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Beginner English Grammar · Module 3

Understanding Pronouns

Learn to use pronouns correctly in everyday English speaking and writing.

Welcome to Module 3

Make Your English Clear and Natural

Imagine saying, “Riya is my friend. Riya is kind. I meet Riya every day.” Repeating the same name can sound unnatural. Instead, we can say, “Riya is my friend. She is kind. I meet her every day.” In this module, you will learn how pronouns make English easier and smoother.

What You Will Learn Different types of pronouns, their meanings, and how to use them in sentences.
What You Will Practise Sentence examples, everyday English usage, and interactive quizzes.

1. What Is a Pronoun?

A pronoun is a word that can take the place of a noun or noun phrase. We often use pronouns to avoid repeating names and other nouns.

Simple definition: A pronoun is a word we use instead of a noun in a sentence. Examples include I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us and them.
Without a pronoun Rahul is a student. Rahul studies English every day.
With a pronoun Rahul is a student. He studies English every day.
Without a pronoun My parents are at home. My parents are cooking dinner.
With a pronoun My parents are at home. They are cooking dinner.

2. What Will You Learn in This Module?

This module introduces six important pronoun topics. Each lesson will explain the rules with simple examples and practice activities.

✓ Personal Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we and they.
✓ Subject and Object Pronouns: I/me, he/him, she/her.
✓ Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives: mine, yours, my and your.
✓ Reflexive Pronouns: myself, yourself, himself and others.
✓ Demonstrative Pronouns: this, that, these and those.
✓ Other Pronouns: interrogative, relative and indefinite pronouns.

3. A Quick Introduction to Pronouns

Here are a few examples to help you understand how pronouns work.

Personal She is my sister.
Subject and Object He called me.
Possessive This book is mine.
Reflexive I taught myself to cook.
Demonstrative These are my shoes.
Interrogative Who is at the door?
Learning tip: Do not try to memorise every rule at once. Understand each type, read the examples aloud, and practise making your own sentences.

4. Your Module Roadmap

Follow these lessons in order, then complete the final assessment.

01
Personal Pronouns Learn I, you, he, she, it, we and they.
02
Subject and Object Pronouns Understand who performs an action and who receives it.
03
Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives Learn my, mine, your, yours and other ownership words.
04
Reflexive Pronouns Practise myself, yourself, ourselves and more.
05
Demonstrative Pronouns Use this, that, these and those correctly.
06
Interrogative, Relative and Indefinite Pronouns Ask questions and connect ideas using pronouns.
07
Final Assessment Test your understanding of all Module 3 topics.

Ready to Start Lesson 1?

Begin with personal pronouns and learn how to replace nouns naturally.

Start Lesson 1 →
Beginner English Grammar · Module 3 · Lesson 1

Personal Pronouns

Learn how to use I, you, he, she, it, we and they in everyday English.

Lesson 1 · Personal Pronouns

Speak Naturally Without Repeating Names

Personal pronouns help us talk about ourselves, other people, animals and things. Instead of repeating a person's name again and again, we can use a pronoun to make our sentences smoother and easier to understand.

Today's Goal Understand the meaning and use of the seven main personal pronouns.
Practice Goal Choose the correct pronoun when speaking and writing simple sentences.

1. What Are Personal Pronouns?

Personal pronouns are words we use to refer to people, animals or things without repeating their names. The pronoun we choose depends on who or what we are talking about and how the pronoun is used in the sentence.

Simple definition: Personal pronouns take the place of nouns or noun phrases referring to people, animals or things. Examples include I, you, he, she, it, we and they.
Without a pronoun Priya is a student. Priya studies every day.
With a pronoun Priya is a student. She studies every day.
Without a pronoun The books are new. The books are on the table.
With a pronoun The books are new. They are on the table.

2. The Seven Main Personal Pronouns

Start by learning these pronouns and the situations in which we commonly use them.

Pronoun Used For Example
I The person speaking I am learning English.
You The person or people being spoken to You are my friend.
He A male person He plays football.
She A female person She is a doctor.
It A thing, an animal, or something already identified It is a beautiful flower.
We The speaker and one or more other people We live in Mumbai.
They Other people, animals or things They are playing outside.
Remember: “You” can refer to one person or several people. “They” can refer to a group and can also be used for one person when the person's gender is unknown, irrelevant, or when that person uses they/them pronouns.

3. First Person, Second Person and Third Person

Personal pronouns are also grouped by the person speaking, the person being spoken to, or the person or thing being discussed.

