Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used to replace the subject noun in a sentence. They help us avoid repetition and make our sentences more concise and natural-sounding.

The Seven Subject Pronouns in English

English has seven subject pronouns:

1. I - First person singular
2. You - Second person singular
3. He - Third person singular (male)
4. She - Third person singular (female)
5. It - Third person singular (for things, animals, or babies when gender isn't specified)
6. We - First person plural
7. They - Third person plural

How to Use Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns typically come at the beginning of a sentence or clause and act as the doer of the action (the subject).

First Person: I and We

1. I - Used when referring to yourself (the speaker or writer)

   • I am a student.
   • I live in New York.
   • I speak three languages.

2. We - Used when referring to yourself and one or more other people

   • We are classmates.
   • We went to the movies last night.
   • We will meet again tomorrow.

Second Person: You

3. You - Used when addressing one person or multiple people directly
   • You look tired today. (singular)
   • You all did a great job. (plural)
   • Are you coming to the party? (can be singular or plural)

Third Person: He, She, It, and They

4. He - Used to refer to a male person who is not the speaker or the listener

   • He works at a bank.
   • He is my brother.
   • Where does he live?

5. She - Used to refer to a female person who is not the speaker or the listener

   • She teaches English.
   • She is very intelligent.
   • Does she know the answer?

6. It - Used to refer to:

   • Things: It is a beautiful house.
   • Animals (when gender isn't specified): The dog is hungry. It needs food.
   • Weather: It is raining today.
   • Time: It is 3 o'clock.
   • Babies (when gender isn't specified): The baby is crying. It needs milk.

7. They - Used to refer to:

   • Multiple people: They are my friends.
   • Multiple things: The books are on the table. They are mine.
   • A single person when their gender is unknown, unspecified, or non-binary: Someone left their umbrella. They might come back for it.

Subject Pronouns vs. Noun Subjects

Subject pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition:

• With noun subject: John is a doctor. John works at a hospital.

• With pronoun subject: John is a doctor. He works at a hospital.

• With noun subject: The book is interesting. The book has many pictures.

• With pronoun subject: The book is interesting. It has many pictures.

Subject Pronouns with Verbs

Subject pronouns determine the form of the verb that follows them, especially in the present simple tense:

• I am / I work
• You are / You work
• He/She/It is / He/She/It works (note the -s ending for third person singular)
• We are / We work
• They are / They work

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Mixing up subject and object pronouns

   • Incorrect: Me and John went to the store.
   • Correct: John and I went to the store.

2. Incorrect ordering in compound subjects

   • Less polite: Me and you should study together.
   • More polite: You and I should study together.

3. Using a gendered pronoun when gender is unknown

   • Traditional but increasingly avoided: Each student must bring his notebook.
   • Better: All students must bring their notebooks.
   • Or: Each student must bring their notebook.

4. Using "it" for babies or people

   • Incorrect (usually): The baby is sleeping. It looks peaceful.
   • Better: The baby is sleeping. He/She looks peaceful. (if gender is known)
   • Or: The baby is sleeping. They look peaceful. (gender-neutral option)

Subject Pronouns in Questions and Answers

In questions, subject pronouns often come after the auxiliary verb:

• Am I late?
• Are you ready?
• Is he your brother?
• Does she live nearby?
• Is it time to go?
• Are we meeting tomorrow?
• Do they speak English?

In short answers, we include the subject pronoun:

• "Are you a teacher?" "Yes, I am." / "No, I'm not."
• "Is she your sister?" "Yes, she is." / "No, she isn't."

Cultural Notes

1. In English, pronouns are not usually omitted, unlike in some other languages:

   • Incorrect: Am going to the store.
   • Correct: I am going to the store.

2. The pronoun "I" is always capitalized in English, regardless of its position in a sentence:

   • Correct: Yesterday I went to the park.
   • Correct: When can I see you again?

3. In formal academic writing, "one" can sometimes be used as an impersonal subject pronoun:

   • One must always check one's work before submitting it.

Examples in Context

• I am learning English because I want to study abroad.
• Are you coming to the party? You should bring a friend.
• He is my brother. He works as an engineer.
• She doesn't live here anymore. She moved to Canada.
• This is my new phone. It was very expensive.
• We enjoy traveling together. Last summer, we visited Italy.
• My parents are teachers. They work at the same school.

Interactive Practice Exercises

Replace the nouns with appropriate subject pronouns:

Remember, using the correct subject pronouns will make your English sound more natural and fluent!