What Subject Pronouns Are
A subject pronoun is a short word that stands in the subject slot in place of a noun you have already mentioned, so the sentence does not have to say the name twice. There are seven of them, and one of the seven is always the right one.
ONE MANNam → he
Out of I, you, he, she, it, we and they, the pronoun for one man is he.
Nam is a doctor. He works at a hospital in Huế.
The name is introduced once; he carries it into the next sentence.
MORE THAN ONEmy parents → they
Out of I, you, he, she, it, we and they, the pronoun for two or more is they.
My parents are farmers. They live in Vinh.
Two people, so the same seven words offer only one answer.
Because the pronoun does the subject's job, it sits exactly where the subject sits — first, in front of the verb — and the sentence cannot be built without it.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"My little brother is five. is very tall for his age."
- Question 2
"My phone is very old, but still works well."
The seven, and how to choose
I
the speaker
I am a student.
One word for every speaker in English, and always a capital letter.
YOU
the listeneror listeners
You are late.
One person or a whole room — the same word for both, and always with are.
HE
one man or boy
He is my brother.
Used for a male person, named or not.
SHE
one woman or girl
She is my teacher.
Used for a female person, named or not.
IT
one thingor animal
It is a big city.
Things, places, animals — and the weather, the time and the date.
WE
the speaker+ others
We are in the same class.
Any group with the speaker inside it.
THEY
more than oneof anything
They are my neighbours.
People or things, male or female — they asks no further questions.
NOUN → PRONOUN AT A GLANCE
- Maishe
- my brotherhe
- the busit
- my parentsthey
- Nam and Iwe
one man → he · one woman → she · one thing → it · two or more → they · any group with me in it → we
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Lan and Hoa are in my class. sit behind me."
- Question 2
"My father and I live in Cần Thơ. go to work by bus."
- Question 3
"Lan and Hoa, are late again!"
Swapping a noun for a pronoun
ONE PERSON, NAMED
Mai teaches English → She teaches English.
Follow the person: a woman becomes she, a man becomes he.
Signal words: Mai · my aunt · the new student
A GROUP WITH ME IN IT
Nam and I are late → We are late.
If the speaker is inside the group, the answer is always we.
Signal words: my family and I · Nam and I · my friends and I
A GROUP WITHOUT ME
My parents are out → They are out.
Two or more people or things that do not include the speaker.
Signal words: my parents · the students · those books
ANYTHING NOT HUMAN
The bus is late → It is late.
One thing, one place, one animal — all of them are it.
Signal words: the bus · Hà Nội · my phone · the dog
The whole subject is replaced, not part of it. My older brother is three words but one subject, so one pronoun takes all three: he. And one habit is worth building now: when you and someone else are the subject, English names the other person first and uses I, not me — My friend and I go to school together.
He / she vs. it
| HE / SHE | IT | |
|---|---|---|
| Stands for | One person | One thing, place, idea or animal |
| Answers | Who is it? | What is it? |
| Example | My brother is five. He is tall. | My phone is new. It is fast. |
| Never used for | A table, a city, a bus | A person — however young |
| Special job | None | Weather, time and date: It is raining. It is Monday. |
The line English will not cross is the last one on the left of that table: it is never a person. A baby, a stranger, a child whose name you do not know — all of them are he or she, and calling one of them it sounds as though you were talking about an object.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"My sister is a nurse. works in a hospital."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:My sister is a nurse. It works in a hospital.
Correct:My sister is a nurse. She works in a hospital.
It is never used for a person; a woman or girl is she.
Incorrect:Where is Mai? He is at home.
Correct:Where is Mai? She is at home.
The choice between he and she follows the person, and Mai is a woman's name.
Incorrect:The children are here. He is playing outside.
Correct:The children are here. They are playing outside.
More than one person means they, whatever their genders.
Incorrect:Hà Nội is big. She is very beautiful.
Correct:Hà Nội is big. It is very beautiful.
Cities, cars and ships are sometimes given a she in older or affectionate writing, but the plain form for a place is it.
Incorrect:Me and my friend go to school together.
Correct:My friend and I go to school together.
Me is never a subject, and English puts the other person first out of politeness.
Incorrect:You is my best friend.
Correct:You are my best friend.
You always takes are, even when it means only one person.
Incorrect:My parents live in Vinh. Them are farmers.
Correct:My parents live in Vinh. They are farmers.
Them cannot start a sentence; the subject form of the plural pronoun is they.
Quick check · 6 questions
Choose the right pronoun:
My uncle drives a taxi. He starts work at six.
- A. He — Correct
- B. It
- C. They
Answer: A. He
It is never used for a person, however briefly they appear in the sentence.
Choose the right pronoun:
The teacher is Ms Hoa. She is very kind.
- A. She — Correct
- B. He
- C. It
Answer: A. She
Pick the pronoun from the person named, not from the job title.
Choose the right pronoun:
Hà Nội is a big city. It is very noisy.
- A. It — Correct
- B. She
- C. They
Answer: A. It
Cities, ships and cars pick up a she in older or affectionate writing, but the plain pronoun for a place is it.
Choose the right pronoun:
Mai and I are in the same class. We study together.
- A. We — Correct
- B. They
- C. You
Answer: A. We
Whenever you are one of the people you are talking about, the pronoun is we. If you are outside the group it becomes they.
Choose the right pronoun:
The students are in the library. They are very quiet.
- A. They — Correct
- B. Them
- C. He
Answer: A. They
Them means the same people but cannot open a sentence; it is the object form, which comes in a later lesson. A plural subject is always they.
Choose the right pronoun:
Minh and Linh, you are late again!
- A. you — Correct
- B. they
- C. we
Answer: A. you
This sentence addresses the two of them directly, and one word you covers any number of listeners. Saying "they are late" would be reporting it to a third person.
See whether it really stuck.
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