Grammar · Pronouns
The words that stand in for nouns
A pronoun replaces a noun so we don't repeat it. Instead of "Sara lost Sara's bag", we say "Sara lost her bag". In Stage 1 you'll spot pronouns, choose the right one, and tell apart the different kinds. Learn each below.
1 What a pronoun does
A pronoun takes the place of a noun that has already been named, so the sentence isn't repetitive.
Tom was tired, so he went to bed. → 'he' replaces 'Tom'. ✓
Test: does the word stand in for a person or thing already mentioned? Then it's a pronoun.
2 Subject & object pronouns
Subject pronouns do the action; object pronouns receive it.
SubjectI, you, he, she, it, we, they
Objectme, you, him, her, it, us, them
She (subject) gave the book to him (object). ✓
3 Possessive pronouns
These show who something belongs to: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs. (Note: no apostrophe.)
That bag is mine. · The red coat is hers. · The prize is ours. ✓
Careful: 'its' (belonging to it) has no apostrophe; "it's" means "it is".
4 Relative pronouns
These join extra information to a noun: who, whom, whose, which, that.
The girl who won is my friend. · The book that I read was long. ✓
Clue: use who for people, which for things, that for either.
5 Other useful kinds
Reflexive: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves (the action reflects back).
She taught herself to swim. · They did it themselves. ✓
Demonstrative: this, that, these, those (when they stand alone as the noun).
Watch out I/me, she/her — get the form right
Use the subject form for the doer, the object form for the receiver.
✓ She and I went out. (subjects) · ✓ Mum took him and me. (objects)
Trick: remove the other person. "Mum took me" sounds right; "Mum took I" does not.
The 30-second method
How to handle any pronoun question fast
- Spotting one? Find a word standing in for a noun (he, she, it, they, who).
- Doer or receiver? Subject (I, he, she, we, they) does; object (me, him, her, us, them) receives.
- Belonging? mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs \u2014 no apostrophe.
- Joining info? who (people), which (things), that (either).
- I or me? Take the other person away and see which sounds right.
10 worked examples
Read the question, then the answer with the rule that solves it.
1. Which is the pronoun? — They went home.
They — it replaces a group of people (Rule 1).
2. Replace the noun: Mia likes Mia's dog. → Mia likes ___ dog.
her — a possessive standing in for 'Mia's' (Rule 3).
3. Subject or object? — We won the game.
Subject — 'we' does the action (Rule 2).
4. Subject or object? — The teacher praised us.
Object — 'us' receives the action (Rule 2).
5. Choose: This pen is (mine / my).
mine — a possessive pronoun standing alone (Rule 3).
6. who or which? — The dog ___ barked is mine.
which (or that) — 'which/that' for an animal/thing (Rule 4).
7. who or which? — The man ___ helped us was kind.
who — use 'who' for people (Rule 4).
8. Reflexive pronoun for 'she': She hurt ___.
herself — the action reflects back (Rule 5).
9. Choose: (Me and Sam / Sam and I) played.
Sam and I — subjects do the action; "I played" sounds right (Watch out).
10. Choose: Give the ball to (he / him).
him — object form after 'to' (Rule 2).