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• Personal Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples

Personal Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples

Published on October 15, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on February 24, 2023.

Personal pronouns are words like “you” that refer to the person speaking or writing, to the person they’re addressing, or to other people and things.

Like other pronouns , they are used in place of nouns to allow us to speak and write more concisely. For example, without the first-person pronoun “I,” you would have to use your name every time you wanted to make a statement about yourself.

Personal pronouns change form based on person , number , gender , and case , as shown in the table below, which you can also download.

Download this table

Table of contents

Person, number, gender, and case.

• First-person pronouns

Second-person pronouns

Third-person pronouns, impersonal pronouns, other personal pronouns, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions about personal pronouns.

Four factors indicate which personal pronoun you should use in a particular grammatical context to refer to a particular person or thing. These are:

• Person (first, second, or third)
• Number (singular or plural)
• Gender (masculine, feminine, neuter, or epicene)
• Case (subject, object, possessive, or reflexive)

To demonstrate correct pronoun-antecedent agreement , a personal pronoun must match its antecedent (the person or thing it refers back to) in person, number, and gender. Case is determined by how the pronoun is used in the sentence, not by the antecedent.

Personal pronouns are called “personal” not because they always refer to people (“it,” for example, doesn’t) but because they indicate a grammatical feature called person . There are three possibilities:

• First-person pronouns are used to refer to the person speaking or writing.
• Second-person pronouns are used to refer to the person being addressed.
• Third-person pronouns are used to refer to anyone or anything else.

Number indicates whether the personal pronoun refers to an individual person or thing or to a group of two or more.

• Singular pronouns refer to an individual person or thing.
• Plural pronouns refer to two or more people or things.

Gender is how personal pronouns indicate the gender of the person referred to—or the lack of gender of objects and concepts.

• Masculine pronouns refer to men and boys.
• Feminine pronouns refer to women and girls.
• Gender-neutral pronouns , also referred to as epicene , refer to people who identify as neither male nor female, or to people whose gender is not considered relevant in context.
• Neuter pronouns refer to things that are not people: objects, concepts, places, and sometimes animals.

Case means the grammatical role that the pronoun plays in a sentence. Personal pronouns can play four different roles in a sentence:

• Subject pronouns act as the subject of a verb —the person or thing that performs the action described.
• Object pronouns act as the object of a verb or preposition —the person or thing that is acted upon.
• Possessive pronouns indicate ownership—they stand for something or someone that belongs to someone or something else. These are slightly different from possessive determiners .
• Reflexive pronouns are used instead of object pronouns when when the object of the sentence is the same as the subject. The same words double as intensive pronouns .

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The first-person pronouns don’t vary based on gender, but they do vary based on number and case, as shown in the table below. The first-person singular subject pronoun “I” is the only English pronoun that is always capitalized .

Note that there is ongoing debate about the use of first-person pronouns in academic writing .

If we work hard, the prize could be ours .

The second-person pronouns also do not vary based on gender, only the reflexive form varies based on number, and the subject and object forms are the same. This makes them the least variable set of personal pronouns but can occasionally lead to ambiguity.

Second-person pronouns should almost never be used in academic writing , as addressing the reader directly is seen as too informal.

May I ask you a question? Is this jacket yours ?

The third-person pronouns are much more variable than the first- and second-person pronouns, since they also change form based on gender, in addition to number and case.

As well as forms for the masculine and feminine, there is a neuter (or inanimate) form that’s used to refer to things other than people (e.g., ideas, objects, animals).

There’s also an increasingly widely used gender-neutral (or epicene) form, the singular “they.” This is largely identical to the plural form (which is always gender-neutral), except that the reflexive “themself” is sometimes used instead of “themselves” (though it’s often considered nonstandard).

I’m glad she can be herself now.

Participants assessed themselves in terms of performance.

The impersonal pronoun “one,” as the name suggests, doesn’t vary based on person—it’s not in the first, second, or third person.

Rather, like an indefinite pronoun , it refers to a nonspecific, generic individual, usually for the purpose of making a generalization or stating a principle. It’s considered quite formal and often replaced with “you,” or otherwise avoided, in informal contexts.

The impersonal pronoun doesn’t vary based on number or gender, and it has the same form whether used as a subject or object. It does have a separate form for the reflexive, but no possessive pronoun form.

There are a few other personal pronouns that are rarely used, nonstandard, or archaic (no longer used). These generally shouldn’t show up in your academic or formal writing, but it’s worth knowing they exist.

Archaic second-person pronouns

The lack of variety in English second-person pronouns is somewhat unusual, as other languages (e.g., French) make clearer distinctions between singular and plural and between formal and informal ways of addressing someone.

Early Modern English used a larger set of second-person pronouns to convey this kind of distinction. The “th” pronouns were used for informal address, while the “y” pronouns were used for both formal address and plurals.

These additional pronouns are not used in contemporary standard English unless a deliberate attempt is being made to imitate old-fashioned or biblical language in a humorous or literary context. Some of them have survived in certain dialects of English.

“Y’all” and other nonstandard second-person plural pronouns

The lack of distinction between singular and plural in the standard second-person pronouns has given rise to various ways of expressing the plural in different dialects.

Though some of these are very widely used in everyday speech, they are all still regarded as nonstandard and not used in formal or academic writing. Some examples are given in the table below.

In some contexts, an individual might refer to themselves as “we” and therefore use the alternative reflexive pronoun ourself .

This commonly occurs with the royal we (used by monarchs), the editorial we (used by an individual speaking for a publication or organization), and the generic we (used to make generalizations). It’s not advisable to use any of these, or the word “ourself,” in academic writing.

“Hisself,” “theirselves,” and “theirself”

Other nonstandard reflexive pronouns are hisself (replacing “himself”), theirselves (replacing “themselves”), and theirself (replacing “themself”). These are all widely regarded as mistakes and should be avoided in writing generally, whether formal or informal.

