. They have two main forms:

• Subject Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

• Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Examples of Personal Pronouns in Sentences:

• She is my best friend. (Subject Pronoun)

• John called me yesterday. (Object Pronoun)

• They are playing football. (Subject Pronoun)

• Mom bought a gift for him. (Object Pronoun)

Rules for Using Personal Pronouns

1. Use Subject Pronouns as the Subject of a Sentence

   • He loves playing the guitar.

   • We enjoy watching movies.

2. Use Object Pronouns as the Object of a Sentence

   • Sarah helped me with my homework.

   • The teacher spoke to them after class.

3. "It" Replaces Non-Human Subjects

   • It is raining outside.

   • It was a great movie.

4. "You" Can Be Singular or Plural

   • You (one person) should study for the test.

   • You (a group) are invited to the party.

Common Mistakes with Personal Pronouns (With Corrections)

1. Using an Object Pronoun Instead of a Subject Pronoun

❌ Me and Lisa went to the park.
✅ Lisa and I went to the park.
Explanation: "I" is a subject pronoun and must be used in the subject position.

2. Using a Subject Pronoun Instead of an Object Pronoun

❌ The teacher spoke to he after class.
✅ The teacher spoke to him after class.
Explanation: "Him" is the correct object pronoun because it follows the verb.

3. Confusing "They" and "Them"

❌ Them are going to the concert tonight.
✅ They are going to the concert tonight.
Explanation: "They" is a subject pronoun and should be used as the subject.

4. Incorrect Use of "It"

❌ Him is my best friend.
✅ He is my best friend.
Explanation: "He" is the correct subject pronoun, while "him" is an object pronoun.

Exercises: Practice Personal Pronouns

Exercise 1: Identify the Personal Pronouns

Find the personal pronouns in the following sentences.

1. She loves to read books in her free time.

2. They are going to the cinema tonight.

3. John gave me a beautiful gift.

4. We will visit our grandparents this weekend.

5. He borrowed my car yesterday.

Exercise 2: Correct the Mistakes

Rewrite the following sentences correctly.

1. Me and Tom went shopping.

2. This gift is for she.

3. Him went to the park alone.

4. The teacher asked we to stay after class.

5. Us are going to the football match.

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Pronoun

1. (He / Him) is my best friend.

2. She gave the book to (I / me).

3. (They / Them) will arrive soon.

4. The teacher praised (we / us).

5. Can you help (she / her) with the project?

Exercise 4: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Personal Pronoun

1. _________ (We/Us) are going on a trip next week.

2. Can you help _________ (I/me) with my homework?

3. This house belongs to _________ (they/them).

4. My brother and _________ (I/me) love football.

5. The teacher asked _________ (he/him) to answer the question.