First Person I and we Example: I am ready. We are ready.
Second Person You Example: You are ready.
Third Person Singular He, she and it Example: He is ready. She is ready. It is ready.
Third Person Plural They Example: They are ready.

4. Personal Pronouns in Everyday Conversations

Read these short examples aloud to practise using pronouns naturally.

At Home My mother is cooking. She is making dinner.
At School My friends are here. They are waiting for me.
At Work My manager is busy. He will call you later.
Talking About Yourself I practise English every day. We practise together.
Speaking practice: Describe three people in your family using “he,” “she,” or “they.” Then say three sentences about yourself using “I.”

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect Correct Explanation
Me am happy. I am happy. Use “I” as the subject in this sentence.
Her is my sister. She is my sister. Use “she” as the subject.
They is ready. They are ready. Use “are” with “they.”
We is going home. We are going home. Use “are” with “we.”
He are my friend. He is my friend. Use “is” with “he,” “she” and “it.”

Personal Pronouns Quiz

Answer all five questions. Select “Check My Answers” to see your score and read explanations for each answer.

1. Complete the sentence: “_____ am learning English.”
2. Rahul is my brother. _____ is very helpful.
3. My friends are here. _____ are waiting outside.
4. My sister and I are students. _____ study together.
5. Choose the correct sentence.

Ready for Lesson 2?

Next, learn the difference between subject pronouns and object pronouns.

Next Lesson →
Beginner English Grammar · Module 3 · Lesson 2

Subject and Object Pronouns

Learn when to use I, me, he, him, she, her, we, us, they and them.

Lesson 2 · Subject and Object Pronouns

Who Does the Action? Who Receives It?

Compare “She called him” with “He called her.” The people are the same, but the pronouns change because their roles in the sentences are different. Learning this difference will help you speak and write more accurately.

Subject Pronouns Usually identify who or what performs the action or is described.
Object Pronouns Refer to the person or thing receiving an action or following a preposition.

1. What Is a Subject Pronoun?

A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence or clause. The subject commonly performs the action or is the person or thing being described.

Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we and they.
I I study English every morning.
He He plays cricket on Sundays.
She She works in an office.
They They are learning together.

2. What Is an Object Pronoun?

An object pronoun is used as the object of a verb or preposition. It can identify the person or thing receiving an action.

Object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us and them.
Me My teacher helped me.
Him I called him yesterday.
Her We invited her to dinner.
Us The coach encouraged us.

3. Subject Pronouns vs. Object Pronouns

Use this table to learn the subject and object forms of personal pronouns.

Subject Pronoun Object Pronoun Example
I me She helped me.
You you I called you.
He him We saw him.
She her I invited her.
It it She opened it.
We us They joined us.
They them I met them.
Easy trick: Ask “Who is doing the action?” to help identify the subject. Ask “Whom or what is the action directed at?” to help identify the object.

4. Learn Through Simple Sentence Changes

Sentence Subject Object
She called him. She him
He helped her. He her
They invited us. They us
We visited them. We them
I saw you. I you
Notice: The subject usually comes before the verb in these examples. The object usually follows the verb. Word order can change in questions and other sentence structures.

5. Object Pronouns After Prepositions

Object pronouns also follow prepositions such as to, for, with, from, between and about.

To Please give the message to him.
With She came with me.
For This gift is for her.
Between Keep this between you and me.
Common mistake: In standard English, say “between you and me,” not “between you and I,” because the pronouns follow the preposition “between.”

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect Correct Why?
Me went to school. I went to school. Use a subject pronoun as the subject.
Her called me. She called me. “She” is the subject form.
The teacher helped I. The teacher helped me. “Me” is the object form.
Come with we. Come with us. Use an object pronoun after a preposition.
Between you and I. Between you and me. “Me” follows the preposition “between.”

Subject and Object Pronouns Quiz

Answer all five questions. Check your score and read the explanations to improve your understanding.

1. _____ am going to the market.
2. My brother called ____ yesterday.
3. Riya is my friend. _____ lives nearby.
4. Please come with ____ to the event.
5. Choose the correct sentence.

Ready for Lesson 3?

Next, learn how to show ownership using possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives.

Next Lesson →
Beginner English Grammar · Module 3 · Lesson 3

Possessive Pronouns and Adjectives

Learn how to show ownership using my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs.