The third-person plural object pronoun “them” is often replaced by ’em in informal contexts. It’s older than you’d expect, believed to actually be an abbreviation of the Middle English pronoun “hem” rather than the current pronoun “them.” But it’s not used in formal or academic writing.

Capitalized pronouns in a religious context

The second- and third-person pronouns He/Him/His/Himself , She/Her/Hers/Herself , and You/Yours/Yourself are sometimes capitalized in a religious context when they are used to refer to a deity.

This is commonly encountered in sacred works such as the Bible or the Quran and in the writing of other religious figures, though it’s not always done consistently. It’s not necessary to imitate this usage in a nonreligious context.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Types of nouns
• Collective nouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Conjunctions

Personal pronouns are words like “he,” “me,” and “yourselves” that refer to the person you’re addressing, to other people or things, or to yourself. Like other pronouns, they usually stand in for previously mentioned nouns (antecedents).

They are called “personal” not because they always refer to people (e.g., “it” doesn’t) but because they indicate grammatical person ( first , second , or third person). Personal pronouns also change their forms based on number, gender, and grammatical role in a sentence.

In grammar, person is how we distinguish between the speaker or writer (first person), the person being addressed (second person), and any other people, objects, ideas, etc. referred to (third person).

Person is expressed through the different personal pronouns , such as “I” ( first-person pronoun ), “you” ( second-person pronoun ), and “they” (third-person pronoun). It also affects how verbs are conjugated, due to subject-verb agreement (e.g., “I am” vs. “you are”).

In fiction, a first-person narrative is one written directly from the perspective of the protagonist . A third-person narrative describes the protagonist from the perspective of a separate narrator. A second-person narrative (very rare) addresses the reader as if they were the protagonist.

The term preferred pronouns is used to mean the (third-person) personal pronouns a person identifies with and would like to be referred to by. People usually state the subject and object pronoun (e.g., “she/her”) but may also include the possessive (e.g., “she/her/hers”).

Most people go by the masculine “he/him,” the feminine “she/her,” the gender-neutral singular “they/them,” or some combination of these. There are also neopronouns used to express nonbinary gender identity, such as “xe/xem.” These are less common than the singular “they.”

The practice of stating one’s preferred pronouns (e.g., in a professional context or on a social media profile) is meant to promote inclusion for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. The first- and second-person pronouns (“I” and “you”) are not included, since they’re the same for everyone.

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Caulfield, J. (2023, February 24). Personal Pronouns | Definition, List & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/personal-pronouns/

Aarts, B. (2011).  Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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Depiction of Self & Others: A Corpus-Based Study of Personal Pronouns in Autobiographies

The impacts of feminist thinking can be traced on various subfields in linguistics and hence gave birth to new paradigms and approaches such as feminist pragmatics, feminist conversation analysis, feminist critical discourse analysis (FCDA), feminist sociolinguistics, and feminist post-structuralist discourse analysis (Edward & Milani, 2014). The feminists view language as an instrument to exercise power and coercion. Therefore, linguistic analysis with feminist approach, considering sociocultural factors, is produced in order to highlight the underlying mechanisms of the discourses to represent the powerful and oppressed groups. Similarly, feminist critical discourse analysis (FCDA) puts emphasis particularly on the ‘discourses which sustain a patriarchal social order: that is, relations of power that systematically privilege men as a social group and the disadvantage to excl ude and disempower women as a social group’ (Lazar 2005, p.5). Burck (2011) states that language not only s...

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• DOI: 10.31703/glr.2020(v-i).15
• Corpus ID: 226022765

Depiction of Self & Others: A Corpus-Based Study of Personal Pronouns in Autobiographies

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Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

• Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
• Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
• Never include personal opinion.
• Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

• Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
• Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
• Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

• Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
• References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
• Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on  writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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A Guide to Personal Pronouns — and Why Not to Call Them 'Preferred'

Personal pronouns aren't merely a preference.

Pull out your composition books, because it's time for a grammar lesson. On today's docket: Pronouns.

Yep, with phrases such as "pronouns," "personal pronouns," and "preferred gendered pronouns" getting more media attention over the last few years, you may feel a little lost as to which pronouns to use and when. Enter: This definitive personal pronoun guide, where gender and sexuality pros take everyone to school. (Next up: LGBTQ+ Glossary of Gender and Sexuality Definitions Allies Should Know )

Personal Pronouns, Explained

In the English language, personal pronouns — such as he, she, they, and xe, to name a few — are short words that stand in for a person or group of people. (No, "xe" isn't a typo; it's a neopronoun, which will be explained in depth below.)

Typically, you use personal pronouns without much forethought. A waiter, for instance, might say, "Oh, they left their umbrella." And Dolly Parton (or Lil Nas X !) might sing, "Please don't take him just because you can." Pretty straightforward so far, yes?

Gendered vs. Gender-Neutral Personal Pronouns

Here's where things require a little more nuance: Many personal pronouns are gendered. Meaning, usually the personal pronoun you use for someone — and that someone uses for themselves — correlates with their gender. When referring to a woman, for example, you'll usually use she/her pronouns, and while referring to a man, you'll often use he/him.

This means that in order to use the correct gendered pronoun for someone, you need to know their gender. Sure, you usually know this info about close friends and family, because they've likely told you or made it clear. But there's a good chance you don't know (for certain) the gender of strangers, acquaintances, and new friends.

Unfortunately, people often rely on external markers such as voice, hair length, body hair, and clothes to guess someone's gender, and therefore make assumptions about their pronouns. The problem: "You can't tell someone's gender based on what they're wearing or how they look," says Jesse Kahn, L.C.S.W., C.S.T. , director and sex therapist at the Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center in NYC. "The only way to know someone's gender is for them to tell you," they add. And that's where pronouns sharing and asking comes in.

Not all pronouns are inherently gendered, however. The most commonly used gender-neutral pronoun is the singular pronoun they/them. This is the option most people tend to pick when they don't know someone's gender. For example: "The person who was sitting here left their computer charger."

