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Pronouns are the small but mighty words that make our sentences clearer and more efficient. Instead of repeating names or nouns over and over, we can use pronouns to keep our speech and writing smooth and concise. Subject pronouns take the place of the subject in a sentence, while object pronouns replace the object, making it easy to talk about who’s doing what to whom.
For young learners, mastering subject and object pronouns is a crucial step in developing strong grammar skills. These pronouns help children create well-structured sentences and avoid repetition, making their communication clearer and more natural.
Let’s explore these crucial components of speech!
Subject and object pronouns vocabulary list in English
Understanding the difference between subject and object pronouns is key to mastering English grammar. The following subject and object pronouns are part of the Studycat Learn English app for kids, designed to make learning grammar both fun and practical. By practicing these pronouns, children can improve their sentence-building skills and enhance their overall understanding of English grammar.
Here’s a list of common pronouns and a brief explanation of how they are used:
Subject pronouns
I
Refers to the speaker.
“I am learning English.”
you
Refers to the listener, or the person being spoken to.
“You are my friend.”
he
Refers to a male person or male animal.
“He runs fast.”
she
Refers to a female person or female animal.
“She sings beautifully.”
we
Refers to the speaker and at least one other person.
“We are going to the park.”
they
Refers to two or more people or animals.
“They are watching a movie.”
Object pronouns
me
Used to refer to the speaker as the object of a verb or preposition.
“She gave me a gift.”
you
Same as above, referring to the listener.
“I will see you tomorrow.”
him
Refers to a male person or animal as the object of a verb or preposition.
“Laura called him yesterday.”
her
Refers to a female person or animal as the object of a verb or preposition.
“Can you tell her to come here?“
us
Refers to the speaker and at least one other person as the object of a verb or preposition.
“The teacher praised us.”
them
Refers to two or more people or animals as the object of a verb or preposition.
“The game amused them.”
Relative pronouns in English
Relative pronouns connect a dependent clause to an independent clause, adding extra information to a sentence. These pronouns are crucial for creating complex sentences that provide more detail.
who
Refers to a person that is the subject of the sentence.
“Marla, who is a great student, is also a ballet dancer.”
whom
Refers to a person that is the object of the sentence.
“Lisa is whom I was talking to you about.”
which
Refers to an animal or thing.
“The book, which I bought yesterday, is about science.”
that
Refers to a person, animal, or thing.
“The bike that I gave you was green.”
whose
Indicates ownership, referring to people or animals.
“Lisa has a friend whose hugs are really good.”
Indefinite pronouns in English
Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things. They are useful when you don’t need to specify who or what you’re talking about.
all
Refers to the whole amount of things or people.
“All my dresses are green.”
another
Refers to a different person or thing, or an additional one.
“He wasn’t the person who brought the cat, it was another.”
any
Used when it doesn’t matter the quantity or number of something.
“Do you have any juice left?”
anybody/anyone
Refers to persons, when it doesn’t matter who it is.
“I haven’t talked to anyone yet.”
anything
Refers to things, when it doesn’t matter what thing it is.
“Lisa didn’t bring anything to eat.”
each
Refers to every member of a group, considered individually.
“Each one of you has to bring an eraser.”
everyone
Refers to all the people.
“Cowy has told everyone about her birthday party.”
everything
Refers to all the things.
“Everything on the menu looks great!”
few
Refers to a small number of things or people.
“I’ve seen just a few movies this month.”
many
Refers to a large number of things or people.
“Many of my friends play football.”
nobody
Means no person at all.
“Nobody was home when she called.”
none
Means no person or things at all.
“I have none of my toys here.”
one
Refers to a person that’s unidentified.
“Can I invite one more friend to the movies?”
some
Used to talk about things or people with unspecified quantities.
“That cake looks good. Can I have some?”
somebody/someone
Used to talk about a person that’s unknown.
“If you don’t know the time, you ask somebody.”
Demonstrative pronouns in English
Demonstrative pronouns point to specific things in space or time. They help clarify which objects or people are being referred to in a conversation.
this
Refers to one thing that is near the speaker.
“Yes, this is my book. I need it to study.”
these
Refers to two or more things that are near the speaker.
“Have you tried these? They are my favorite cupcakes.”
that
Refers to just one thing that is far away.
“Look at that! It’s a lovely painting.”
those
Refers to several things that are far away.
“I need those colors, the ones on the table.”
Interrogative pronouns in English
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. They help gather information about people or things in a clear and concise way.
who
Used to ask about a person that’s not identified.
“Who is at the door?”
whom
Used to ask about a person that’s not identified, but as the object of the sentence.
“Whom did you see at the party?”
what
Used to ask about things that are unspecified.
“What is your favorite animal?”
which
Can be used to ask about a person or a thing.
“Which one of these backpacks is yours?”
whose
A possessive pronoun used to ask about possession.
“Whose toys did you find on the floor?”
Grasping these pronouns enhances our ability to form sentences and communicate more effectively.
How to learn and remember subject and object pronouns
Here are some fun and interactive ways to reinforce your understanding of subject and object pronouns:
- Pronoun role-play: act out short dialogues using different subject and object pronouns. This helps solidify their usage in conversational contexts.
- Pronoun swap: take turns rewriting sentences by changing the nouns to appropriate pronouns.
- Matching game: create a game where players match subject pronouns with their corresponding object pronouns.
- Fill-in-the-blanks: provide sentences with missing pronouns and have learners fill them in, practicing their ability to choose between subject and object pronouns.
- Pronoun stories: write a short story and use a variety of subject and object pronouns to describe the actions and experiences of different characters.
As we conclude our exploration of subject and object pronouns, remember that these small words play a big role in how we communicate every day.
Until our next grammatical adventure, keep practicing and using pronouns to make your speech and writing smooth and efficient!