Lesson 3 · Showing Ownership

Whose Is It?

Imagine someone asks, “Whose bag is this?” You could answer, “It is my bag,” or simply, “It is mine.” Both sentences show ownership, but they use different grammatical forms. In this lesson, you will learn when to use each form correctly.

Possessive Adjectives My, your, his, her, its, our and their. They come before a noun.
Possessive Pronouns Mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs. They can replace a noun phrase.

1. What Are Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives, also called possessive determiners, tell us who owns something. They are placed before a noun.

Formula: Possessive adjective + noun.
Example: my book, your phone, her bag, their house.
Possessive Adjective Example Meaning
My This is my notebook. The notebook belongs to me.
Your Where is your phone? The phone belongs to you.
His His bicycle is new. The bicycle belongs to him.
Her Her dress is beautiful. The dress belongs to her.
Its The dog wagged its tail. The tail belongs to the dog.
Our Our classroom is clean. The classroom is associated with us.
Their Their house is nearby. The house belongs to them.

2. What Are Possessive Pronouns?

Possessive pronouns show ownership without repeating the noun. They can stand on their own instead of a possessive adjective followed by a noun.

Formula: Possessive pronoun replaces the noun phrase.
Example: “This is my book” becomes “This book is mine.”
Possessive Pronoun Example Meaning
Mine This bag is mine. The bag belongs to me.
Yours This seat is yours. The seat belongs to you.
His The blue bicycle is his. The bicycle belongs to him.
Hers The red bag is hers. The bag belongs to her.
Ours This house is ours. The house belongs to us.
Theirs The seats are theirs. The seats belong to them.
Important: Standard English does not normally use “its” as a standalone possessive pronoun. Use “its” before a noun, as in “The bird spread its wings.”

3. Compare the Two Forms

The easiest way to understand the difference is to compare sentences that express the same meaning.

My vs. Mine This is my pen. This pen is mine.
Your vs. Yours That is your seat. That seat is yours.
Her vs. Hers This is her book. This book is hers.
Our vs. Ours This is our room. This room is ours.
Their vs. Theirs That is their car. That car is theirs.
His vs. His This is his bag. This bag is his.
Remember: A possessive adjective needs a noun after it: “my book.” A possessive pronoun can stand alone: “The book is mine.”

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect Correct Reason
This book is my. This book is mine. Use “mine” when it stands alone.
This is mine book. This is my book. Use “my” before a noun.
This bag is her. This bag is hers. Use “hers” to replace “her bag.”
Their going home. They are going home. “Their” shows ownership; “they're” means “they are.”
The dog wagged it's tail. The dog wagged its tail. “Its” shows ownership; “it's” means “it is” or “it has.”
Watch out: its vs. it's

Its: The cat cleaned its paws.
It's: It's raining today. (It is raining today.)

5. Practise With Everyday Conversations

Read these conversations aloud and notice how ownership is expressed.

Conversation 1 “Is this your pen?” “Yes, it is mine.”
Conversation 2 “Whose shoes are these?” “They are hers.”
Conversation 3 “Is that their house?” “Yes, that house is theirs.”
Conversation 4 “Where is our classroom?” “Ours is on the first floor.”

Possessive Pronouns Quiz

Answer all five questions. Select “Check My Answers” to see your score and read the explanations.

1. Complete the sentence: “This is _____ book.”
2. Complete the sentence: “This bag belongs to me. It is _____.”
3. Choose the correct sentence.
4. Complete the sentence: “The house belongs to us. It is _____.”
5. Choose the correct sentence.

Ready for Lesson 4?

Next, learn how reflexive pronouns work in everyday English sentences.

Next Lesson →

Module 3 · Section 5

Demonstrative Pronouns

Learn how to point out people, objects and things clearly.

This, That, These and Those

We often point to something when speaking. Demonstrative pronouns help us identify which person or thing we mean, without repeating its name.

This / These Usually refer to things that are near the speaker.
That / Those Usually refer to things that are farther from the speaker.

1. What Is a Demonstrative Pronoun?

A demonstrative pronoun points to a specific person, place, animal or thing. It can replace a noun when the listener understands what is being identified.

Remember: Use this and that with singular nouns or ideas. Use these and those with plural nouns.
This is my favourite book. One book that is near me.
That is your school. One school that is farther away.
These are my shoes. More than one shoe, near me.
Those are beautiful flowers. More than one flower, farther away.