The singular "they" is also used by some gender non-conforming folks who do not identify with and/or feel affirmed by he/him or she/her. Celebrities such as Indya Moore, Jonathan Van Ness, Sam Smith, and Nico Tortorella (and their partner, for that matter ) all use they/them pronouns.

Other gender revolutionaries use she/her or he/him, while some use neopronouns, says Rae McDaniel , a licensed clinical counselor and gender and sex therapist based in Chicago. "Neopronouns are pronouns that have been used in more recent years as an alternative to the gender-neutral 'they' pronoun," says McDaniel.

"Neopronouns have no inherent link to gender," and are thus gender-neutral, says Kahn. "Therefore, they have the added bonus of disrupting the culture of making assumptions in connection to pronouns," they explain. (Similar to the way that adding the letter "x" to words such as "Latinx" is partially intended to disrupt society's norms.)

Examples of neopronouns include:

• Zie/Zim/Zir

FYI, the Only Way to Know Someone's Pronouns Is to Ask

"You can't know by looking at someone which pronouns they use. Anyone can use any pronouns," notes Kahn. And that means anyone, not just the people who you think "look" non-binary (and on that note, there's not one way to look non-binary).

That's why it's a good practice to introduce yourself with your name and pronouns, regardless of context, explains Kahn. "This helps normalize the sharing of pronouns, and reminds everyone not to make assumptions," they say.

Here's what that might look like in practice:

• "Hi! My name is Jonathan and I use they/them pronouns."
• "Hey, I'm GK and I use she/her pronouns. And you are?"
• "Can everyone go around and share their name and pronouns? I'm Dina, and I use xe/xem pronouns."

Sometimes you won't have the opportunity to ask someone their pronouns before referring to them. Here, a good move is to use the gender-neutral pronoun they/them. Or, to use their name in place of a pronoun. For instance, rather than assuming that Sam uses she/her pronouns, you might say either, "Sam left their computer charger," or, "Sam left a computer charger."

Why You Should Avoid the Term 'Preferred Pronouns'

When you ask someone their pronouns, the language you use is important. You might say: "I use she/her pronouns. What pronouns do you use?" or, "My pronouns are she/they, do you feel comfortable telling me your pronouns?"

One thing you do not want to do is ask for their "preferred pronouns." Why? "The word 'preferred' insinuates that someone's pronouns are simply a preference and that it's negotiable whether or not other people use them," says McDaniel. But there is no negotiation for pronouns. "Pronouns are an integral part of how someone identifies and need to be respected," they say.

If you think you've previously been asked your "preferred pronouns," you're not imagining it. When pronoun sharing first entered the zeitgeist in the early aughts, the adjective "preferred" was often tacked on. But language evolves, folks!

FTR, "there are a lot of reasons someone might use multiple sets of pronouns," says Kahn. "Sometimes someone uses different pronouns depending on the environment and the people they're surrounded by, for safety or comfort," they say. For example, someone might use the neopronouns xe/xem when around people who understand neopronouns, but she/her with people who don't. Or, they/them with their friends, and he/him with their family members.

"Sometimes people use multiple pronouns to affirm different parts of themselves," says Kahn."And sometimes people use more than one set of pronouns to communicate the expansiveness of their gender," they add. Meaning, their gender doesn't fit neatly into the "man," "woman," or "non-binary" gender bucket — to name just a few of the reasons.

If someone tells you they use multiple pronouns, you can ask if they'd like you to switch between both sets or when they'd like you to use each, says Kahn.

How to Explore Your Own Personal Pronouns

Here are some tips you might use to figure out which personal pronouns feel best for you.

1. Ask yourself some questions about pronouns and your feelings.

"Figuring out and exploring what your pronouns are can be a process," says Kahn. And a process that requires some serious self-reflection at that.

Try asking yourself the following questions, recommends Kahn:

• What am I trying to communicate with my pronouns?
• How do my current pronouns make me feel?
• How does it make me feel when people call me X pronoun?
• How does it feel to refer to myself by different sets of pronouns?
• Do I feel restricted/limited in my gender/body by choosing X pronoun?
• Which pronouns make me feel seen?

2. Practice using different pronouns to refer to yourself.

If you don't feel comfortable playing with different pronouns publicly, you can explore in private with you and your mirror, your shower thoughts, or your late-night noodling, says Kahn.

"Practice referring to yourself by the new pronouns and assess how your body feels when you use them," suggests McDaniel. "Does it feel light in your chest? Do you get a little flutter in your stomach when you use these pronouns in your head?" they say.

Another activity you might try is writing a story about yourself in the third person. Then, go through and edit all the pronouns to another set before reading it back. Then, another! See which set makes your heart giggle, your gut smile, and your face flush. Likely, that set is the one that most resonates.

3. Explore publicly — if you want.

You don't need to wait until you're 100 percent sure about a particular set of personal pronouns to share them publicly. Your pronoun exploration can happen publicly if you want. For instance, by posting different pronouns in your Instagram bio and email signature, or continuously updating co-workers and friends about what your current pronouns are if it feels safe and affirming to do so.

4. Don't be afraid to try on different pronouns.

McDaniel recommends what they've coined the "Spaghetti Wall Method of Pronoun Discovery." "When you're cooking spaghetti, you can throw a piece against the wall to see if it's ready to eat. If it sticks, great, dinner is ready! If it doesn't, it's not a failure. You just cook it a little longer," they explain. Discovering what pronouns feel good for you can be a similar process, notes McDaniel.

"When a set of pronouns is new, it might feel awkward or strange at first — that's a normal part of the process," says McDaniel. "Give the pronouns a chance to marinate for you," they suggest.

Related Articles

Personal Pronouns: Definition, Examples, & Exercises

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

Personal pronouns are the most common form of pronoun as they have the ability to replace virtually any noun in a sentence. These pronouns have the power to pretend to be someone or something in a sentence.

For example, the first sentence in a story might read: 

• “ Bruce Wayne solemnly surveyed the interior of his mansion.” 

