Pronouns in English: Rules, Examples, and Tips

Pronouns are words speakers use to replace nouns: names, things, places, buildings, and more. They make your sentences sound clearer, and here, you can see how it works in practice:                           

We repeat the girl’s name from sentence to sentence, and it is boring. Here’s how we turn it into a more interesting one:

It sounds so much better now! Instead of “Helen,” we use she, a small word that makes your text easy to read and understand. 

Learning pronouns of various kinds will help you sound more natural. You will review the table with every category and real-life examples of pronouns to make your study easier.

Main pronoun categories with examples

Let’s introduce the basic types with clear explanations from our experts.

Detailed look at each group

For now, as you are ready to learn more about the real-world examples, we will break down the usage of the most frequently used:  

Personal pronouns 

Used to refer to some specific nouns naming people or staff, depending on the subject and object, as well as the singular or plural number. Here is a list of pronouns with samples:

Possessive pronouns 

You use this type of English pronouns when talking about something that you or other people own, and it can be helpful in various situations where you need to explain some details about belonging (objects and people). 

Demonstrative pronouns 

They are used to indicate whether something is located near or far, as well as to point to something specific. Here are the pronoun examples:

Interrogative pronouns 

You meet them when forming and hearing questions, and you will learn the list of pronouns in English used in daily communication. Typically, they refer to persons, subjects, objects, things, choices, ideas, and more.

Relative pronouns

From the table, you can see that there are also who, whose, and so on, and you may ask, “Well, but we have just learnt this kind?”. No worries, here is a simple explanation as this type of pronoun is used for the connection between a phrase and a noun/pronoun. Here are more details:

Reflexive pronouns

The usage comes from the naming, as these pronouns in English are common for situations where the action relates back to the subject.

You have come through the most common types and their examples that can be used in real life, so for now, it is important to reveal the correct ways to incorporate them in your knowledge toolkit. Let’s focus on this theme.

The pronouns’ meaning is clear, while use cases may be a little complicated for new learners. To help you make your speech and writing easier and more fluent, our experts created this material that will help you focus on core concepts and learn the correct way to use pronouns. 

Subject pronouns, which are typically used before verbs, refer to the person who does an action (long-term or short-term):

The core moments here stay for the need to pay attention to who you are talking about, as he indicates a man/boy and she refers to women/girls, and it can be used for animals, organizations, etc. 

The object type in our ​​pronouns list has the opposite usage, as you are indicating someone who receives an action described. You put them after verbs and prepositions (to, for, at, etc.):

Possessive adjectives and pronouns are the trickiest ones here. So, they both are used to show ownership, but adjectives come before a noun in a sentence, and pronouns take place alone. Let’s take a look at examples: 

The reflexive kind is put in sentences when you are talking about a person who is the object and subject at the same time. Here is an explanation:

The same as with the previous type, it adds more context and emphasis, which is so crucial when shaping communication.

Demonstrative is also a part of defining pronouns that point to something and tell about near, far things and people, explaining more details. Here’s how it works: 

Interrogative ones are the bread and butter of questions and some statements, with 5W pronouns and some additional ones, depending on the context. Let’s review the usage: 

Indefinite ones are used to tell about non-specific people and things or both, still do not name something or someone particular. Here are some examples for more understanding: 

Now, you know the meaning of pronouns and how to use them properly to get rid of misunderstandings while focusing on the conversation and paying attention to your speaking partner.

You already know the power of pronouns and their confusions, so for now, it is time to learn what mistakes are usually made, how to fix them, and what the top tips for avoiding them in the future. 

Mistake 1. Misplacing subject and object types.

Sometimes, students write and say I instead of me when the pronouns have to come after some actions. Here, you need to remember that verbs require object pronouns.

Mistake 2. Confusing possessive adjectives and pronouns.

The point here is that adjectives are used before a noun, while the second one is used to replace such a noun.

Mistake 3. Writing its with an apostrophe.

This is more like a doodled error which even the natives make from time to time, so you just need to be more careful, as it’s is a short form of it is, and its is a subject pronoun.

Mistake 4. Ignoring unwritten rules.

Some pronouns in English grammar may sound unnatural and impolite, so it is essential to follow style recommendations across the technically incorrect but more pleasurable variants. Here is an example:

As you have learned the basics of an English grammar pronoun, it is time to check your knowledge with engaging quizzes that are commonly used by teachers and can be found in international exams.

Practice daily using these pronouns across various exercises: write your journal, talk with friends and relatives, tell someone about your beloved, what you saw, what you own, what you are dreaming about — literally any topic requires the usage of pronouns.

With practical insights, you will be able to use all pronouns easily, without even thinking about whether you are right or wrong. Let’s review the core advice from native speakers:

Learning pronouns becomes easy when you have fun and helpful sources like our guide. You studied the main types of pronouns, how to use them, what tips to use, and even common mistakes. 

Keep practicing with Koto English and become familiar with other grammar rules. Check our blog, exercise page, and application to learn in a fun and engaging way. We will meet you in our next material.