2. Learn the Four Demonstrative Pronouns

Learn the meaning and number of each word. The distance is relative to the speaker and the situation.

This Singular · Near
That Singular · Far
These Plural · Near
Those Plural · Far
Pronoun Number Example
This Singular This is my phone.
That Singular That is your bag.
These Plural These are my friends.
Those Plural Those are your books.

3. Demonstrative Pronouns vs Demonstrative Determiners

The same four words can work in two ways. When a word replaces the noun, it is a demonstrative pronoun. When it comes before a noun and identifies it, it is a demonstrative determiner.

Type Example How it works
Pronoun This is delicious. "This" replaces the name of the food.
Determiner This cake is delicious. "This" comes before the noun "cake".
Pronoun Those are expensive. "Those" replaces the name of the items.
Determiner Those shoes are expensive. "Those" identifies the noun "shoes".
Easy test: Is the word standing alone instead of a noun? It is working as a pronoun. Is it directly identifying a noun that follows? It is working as a determiner.

4. Demonstrative Pronouns in Everyday English

At home

"Can I have that?" You are asking for one thing that is farther away.

At work

"These are the documents you requested." You are showing more than one document.

While shopping

"I like those better." You are choosing between items, usually ones farther away.

Talking about an idea

"That is a good idea." "That" can refer to an idea or situation, not only a physical object.

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ This are my keys. Incorrect: "This" is singular, but "keys" is plural.
✅ These are my keys. Correct: Use "these" for multiple things nearby.
❌ Those is my friends. Incorrect: "Those" is plural, so the verb must agree.
✅ Those are my friends. Correct: Use "are" with the plural "those".
❌ This books are new. Incorrect: "This" does not agree with the plural noun "books".
✅ These books are new. Correct: Use "these" before a plural noun.
Quick rule: This is / That is. These are / Those are.

6. Quick Practice Quiz

Answer all five questions and check your score. Read the explanations to understand your mistakes.

Question 1: Which word refers to one thing nearby?

Question 2: Complete the sentence: "_____ are my pencils."

Question 3: Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Question 4: In "That is my favourite song," what is "that" doing?

Question 5: Complete the sentence: "Look at _____ stars in the sky."

7. Lesson Summary

  • This: one thing nearby.
  • That: one thing farther away.
  • These: multiple things nearby.
  • Those: multiple things farther away.
  • Use "is" with this and that; use "are" with these and those when they are the subject.
  • A demonstrative pronoun replaces a noun. A demonstrative determiner comes before a noun.
Speaking tip: Practise by pointing to objects around you. Say, "This is my phone," "That is the door," "These are my books," and "Those are the buildings."

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Module 3 · Section 6

Other Types of Pronouns

Learn to ask questions, connect ideas and talk about people or things without naming them.

Who, Which, Someone and More

Pronouns do more than replace names. Some pronouns help us ask questions, some connect information, and others refer to people or things without telling us exactly who or what they are.

Interrogative Used to ask questions: who, what, which.
Relative Connect information to a noun: who, which, that.
Indefinite Refer to unspecified people or things: someone, anything, everyone.

1. Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. They help us find out about a person, a thing, a choice or ownership.

Pronoun Use Example
Who Asks about a person as the subject Who called you?
Whom Asks about a person as the object; formal English Whom did you invite?
Whose Asks about ownership Whose is this?
What Asks about a thing or information What happened?
Which Asks someone to choose Which do you prefer?
Speaking tip: In everyday English, people often use "who" instead of "whom". "Whom" is more common in formal English and after certain prepositions.

Everyday examples

Who is at the door? Asking about a person.
What do you want to eat? Asking about a thing or choice.
Which is your seat? Asking someone to identify one option.
Whose phone is ringing? Asking who owns the phone.

2. Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns connect information to a noun or pronoun. They help us combine ideas and explain which person or thing we mean.

Pronoun Usually refers to Example
Who People The woman who helped me was kind.
Whom People as the object; formal English The person whom I called answered.
Whose Possession The boy whose bag is missing is here.
Which Animals or things The book which I bought is interesting.
That People or things in defining clauses The phone that I bought works well.

How do relative pronouns work?

I know a teacher who speaks three languages. "Who speaks three languages" gives information about the teacher.
This is the laptop that I use for work. "That I use for work" identifies the laptop.
She met a student whose father is a doctor. "Whose father is a doctor" gives information about the student.
Remember: Use "who" for people and "which" for things in many common contexts. "That" can be used for people or things in defining relative clauses.

3. Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to people, things or amounts without naming the exact person or thing.

People

someone somebody anyone anybody everyone everybody no one nobody

Things

something anything everything nothing

Examples in sentences

Someone is waiting outside. One person, but we do not say who.
Does anyone know the answer? Asking whether any person knows it.
Everyone is ready. Refers to all the people in a group. "Everyone" takes a singular verb.
I have nothing to say. Refers to no thing or no information.
Is there anything in the box? Asking whether a thing is present.

4. Using Indefinite Pronouns Correctly

Rule 1: Everyone, someone and nobody usually take singular verbs

✅ Everyone is welcome.
❌ Everyone are welcome.

Rule 2: Use "someone" for an unspecified person

Someone left their umbrella here. Singular "they/their" is widely used when a person's gender is unknown or irrelevant.

Rule 3: Some words are common in questions and negatives

Do you have anything to drink?
I don't know anyone here.
Useful guide: "Some-" words often appear in positive statements. "Any-" words are common in questions and negative statements. This is a helpful pattern, not an absolute rule.

5. Compare the Three Types

Type Main purpose Example
Interrogative Asks a question Who is your teacher?
Relative Connects extra information The teacher who taught me was kind.
Indefinite Refers to an unspecified person or thing Someone called me.
Easy way to remember:
Interrogative = asks.
Relative = connects.
Indefinite = does not identify exactly.

6. Quick Practice Quiz

Answer all five questions, then select Check My Answers to see your score and explanations.

Question 1: _____ is calling me?

Question 2: The woman _____ lives next door is a doctor.

Question 3: _____ is welcome to join the meeting.

Question 4: Which word asks about ownership?

Question 5: I have _____ to eat; the fridge is empty.

7. Lesson Summary

  • Interrogative pronouns ask questions: who, whom, whose, what and which.
  • Relative pronouns connect information: who, whom, whose, which and that.
  • Indefinite pronouns refer to unspecified people or things: someone, anyone, everyone, something and nothing.
  • Everyone, someone and nobody generally take singular verbs.
  • Choose the pronoun based on what you want to communicate.
Speaking practice: Make three sentences today: one question using "who", one sentence using "who" to describe a person, and one sentence using "someone" or "anything".

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Module 3 · Final Assessment

Pronouns Final Test

Test your understanding of all six pronoun lessons.

Ready to Test Your English?

Complete this assessment to practise personal, subject, object, possessive, reflexive, demonstrative, interrogative, relative and indefinite pronouns. Choose one answer for each question.

15 Multiple-choice questions
15 Marks One mark for each correct answer
80% Suggested target score: 12 out of 15

What You Will Be Tested On

Review these topics before starting the assessment.

  • Personal pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
  • Subject and object pronouns: she, her, they, them
  • Possessive adjectives and pronouns: my, mine, their, theirs
  • Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, themselves
  • Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those
  • Interrogative pronouns: who, what, which, whose
  • Relative pronouns: who, which, that, whose
  • Indefinite pronouns: someone, everyone, anything, nothing
Assessment tip: Read every sentence carefully. Look at the meaning, the noun being replaced, and whether the sentence needs a subject, object, possessive or another type of pronoun.

Module 3 Assessment

Select one answer for every question. Your result and explanations will appear when you submit the test.

Questions answered 0 / 15

Question 1: _____ am learning English every day.

Question 2: Riya is my friend. _____ is very helpful.

Question 3: My brother called ____ yesterday.

Question 4: This is _____ laptop. I bought it yesterday.

Question 5: This seat is not yours. It is ____.

Question 6: She prepared the entire meal by ____.

Question 7: The children enjoyed _____ at the party.

Question 8: _____ are my keys here in my hand.

Question 9: _____ is standing near the entrance?

Question 10: The woman _____ helped us was very kind.

Question 11: _____ left a message for you. I don't know who it was.

Question 12: Everyone _____ ready for the lesson.

Question 13: Which sentence is correct?

Question 14: _____ of these two bags do you prefer?

Question 15: I have _____ to add, so let's finish the meeting.

Understand Your Result

12–15 marks: Excellent! You have a strong understanding of pronouns.

9–11 marks: Good work. Review the topics where you made mistakes.

0–8 marks: Keep practising. Revisit the lessons and attempt the assessment again.

Keep learning: Your score is a practice result, not a formal certification. Use the explanations to identify which pronoun types need more revision.

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