Bruce Wayne is a proper noun and also happens to be the subject of the sentence. To avoid sounding monotonous and repetitive, authors will often use personal pronouns in place of proper nouns like this: 

• “ He walked the silent halls, peering through doorways into empty rooms with curtains drawn.” 

Since this sentence immediately follows a sentence with a proper noun, the personal pronoun “he” can be used in place of the proper noun without confusing the reader. 

However, you do have to be careful when using personal pronouns . Look at the two sentences below and decide which one is written correctly: 

• “Apart from his loyal butler, Alfred, he felt totally alone.” 
• “Apart from his loyal butler, Alfred, Bruce felt totally alone.” 

Because the writer introduced a second proper noun, Alfred, into the sentence, using the personal pronoun “he” to refer to Bruce Wayne would result in an antecedent error . This means that the reader would assume that “he” meant Alfred since it is the closest proper noun to the personal pronoun . 

When you’re ready, test yourself with a quiz  and practice with our high-quality, standards-aligned questions here . 

What We Review

The Basics of Personal Pronouns

What is a Personal Pronoun?

Personal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence. 

For example: 

• Joe asked Dante where he bought his Nintendo Switch. 

The reader understands that both “he” and “his” refer to Dante. If Joe meant someone other than Dante, both Dante and the reader would be very confused. 

Additionally , personal pronouns can take the role of most nouns in a sentence, whether subject or object. 

• Claire watched the meteor shower last night; she saw it from her bedroom window. 

In this compound sentence, there are two independent clauses that are connected by a semi-colon. In the first independent clause, the subject and object of the sentence are “Claire” and “meteor shower”. In the second independent clause, both of these nouns are replaced: “she” replaced “Claire” as the subject, and “it” replaced “meteor shower” as the direct object. 

Finally, when personal pronouns are used, they must have a clear antecedent , or a noun that appeared earlier in the text that is being replaced by the personal pronoun . 

• Mark and Amy brought him lunch. 

This sentence is so confusing because the reader has no idea who “him” refers to! Could it be Mark? No, that wouldn’t make sense, because the sentence implies that the lunch is brought for someone else. It cannot be Amy’s lunch, because a masculine personal pronoun is used. 

As writers, we must be careful to always have clear antecedents in our sentences if we choose to use personal pronouns (which we should!). 

Here is the sentence again with an antecedent added: 

• Joe called Mark and Amy to ask if they could bring him lunch. 

Now in this sentence, we know who “ him ” refers to. Even though there is another personal pronoun, “ they ”, we still know which personal pronoun refers to which proper noun because “ they ” has to refer to a plural noun (Mark and Amy), and “ him ” has to refer to a singular, masculine noun (Joe). 

What are the different types of pronouns?

In total, there are eight different types of pronouns. This will be a very quick summary, so if you’d like to learn more about these other types of pronouns, visit the Pronoun Overview and Practice page on Albert. 

Personal Pronouns: pronouns that refer to a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence. 

• When David lost his goldfish, he was very sad. 

Demonstrative Pronouns: pronouns that are used to point out specific items 

• That is my missing goldfish! 

Interrogative Pronouns : pronouns used to ask a question

• Whose goldfish is this? 

Indefinite Pronouns: pronouns used to refer to someone or something nonspecific 

• Do any of these goldfish belong to you? 

Possessive Pronouns: pronouns used to show possession or belonging 

• I already told you; it is my goldfish! 

Relative Pronouns: pronouns that introduce relative clauses and add information about someone or something introduced earlier in the sentence 

• David was exasperated, which only made his quest to retrieve his missing goldfish that much more difficult. 

Reflexive/Intensive Pronouns: reflexive pronouns are used when the object of the sentence immediately reflects the subject of the same sentence, while intensive pronouns are used to show emphasis 

• David resolved to rescue his goldfish himself , no matter the cost. 

What are the similarities between personal pronouns and these other types of pronouns?

Personal pronouns pair most closely with possessive pronouns and reflexive pronouns in sentences. 

• The penguin waddled delightedly toward the water; he trembled in anticipation of his first swim by himself .  

What are the differences between personal pronouns and these other types of pronouns?

Conversely, personal pronouns do not often pair with interrogative or indefinite pronouns. 

While personal pronouns refer to a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence, interrogative and indefinite pronouns refer to an undefined or nonspecific person, thing, animal, or group. 

If someone asked, “ Who made this extravagant chalk drawing on my driveway?” And another person responded, “ He did!” without pointing at someone, we still would not know who did the drawing. Since both interrogative and indefinite pronouns lack antecedents, it is very difficult to also use a personal pronoun without introducing an antecedent first. 

Return to the top

3 Tips for Understanding Personal Pronouns

Here are some important tips to help you understand personal pronouns: 

Tip #1. Personal pronouns can be used to replace a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence

• As the frog leapt across the lily pads, it snagged a few flies on the way. 

In this sentence, the personal pronoun, it , replaces the noun, frog . 

Tip #2. Personal pronouns must have an antecedent that comes before the pronoun to make sense

• Beyonce has released several award-winning albums, but she most recently released “Homecoming”. 

In this sentence, the personal pronoun, she , refers back to its antecedent, which is Beyonce . 

Tip #3. If another person, thing, animal, or group interrupts the personal pronoun and its antecedent, a personal pronoun cannot be used

• Pete bought Jake a box of Cheez-Its and a pack of Twizzlers; Jake ate the Twizzlers first because they were his favorite snack. 

In this sentence, there are two different snacks that could be the antecedent of they . Therefore, the writer repeats the antecedent, Twizzlers , before using the personal pronoun to avoid confusion. 

Now that you understand how personal pronouns function in sentences, review the anchor chart above and complete the review below to fully understand how to use and recognize personal pronouns . 

Applying the Basics: Personal Pronoun Review & Practice

The ultimate list of antecedents.

Refer to the graphic below to learn about different types of pronouns, including personal pronouns :

Personal Pronoun Exercises and Review 

Now that you know some common personal pronouns , test your ability to find these pronouns.

