Personal Pronouns
Learn how personal pronouns refer to specific people, groups and things, and how they change depending on who is speaking, who is spoken to, or who or what is being spoken about.
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
A personal pronoun refers to a specific person or thing.
A personal pronoun refers to a specific person, group of people, or thing. It shows who is speaking, who is being spoken to, or who or what is being spoken about.
In the sentence Maria is a teacher. She works at a school., the word she is a personal pronoun. It refers back to Maria without repeating her name.
Personal pronouns are grouped by person — first, second or third — and by number — singular or plural.
Before you begin
Personal pronouns are one category of pronoun.
This lesson focuses on personal pronouns specifically. Pronouns as a whole include several other categories, each covered in its own lesson.
If you would like an overview of how pronouns work in general, begin with the Pronouns page.
The central idea
A personal pronoun can replace a noun without changing the meaning.
Compare the sentence with the noun repeated and with a personal pronoun used instead.
01
Repeating the Noun
David called David’s brother. David’s brother did not answer.
02
Using a Personal Pronoun
David called his brother. He did not answer.
The useful question is: Who or what is being referred to?
I → the speaker
you → the person spoken to
she → a specific person spoken about
they → specific people or things spoken about
A personal pronoun only makes sense once the listener or reader knows which specific person or thing it refers to.
First, second and third person
Personal pronouns show who is involved in the conversation.
First person: the speaker
I → one speaker
we → the speaker and others
I finished the report. We submitted it together.
Second person: the person spoken to
you → one or more people being addressed
You did an excellent job on this project.
You has the same form whether it refers to one person or several people.
Third person: the person or thing spoken about
he, she, it → one person or thing
they → more than one person or thing
He arrived early. They were still on their way.
Singular and plural personal pronouns
Personal pronouns also show how many people or things are involved.
01
Singular
Refers to one person or thing.
I
you
he
she
it
02
Plural
Refers to more than one person or thing.
we
you
they
Some forms stay the same in both numbers.
You is used for both one person and more than one person. The rest of the sentence, particularly the verb, does not change to show the difference.
Personal pronouns and gender
Third-person singular pronouns can show gender, or leave it unspecified.
He, she and it
he → refers to a specific male person
she → refers to a specific female person
it → refers to a thing, an animal, or an idea
The car would not start. It needed a new battery.
Singular they
Someone left a jacket here. They might come back for it.
They can refer to one person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or not relevant to the sentence, in addition to its regular plural use.
Personal pronouns also change form
The same personal pronoun can take a different shape in a sentence.
Alongside the forms shown so far, personal pronouns also have an object form, used when the pronoun receives the action rather than performing it.
A brief comparison
I called her. → I is the subject form.
She called me. → me is the object form.
This change of form is covered fully in the Subject and Object Pronouns lesson.
A useful decision guide
Ask who is involved, and how many.
01
Is the pronoun referring to the speaker?
Use I or we.
02
Is the pronoun referring to the person spoken to?
Use you, for one person or several.
03
Is the pronoun referring to someone or something else?
Use he, she, it or they, depending on the noun it replaces.
04
Is it clear which noun the pronoun replaces?
A personal pronoun should point clearly back to one specific person, group or thing already named or understood in the conversation.
Common mistakes
Do not lose track of who or what the pronoun refers to.
An unclear pronoun leaves the listener guessing.
Unclear: Tom told James that he had won the prize.
Clearer: Tom told James, “You have won the prize.”
In the first sentence, he could refer to either Tom or James. The pronoun does not point clearly to one person.
The pronoun must match the noun in number.
Not: My sister said they were tired. (if referring only to the sister)
Correct: My sister said she was tired.
A singular noun generally takes a singular pronoun, and a plural noun takes a plural pronoun.
It is not used for people in general conversation.
Not: It is a doctor.
Correct: She is a doctor.
It refers to things, animals or ideas, not to people.
Check your understanding
Which person does the highlighted pronoun show?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence.
We arrived at the station early.
✅ Exactly! We includes the speaker, so it is first person.
❎ Not quite. Ask whether the pronoun includes the person speaking.
First person pronouns always include the speaker.
You should call me when you arrive.
✅ Exactly! You refers to the person being spoken to.
❎ Not quite. Ask who is being addressed in the sentence.
They moved to a new apartment last month.
✅ Exactly! They refers to people being spoken about.
❎ Not quite. Ask whether the pronoun refers to someone other than the speaker or listener.
The kettle is broken. It needs to be replaced.
✅ Exactly! It refers to the kettle, a thing being spoken about.
❎ Not quite. It refers to a thing, not to the speaker or listener.
Choose the best explanation
Select the sentence that explains the pronoun correctly.
Why can they refer to a single person in “Someone called. They left a message”?
✅ Exactly! Singular they is used when the person’s gender is unknown or not specified.
❎ Not quite. Think about what the caller’s identity is here.
Why is “Tom told James that he had won” unclear?
✅ Exactly! With two male names in the sentence, it is not clear which one he refers to.
❎ Not quite. Look at how many people the pronoun could possibly point to.
Which pair correctly matches a personal pronoun with its person?
✅ Exactly! She refers to someone spoken about, so it is third person.
❎ Not quite. Match each pronoun to whether it refers to the speaker, the listener, or someone else.
Try it another way
Complete the sentence with the correct personal pronoun.
Type the pronoun that fits each sentence.
✅ Exactly! She refers back to Maria.
❎ Not quite. Think about which pronoun replaces the name Maria.
✅ Exactly! We refers to the speaker and the colleague together.
❎ Not quite. Think about a pronoun that includes the speaker and another person.
✅ Exactly! It refers back to the printer, a thing.
❎ Not quite. Think about the pronoun used for a thing rather than a person.
Edit the sentence
Rewrite each sentence using a personal pronoun.
Replace the repeated noun with the correct pronoun.
David called David’s brother, but David’s brother did not answer. (replace the second and third mention of the brother)
✅ Exactly! His and he both refer back to the brother without repeating the noun.
❎ Not quite. Replace the repeated noun phrases with pronouns that still point to the brother.
The students studied hard, and the students passed the exam. (replace the second mention of the students)
✅ Exactly! They replaces the plural noun the students.
❎ Not quite. Use a plural pronoun in place of the repeated noun.
Sarah is ready to start, so let’s begin. (rewrite as if you are Sarah, speaking about yourself)
✅ Exactly! I is used when the speaker refers to themselves.
❎ Not quite. Replace the name with the first-person pronoun used for the speaker.
Quick review
Person and number decide the correct personal pronoun.
Personal pronouns refer to specific people, groups or things: I, you, he, she, it, we, they.
First person refers to the speaker: I, we.
Second person refers to the person spoken to: you.
Third person refers to someone or something else being spoken about: he, she, it, they.
He, she and it are singular; we and they are plural; you can be either.
They can also refer to a single person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or not relevant.
Personal pronouns also change form depending on their role in the sentence, as covered in the Subject and Object Pronouns lesson.
Remember
Ask who is speaking, who is spoken to, and who or what is spoken about.
These three questions decide whether a pronoun is first, second or third person. Once that is clear, the number of people or things involved decides whether the pronoun is singular or plural.