Types of Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are short words that refer to a person, place, or thing. They can act as a subject, direct object, indirect object, and object of the preposition. Using pronouns helps the flow of sentences in a paragraph and makes them more interesting. Personal pronouns provide context, clarify meaning, and shape how we perceive people and things. Without them, we would constantly be repeating nouns, and that would make our speech and writing repetitive. 

Types of Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns have number, gender, and case. There are four types of personal pronouns: Subject, Possessive, Object, and Reflexive. All of these are shown in the chart at the end. In addition, possessive adjectives have been included because they are very common and used differently from possessive pronouns. 

When teaching personal pronouns keep in mind that some languages have masculine, feminine, and neuter forms for each first, second and third person, both singular and plural. Whereas other languages have only one form for third person singular.

• I am eating.
• He is watching a video.
• They are playing.

Personal Pronouns Classroom Poster Chart

Using ‘they’ or ‘them’ as neutral singular 3rd person pronouns has become very popular recently. This is not new. In fact, the usage dates back to the 1300s. He, she, and it became correct grammar during the 1800s. (The Associated Press, American Psychological Association, Modern Language Association, Oxford English Dictionary, and Merriam-Webster Dictionary recognize the usage of singular ‘they’ and ‘them’.) There are several reasons for this.

• Unknown Gender
• He or she left a coat here.
• They left a coat here.

• Reduce wordiness
• A student should have his or her homework finished.
• A student should have their homework finished.

• Gender Inclusion
• for people who do not identify as male or female

2. OBJECT PRONOUNS act as a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition. (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) See the table at the end for a complete list.

Direct objects answer the questions Who? or What?

• Direct Object: Tom called me about the party. (Called Who?)
• Direct Object: I asked you to do your homework.
• Direct Object: I called her yesterday.

Indirect objects answer the questions To Whom? or For What?

• Indirect Object: We gave him a present. (Gave a present to whom?
• Indirect Object: She threw it a stick. (Threw a stick for what? dog)
• Indirect Object: He told them a secret.

Objects of prepositions always follow the preposition. Articles and adjectives may precede the object.

• Object of Preposition: I am looking at it.
• Object of Preposition: She cleaned the desk for you.
• Object of Preposition: HE wrote a report about them.

Object Pronoun Classroom Poster

• The blue coat is mine.
• The two-story house is theirs.
• The backpack on the floor is hers.

Possessive Pronoun Classroom Poster

• The blue one is my coat.
• The two-story one is their house.
• Her backpack is on the floor.

• I made it by myself. ( refers to I)
• Jack chose the shirt by himself. (Refers to Jack)
• Don't blame yourself. (Refers to you, which is understood)