Select the personal pronoun in the sentences below. Remember, personal pronouns refer to a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence.

1. Rey searched tirelessly for Luke Skywalker, knowing only he could teach her the ways of the Force. 

• In this sentence, he is a personal pronoun that replaces “Luke Skywalker”, and her is a personal pronoun that replaces “Rey”.

2. The Rebel Alliance fought to overthrow The Empire and undo the evil that they had done.

• In this sentence, they is a personal pronoun that replaces “The Empire”.

3. When the Mandalorian’s life was in danger, the Child saved him by using the Force.

• In this sentence, him is a personal pronoun that replaces Mandalorian. 

4. As Rey unwillingly left Leia to go on a mission, Leia encouraged her by saying, “ I will see you when you get back.”

• In this sentence, her, I, and you are all examples of personal pronouns. Since there are two proper nouns referring to female characters, Leia’s name has to be used a second time to avoid confusion.

5. Kylo Ren was shocked to realize that Supreme Leader Snoke was only a puppet, and that Emperor Palpatine was manipulating him this entire time.

• In this sentence, him is a personal pronoun that could refer to either Kylo Ren or Snoke; however, it is clear that him refers to Snoke based on context clues within the sentence. If Snoke was a puppet, it is most logical that he was the one being manipulated. 
• Pro tip : Remember, personal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a specific person, thing, animal, or group in a sentence. They can replace most nouns in a sentence, regardless of whether that noun is a subject or object. However, every personal pronoun must have a clear antecedent, or a noun that comes before it. If there is any possibility of confusing the reader by using a personal pronoun , re-introduce the antecedent before replacing it with one of these pronouns.  

For additional practice, check out Personal Pronoun content on Albert.

Try for Yourself: Personal Pronouns Quiz

Feeling confident in your understanding of personal pronouns ? 

Take this short six-question quiz to see what you’ve learned:

1. Can a personal pronoun exist without an antecedent?

• Answer: No 
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A personal pronoun must have a clear antecedent that comes before it, either within the same sentence or in the sentence immediately prior to it. 
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a personal pronoun must have a clear antecedent that comes before it, either within the same sentence or in the sentence immediately prior to it.

2. Can personal pronouns and possessive pronouns be used together in the same sentence?

• Answer: Yes  
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! Personal and possessive pronouns are often used together in sentences as long as each pronoun has a clear antecedent. 
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, personal pronouns can be used with many other types of pronouns as long as each pronoun has a clear antecedent.

3. In this sentence, is the word, “his” a personal or possessive pronoun?

Justin was in a disagreement with his cousin because Justin thought Nike was the best brand while his cousin preferred Adidas. 

• Answer: Possessive
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! The pronoun his is possessive because it shows ownership or belonging. 
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, possessive pronouns show ownership or belonging while personal pronouns replace nouns in sentences.

4. In this sentence, is the word, “we” a personal or possessive pronoun?

Since my friends and I could not agree on a movie to go see together, we went to the mall instead. 

• Answer: Personal
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! The pronoun we is a personal pronoun because it replaces a previous group of nouns in the sentence (my friends and I). 

5. In this sentence, is the word, “which” a personal or relative pronoun?

The founders of Jurassic World were genetically-engineering dinosaurs, which turned out to be a terrible idea. 

• Answer: Relative
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! In this sentence, the word which is a relative pronoun because it introduces a relative clause that adds information about the process of “genetically-engineering dinosaurs”. 
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, relative pronouns introduce relative clauses and add information about someone or something introduced earlier in the sentence  while personal pronouns replace nouns in sentences.

6. In this sentence, is the word, “that” a personal or demonstrative pronoun?

That is my guinea pig; not yours!  

• Answer: Demonstrative
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! That is a demonstrative pronoun because it is used to point out a specific item in the sentence, which is, guinea pig .  
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, demonstrative pronouns are used to point out specific items in a sentence, while personal pronouns replace nouns in sentences. 

For additional practice with personal pronouns , check out our practice on Albert: Personal Pronouns .

Teacher’s Corner for Personal Pronouns

With so many grammatical concepts to master, regular practice of these concepts is necessary. Teachers can use the Common Core English Language Progressive Skills Chart to create both short and long term goals for their students. 

For specific standards on the different types of pronouns including personal pronouns , check out the Common Core State Standards site. 

Albert’s Personal Pronoun practice allows students to hone their skills as writers, readers, and speakers. When teachers wish to evaluate their students’ progress, Albert’s assessments are pre-made and readily available for teacher use. 

Summary for Personal Pronouns 

Be sure to check out our grammar course for more personal pronoun practice. 

You can also access over 3,400 high-quality questions that address nearly every grammatical concept.

Need help preparing for your Grammar exam?

Albert has hundreds of grammar practice questions with detailed explanations to help you master concepts.

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Pride Month

A guide to gender identity terms.

Laurel Wamsley

"Pronouns are basically how we identify ourselves apart from our name. It's how someone refers to you in conversation," says Mary Emily O'Hara, a communications officer at GLAAD. "And when you're speaking to people, it's a really simple way to affirm their identity." Kaz Fantone for NPR hide caption

"Pronouns are basically how we identify ourselves apart from our name. It's how someone refers to you in conversation," says Mary Emily O'Hara, a communications officer at GLAAD. "And when you're speaking to people, it's a really simple way to affirm their identity."

Issues of equality and acceptance of transgender and nonbinary people — along with challenges to their rights — have become a major topic in the headlines. These issues can involve words and ideas and identities that are new to some.

That's why we've put together a glossary of terms relating to gender identity. Our goal is to help people communicate accurately and respectfully with one another.

Proper use of gender identity terms, including pronouns, is a crucial way to signal courtesy and acceptance. Alex Schmider , associate director of transgender representation at GLAAD, compares using someone's correct pronouns to pronouncing their name correctly – "a way of respecting them and referring to them in a way that's consistent and true to who they are."

