Updated on October 16, 2024
How to use an English pronouns chart to speak more clearly
One of the best tools you can add to your toolbox when practicing English is an English pronouns chart. But what exactly are English pronouns? Pronouns are words we use to talk about a person or thing without having to use their full name time and time again. Pronouns help make our sentences simpler and less repetitive. They also keep us from sounding like an automatic translator. You will see what we mean shortly when we look at a few examples.
Without further ado, let’s discuss everything to do with pronouns.
Pronouns are words that can be used in place of a noun or a noun phrase. They are used to avoid naming a person or thing when what is being talked about is clearly understood. They are useful words, as they help us make spoken and written language simpler and more natural. Here is an example using the pronoun “she”:
In the previous example, the pronoun “she” replaces Adriana’s name. We know we’re still talking about Adriana, so it’s not necessary to repeat her name after the first time. See how it flows better?
There are over 100 pronouns in the English language. What are some of the most common English pronouns? To break it down, we can classify them in five main categories related to the gender or number of people that we are talking about. Here’s an easy-to-read pronoun table:
| Personal / subject pronoun | Object pronoun | Possessive adjective (determiner) | Possessive pronoun | Reflexive / intensive pronoun | |
| 1st person singular | I | me | my | mine | myself |
| 2nd person singular | you | you | your | yours | yourself |
| 3rd person singular, male | he | him | his | his | himself |
| 3rd person singular, female | she | her | her | hers | herself |
| 3rd person singular, neutral | it | it | its | itself | |
| 1st person plural | we | us | our | ours | ourselves |
| 2nd person plural | you | you | your | yours | yourselves |
| 3rd person plural | they | them | their | theirs | themselves |
Keep in mind that there are other types of pronouns in English. For example, indefinite pronouns and interrogative pronouns. The ones above are a good starting point.
Unlike other languages, like French, English does have gender-neutral pronouns. The 3rd person plural (they, them, their, etc.) can be used to refer to an individual whose gender we don’t know or who prefers to be identified with non-binary language. There is plenty to learn about non-binary pronouns in English, so here are a couple of examples:
Now that we know the technicalities of pronouns, let’s practice a bit with examples.
As you can see in the examples above, possessive adjectives (determiners) are not technically pronouns. They don’t replace nouns, but rather affect them. They sit right before a noun to show who owns it (your car, her purse, his bike).
In this sense, they function as adjectives. However, they’re easier to learn when you group them together with pronouns. That’s why they’re often included in pronoun tables like the one above.
Pronouns help us speak in simple phrases. See how handy it is to use pronouns in the English language? They can really help us make our sentences flow and sound more natural. They also help our audience because pronouns make things easier to understand. In short, they make life simple in English! Take some time to learn the English pronouns chart above and practice by writing your own examples. You’ll be a pro in no time.
