Pronouns are words that replace an object, subject, or thing in a clause and are an everyday part of spoken and written English. In its most basic form, a pronoun is called a personal pronoun and replaces the name of someone or something. If a personal pronoun replaces a person's name, it's a subject pronoun and is put before the verb.
- I am walking.
- She is sleeping.
- He is talking.
- It is a beautiful painting!
- We speak English.
Personal object pronouns replace nouns, so we don't repeat words in a sentence, and they receive the action. They go after a verb or a preposition like at, for, or with.
1. She's talking to me.
2. I want to talk to you.
3. I want to play with him.
4. The hamster is eating. Leave it alone.
5. I know them. They are my friends.
Subject Personal Pronoun Flashcards Grades K-5
Flip the flashcard to discover the subject's personal pronoun for each point of view.
Subject Personal Pronouns Examples
- I am going swimming tomorrow.
- We are staying in a hotel.
- You don’t understand!
- He sings in the choir.
- She is always late!
- It hasn’t arrived.
- They are playing with the ball.
Object Personal Pronoun Flashcards
Flip the flashcard to discover the object's personal pronoun for each point of view for grades 3-5.
Object Personal Pronouns Example Sentences
- Do you want to come swimming with me?
- Can you help us?
- Danny doesn't like him.
- Maggie ordered ice cream. She really enjoyed it.
- I spent Thanksgiving with my family. I love them.
Possessive Pronouns with Examples & Flashcards K-5
Possessive pronouns are similar to other types of pronouns. They replace a previously mentioned noun and act as the object or subject. They show ownership of another noun and are often referred to as "strong or absolute pronouns."
Possessive pronouns show what someone has or owns, something that this theirs. For example, that present is mine.
Possessive Pronoun Flashcards
Flip the flashcards to discover the possessive pronoun for each point of view.
Possessive Pronouns Example Sentences
- The book is mine.
- This house is ours.
- The dollhouse is yours.
- That’s his.
- Your story doesn’t match hers.
Personal and Possessive Pronouns Quiz: Grades 1-5
Try this examples of pronouns and possessive quiz with your first-grade to 3rd-grade students or as part of your homeschooling curriculum. Got a question wrong? Don't worry. Press reset and try again.
Note: keep the level of your students in mind while completing this quiz.
1. Please don't move the book. I am trying to read ____.
Choose the best answer from the choices below
2. _____ can play with us!
Choose the best answer from the choices below
3. My sister and her friend are playing in the park. ______ are playing together.
Choose the best answer from the choices below
4. Sally left ______ bag on the school bus.
Choose the best answer from the choices below
5. The painting is _______ (I)
Choose the best answer from the choices below
6. My sister is sick. ____ dad is taking her to the hospital.
Choose the best answer from the choices below
Other Types of Pronouns with Examples
There are many types of pronouns in English. Once you've worked on basic personal pronouns, you can move on to indefinite, relative, demonstrative, and interrogative pronouns.
Indefinite Pronouns with Examples
Indefinite pronouns refer to people, things, or amounts without being specific.
- -one and -body is used when talking about people.
- -thing refers to objects, feelings, etc.
- -where is related to place or location.
The indefinite pronouns in English are:
- Somebody, someone, something, and somewhere
- Anybody, anyone, anything, and anywhere
- Nobody, no one, nothing, and nowhere
- Everybody, everyone, everything, and everywhere
Example sentences using some- :
- Someone has it.
- Something isn’t right here!
- It’s somewhere in the house.
Example sentences using any- :
- Has anybody seen my car keys?
- You can choose anything from the store!
- I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
Example sentences using no- :
- Nobody opened the door.
- No one wants to go with me.
- I have nowhere else to sleep.
Example sentences using every- :
- Everybody went to sleep.
- Where is everyone?
- Everything is falling apart!
Relative Pronouns with Examples
Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses and give essential information about the subject or object.
Common relative pronouns in English:
- Who / Whom*
- Whose
- Which
- That
- Whoever
- Whomever*
These words are also sometimes used in relative clauses:
- What
- When
- Where
Relative pronoun example sentences:
- I hate the people with whom I study.
- He’s a physiologist whose opinion I highly value.
- They can’t work together at all, which doesn’t surprise me.
- The bike that we bought last year is already broken and can’t be fixed.
- You can invite whoever you like.
- The position will go to whomever is most qualified.
- The shirt, when it was finally given back, was dirty.
- Do you remember the cafe we went to where we ate the most delicious cake?
Interrogative Pronouns with Examples
Interrogative pronouns, unlike relatives, are used to ask or introduce questions.
The interrogative pronouns in English are:
- Who
- Whom
- Whose
- What
- Which
You’ll notice that interrogative and relative pronouns are the same. However, remember that if a sentence asks for an answer or questions something, the pronoun works as an interrogative.
- What’s that?
- Whose is this?
- Which is yours?
- Which is your favorite?
- To whom were you talking?
- Whose did you choose?
Demonstrative Pronouns with Examples
A demonstrative pronoun is used for an indication - to point someone or something out.
The demonstrative pronouns in English are:
- This
- That
- These
- Those
Demonstrative pronoun example sentences:
- This is where I keep all of my belongings.
- That’s where his auntie used to live.
- These are beautiful; where did you get them?
- Those are rare types of birds.
Reciprocal Pronouns with Examples
In English, reciprocal pronouns are used when two or more subjects or objects are doing the same thing.
The reflexive pronouns in English are:
- Each other
- One another*
Reciprocal pronouns example sentences:
- David and Sally care for each other.
- The two dogs hate each other.
- All of the teams tried hard to beat one another.
- We gave each other presents.
- We all love one another.
Reflexive Pronouns vs. Intensive Pronouns with Examples
There are 9 reflexive pronouns in the English language that refer back to the subject of the clause and are frequently used when the subject and the object are the same.
The reflexive pronouns in English are:
In the first-person:
- Myself (I)
- Ourselves (we)
Second-person:
- Yourself (you)
Third-person:
- Himself, herself, and itself (he, she, it, and they)
Reflexive pronoun example sentences:
- I am here by myself.
- We can go by ourselves.
- Are you going to the concert by yourself?
- My partner updated her resume by herself.
- It reproduces by itself.
Intensive pronouns are very similar to reflexive pronouns, but instead of giving meaning, they dramatize.
Intensive pronoun example sentences:
- I myself am here
- We ourselves went to the concert
- She herself went to the concert
- My partner herself updated her resume
- It by itself reproduces
Intensive pronouns are wordier hence why they are often used in poetry and prose.
Grammar Games and Activities to Practice Types Of Pronouns
- Using various news sources, grab two different colored pens and highlight which types of pronouns they use. You may notice that gossip magazines use more intensive pronouns, whereas factual news sources often use reflexive pronouns. Try it out for yourself!
- Make a pronoun Snake and Ladders game. Answer questions and win the game!
- Pronoun cups - label each cup with a type of pronoun, get a small ball, and try to get the ball into one of the cups. Play with friends and try to recreate a sentence using that type of pronoun.
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