Glossary of gender identity terms

This guide was created with help from GLAAD . We also referenced resources from the National Center for Transgender Equality , the Trans Journalists Association , NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists , Human Rights Campaign , InterAct and the American Psychological Association . This guide is not exhaustive, and is Western and U.S.-centric. Other cultures may use different labels and have other conceptions of gender.

One thing to note: Language changes. Some of the terms now in common usage are different from those used in the past to describe similar ideas, identities and experiences. Some people may continue to use terms that are less commonly used now to describe themselves, and some people may use different terms entirely. What's important is recognizing and respecting people as individuals.

Jump to a term: Sex, gender , gender identity , gender expression , cisgender , transgender , nonbinary , agender , gender-expansive , gender transition , gender dysphoria , sexual orientation , intersex

Jump to Pronouns : questions and answers

Sex refers to a person's biological status and is typically assigned at birth, usually on the basis of external anatomy. Sex is typically categorized as male, female or intersex.

Gender is often defined as a social construct of norms, behaviors and roles that varies between societies and over time. Gender is often categorized as male, female or nonbinary.

Gender identity is one's own internal sense of self and their gender, whether that is man, woman, neither or both. Unlike gender expression, gender identity is not outwardly visible to others.

For most people, gender identity aligns with the sex assigned at birth, the American Psychological Association notes. For transgender people, gender identity differs in varying degrees from the sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression is how a person presents gender outwardly, through behavior, clothing, voice or other perceived characteristics. Society identifies these cues as masculine or feminine, although what is considered masculine or feminine changes over time and varies by culture.

Cisgender, or simply cis , is an adjective that describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transgender, or simply trans, is an adjective used to describe someone whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth. A transgender man, for example, is someone who was listed as female at birth but whose gender identity is male.

Cisgender and transgender have their origins in Latin-derived prefixes of "cis" and "trans" — cis, meaning "on this side of" and trans, meaning "across from" or "on the other side of." Both adjectives are used to describe experiences of someone's gender identity.

Nonbinary is a term that can be used by people who do not describe themselves or their genders as fitting into the categories of man or woman. A range of terms are used to refer to these experiences; nonbinary and genderqueer are among the terms that are sometimes used.

Agender is an adjective that can describe a person who does not identify as any gender.

Gender-expansive is an adjective that can describe someone with a more flexible gender identity than might be associated with a typical gender binary.

Gender transition is a process a person may take to bring themselves and/or their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. It's not just one step. Transitioning can include any, none or all of the following: telling one's friends, family and co-workers; changing one's name and pronouns; updating legal documents; medical interventions such as hormone therapy; or surgical intervention, often called gender confirmation surgery.

Gender dysphoria refers to psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one's sex assigned at birth and one's gender identity. Not all trans people experience dysphoria, and those who do may experience it at varying levels of intensity.

Gender dysphoria is a diagnosis listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Some argue that such a diagnosis inappropriately pathologizes gender incongruence, while others contend that a diagnosis makes it easier for transgender people to access necessary medical treatment.

Sexual orientation refers to the enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or other genders, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and straight orientations.

People don't need to have had specific sexual experiences to know their own sexual orientation. They need not have had any sexual experience at all. They need not be in a relationship, dating or partnered with anyone for their sexual orientation to be validated. For example, if a bisexual woman is partnered with a man, that does not mean she is not still bisexual.

Sexual orientation is separate from gender identity. As GLAAD notes , "Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer. For example, a person who transitions from male to female and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a straight woman. A person who transitions from female to male and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a gay man."

Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe people with differences in reproductive anatomy, chromosomes or hormones that don't fit typical definitions of male and female.

Intersex can refer to a number of natural variations, some of them laid out by InterAct . Being intersex is not the same as being nonbinary or transgender, which are terms typically related to gender identity.

The Picture Show

Nonbinary photographer documents gender dysphoria through a queer lens, pronouns: questions and answers.

What is the role of pronouns in acknowledging someone's gender identity?

Everyone has pronouns that are used when referring to them – and getting those pronouns right is not exclusively a transgender issue.

"Pronouns are basically how we identify ourselves apart from our name. It's how someone refers to you in conversation," says Mary Emily O'Hara , a communications officer at GLAAD. "And when you're speaking to people, it's a really simple way to affirm their identity."

"So, for example, using the correct pronouns for trans and nonbinary youth is a way to let them know that you see them, you affirm them, you accept them and to let them know that they're loved during a time when they're really being targeted by so many discriminatory anti-trans state laws and policies," O'Hara says.

"It's really just about letting someone know that you accept their identity. And it's as simple as that."

Getting the words right is about respect and accuracy, says Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Kaz Fantone for NPR hide caption

Getting the words right is about respect and accuracy, says Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

What's the right way to find out a person's pronouns?

Start by giving your own – for example, "My pronouns are she/her."

"If I was introducing myself to someone, I would say, 'I'm Rodrigo. I use him pronouns. What about you?' " says Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen , deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

O'Hara says, "It may feel awkward at first, but eventually it just becomes another one of those get-to-know-you questions."

Should people be asking everyone their pronouns? Or does it depend on the setting?

Knowing each other's pronouns helps you be sure you have accurate information about another person.

How a person appears in terms of gender expression "doesn't indicate anything about what their gender identity is," GLAAD's Schmider says. By sharing pronouns, "you're going to get to know someone a little better."

And while it can be awkward at first, it can quickly become routine.

Heng-Lehtinen notes that the practice of stating one's pronouns at the bottom of an email or during introductions at a meeting can also relieve some headaches for people whose first names are less common or gender ambiguous.

"Sometimes Americans look at a name and are like, 'I have no idea if I'm supposed to say he or she for this name' — not because the person's trans, but just because the name is of a culture that you don't recognize and you genuinely do not know. So having the pronouns listed saves everyone the headache," Heng-Lehtinen says. "It can be really, really quick once you make a habit of it. And I think it saves a lot of embarrassment for everybody."

Might some people be uncomfortable sharing their pronouns in a public setting?

Schmider says for cisgender people, sharing their pronouns is generally pretty easy – so long as they recognize that they have pronouns and know what they are. For others, it could be more difficult to share their pronouns in places where they don't know people.

But there are still benefits in sharing pronouns, he says. "It's an indication that they understand that gender expression does not equal gender identity, that you're not judging people just based on the way they look and making assumptions about their gender beyond what you actually know about them."

How is "they" used as a singular pronoun?

"They" is already commonly used as a singular pronoun when we are talking about someone, and we don't know who they are, O'Hara notes. Using they/them pronouns for someone you do know simply represents "just a little bit of a switch."

"You're just asking someone to not act as if they don't know you, but to remove gendered language from their vocabulary when they're talking about you," O'Hara says.

"I identify as nonbinary myself and I appear feminine. People often assume that my pronouns are she/her. So they will use those. And I'll just gently correct them and say, hey, you know what, my pronouns are they/them just FYI, for future reference or something like that," they say.

O'Hara says their family and friends still struggle with getting the pronouns right — and sometimes O'Hara struggles to remember others' pronouns, too.

"In my community, in the queer community, with a lot of trans and nonbinary people, we all frequently remind each other or remind ourselves. It's a sort of constant mindfulness where you are always catching up a little bit," they say.

"You might know someone for 10 years, and then they let you know their pronouns have changed. It's going to take you a little while to adjust, and that's fine. It's OK to make those mistakes and correct yourself, and it's OK to gently correct someone else."

What if I make a mistake and misgender someone, or use the wrong words?

Simply apologize and move on.

"I think it's perfectly natural to not know the right words to use at first. We're only human. It takes any of us some time to get to know a new concept," Heng-Lehtinen says. "The important thing is to just be interested in continuing to learn. So if you mess up some language, you just say, 'Oh, I'm so sorry,' correct yourself and move forward. No need to make it any more complicated than that. Doing that really simple gesture of apologizing quickly and moving on shows the other person that you care. And that makes a really big difference."

Why are pronouns typically given in the format "she/her" or "they/them" rather than just "she" or "they"?

The different iterations reflect that pronouns change based on how they're used in a sentence. And the "he/him" format is actually shorter than the previously common "he/him/his" format.

"People used to say all three and then it got down to two," Heng-Lehtinen laughs. He says staff at his organization was recently wondering if the custom will eventually shorten to just one pronoun. "There's no real rule about it. It's absolutely just been habit," he says.

Amid Wave Of Anti-Trans Bills, Trans Reporters Say 'Telling Our Own Stories' Is Vital

But he notes a benefit of using he/him and she/her: He and she rhyme. "If somebody just says he or she, I could very easily mishear that and then still get it wrong."

What does it mean if a person uses the pronouns "he/they" or "she/they"?

"That means that the person uses both pronouns, and you can alternate between those when referring to them. So either pronoun would be fine — and ideally mix it up, use both. It just means that they use both pronouns that they're listing," Heng-Lehtinen says.

Schmider says it depends on the person: "For some people, they don't mind those pronouns being interchanged for them. And for some people, they are using one specific pronoun in one context and another set of pronouns in another, dependent on maybe safety or comfortability."

The best approach, Schmider says, is to listen to how people refer to themselves.

Why might someone's name be different than what's listed on their ID?

Heng-Lehtinen notes that there's a perception when a person comes out as transgender, they change their name and that's that. But the reality is a lot more complicated and expensive when it comes to updating your name on government documents.

"It is not the same process as changing your last name when you get married. There is bizarrely a separate set of rules for when you are changing your name in marriage versus changing your name for any other reason. And it's more difficult in the latter," he says.

"When you're transgender, you might not be able to update all of your government IDs, even though you want to," he says. "I've been out for over a decade. I still have not been able to update all of my documents because the policies are so onerous. I've been able to update my driver's license, Social Security card and passport, but I cannot update my birth certificate."

"Just because a transgender person doesn't have their authentic name on their ID doesn't mean it's not the name that they really use every day," he advises. "So just be mindful to refer to people by the name they really use regardless of their driver's license."

NPR's Danielle Nett contributed to this report.

• transgender
• gender identity

Personal Pronouns

Ai generator.

Personal pronouns replace specific nouns to avoid repetition and clarify sentences. These include words like “I,” “you,” “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” and “they,” which vary by number, gender, and case. For example, instead of “ Maria loves Maria’s cat ,” we say, “ She loves her cat. “ Personal pronouns make sentences fluid and clear. In parts of speech , they ensure pronoun-antecedent agreement by correctly referring to their antecedents (the words they replace).

What Are Personal Pronouns?

Personal pronouns are words used to replace specific nouns and refer to people or things in a conversation. They help avoid repetition and make sentences clearer and more concise. Personal pronouns include words like “I,” “you,” “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” and “they,” and they change form depending on their role in a sentence (subjective, objective, or possessive).

Examples of Personal Pronouns

1. Subject Pronouns:

• I am going to the store.
• You are my best friend.
• He enjoys playing soccer.
• She is reading a book.
• It is raining outside.
• We will meet at noon.
• They are coming over for dinner.

2. Object Pronouns:

• The teacher gave me homework.
• I will call you later.
• She thanked him for his help.
• The dog followed her home.
• Please pass it to me.
• They invited us to their party.
• The coach congratulated them on their victory.

3. Possessive Pronouns:

• That book is mine .
• Is this pen yours ?
• The jacket is his .
• The red car is hers .
• The cat licked its paw.
• The house at the corner is ours .
• The blue bike is theirs .

4. Reflexive Pronouns:

• I made this cake myself .
• You should treat yourself to a spa day.
• He hurt himself while playing.
• She prepared the meal herself .
• The machine shut itself down.
• We enjoyed ourselves at the concert.
• They organized the event themselves .

20 Examples of Personal Pronouns in a Sentence

• I went to the market to buy some groceries.
• Can you help me with my homework?
• He enjoys hiking in the mountains.
• She loves reading mystery novels.
• The dog wagged its tail happily.
• We are planning a trip to the beach.
• They have already left for the concert.
• The teacher gave me a gold star.
• I will lend you my book.
• The manager praised him for his hard work.
• The teacher asked her to stay after class.
• The storm knocked down the tree, and it blocked the road.
• Our friends invited us to their barbecue.
• The team congratulated them on their victory.
• That coat is mine , not yours.
• Is this seat yours ?
• The decision was his to make.
• The choice is hers , not mine.
• The cat cleaned itself after eating.
• We prepared ourselves for the exam.

First Person Personal Pronouns Examples

• I am going to the store to buy some milk.
• We are planning a surprise party for our friend.
• The coach congratulated me after the game.
• The instructor gave us a challenging assignment.
• This project is ours to complete.
• We taught ourselves how to play the piano.
• I believe in taking regular breaks during study sessions.
• We enjoyed our vacation in the mountains.

Objective Personal Pronouns Examples

• The teacher gave me a compliment on my essay.
• She offered us some refreshments during the meeting.
• I will help you with your homework after dinner.
• The manager called you to discuss the project.
• They saw him at the park yesterday.
• She gave her a beautiful gift for her birthday.
• The dog followed it into the house.
• The coach praised them for their hard work.
• The company sent me an email about the job offer.
• We invited them to our anniversary celebration.

Subjective Personal Pronouns Examples

• You are welcome to join us for dinner.
• He enjoys playing basketball on weekends.
• It is a beautiful day today.
• You should come to the meeting tomorrow.
• He will be presenting his findings at the conference.
• She is studying for her exams.

Rules and Usage of Personal Pronouns

• Pronouns must agree with their antecedents.
• Example: Each student must bring his or her pencil.
• Ensure pronouns clearly refer to one specific noun.
• Example: John told Mike that John was late.
• Use when the pronoun is the subject.
• Examples: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Example: They are playing.
• Use when the pronoun is the object.
• Examples: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
• Example: She called me .
• Use to show ownership.
• Examples: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
• Example: The book is mine .
• Do not combine a noun and pronoun as subjects.
• Example: My brother is coming.
• Each pronoun must clearly refer to a specific noun.
• Example: Sarah was excited when she met Emily.
• “It” for singular non-humans; “they” for plurals.
• Example: The dog is barking. It is loud.

Comparing Subject and Object Pronouns

Subject Pronouns are used as the subject of a sentence, performing the action. Object Pronouns receive the action in a sentence.

• I (subject) gave her (object) a gift.
• They (subject) called us (object) yesterday.

Why are Pronouns Important?

Pronouns are essential in communication for several reasons:

• Clarity and Precision : Pronouns help avoid repetition of nouns, making sentences clearer and more concise.
• Gender Inclusivity : They allow individuals to express their gender identity, promoting respect and inclusivity.
• Efficiency in Language : Pronouns streamline sentences by replacing longer noun phrases, making language more efficient and easier to understand.
• Social Connection : Using the correct pronouns shows respect for others’ identities, fostering positive social interactions.
• Avoiding Ambiguity : Pronouns help specify who or what is being referred to, reducing confusion and enhancing communication accuracy.

Personal Pronoun Exercises

Exercise 1: replacing nouns with pronouns.

Replace the underlined nouns with the correct pronouns.

• John is reading a book.
• The cat is sleeping on the couch.
• Mary and I went to the park.
• The students are studying for the exam.
• The teacher gave the students homework.
• He is reading a book.
• It is sleeping on the couch.
• We went to the park.
• They are studying for the exam.
• She gave them homework.

Exercise 2: Subject vs. Object Pronouns

Choose the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.

• (I/Me) went to the store.
• The dog followed (he/him) home.
• (We/Us) are going to the movies.
• Can you help (she/her) with the project?
• (They/Them) finished their homework early.
• I went to the store.
• The dog followed him home.
• We are going to the movies.
• Can you help her with the project?
• They finished their homework early.

Exercise 3: Pronoun Agreement

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate pronouns to ensure pronoun agreement.

• Every student must bring ______ own pencil.
• If anyone calls, tell ______ I’ll call back.
• Neither of the boys has done ______ homework.
• Each of the girls has ______ own locker.
• The committee will announce ______ decision tomorrow.
• Every student must bring his or her own pencil.
• If anyone calls, tell him or her I’ll call back.
• Neither of the boys has done his homework.
• Each of the girls has her own locker.
• The committee will announce its decision tomorrow.

What is the difference between “I” and “me”?

“I” is a subject pronoun used as the subject. “Me” is an object pronoun used as the object.

When do you use “he” and “him”?

Use “he” as a subject pronoun and “him” as an object pronoun.

What are possessive pronouns?

Possessive pronouns show ownership. Examples include mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs.

How do you use “we” and “us”?

“We” is used as a subject pronoun. “Us” is used as an object pronoun.

What is the role of “they” and “them”?

“They” is a subject pronoun, while “them” is an object pronoun.

Can “it” be used for people?

No, “it” is generally used for animals, objects, or ideas, not people.

How do personal pronouns agree with verbs?

Personal pronouns must agree in number (singular/plural) and person (first/second/third) with their verbs.

What is a reflexive pronoun?

A reflexive pronoun reflects back to the subject. Examples include myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.

How are personal pronouns used in comparisons?

Use subject pronouns in comparisons after “than” or “as.” Example: She is taller than I (am).

What are inclusive pronouns?

Inclusive pronouns are used to avoid gender-specific language. Examples include they/them/theirs for singular use.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

First-Person Pronouns

Use first-person pronouns in APA Style to describe your work as well as your personal reactions.

• If you are writing a paper by yourself, use the pronoun “I” to refer to yourself.
• If you are writing a paper with coauthors, use the pronoun “we” to refer yourself and your coauthors together.

Referring to yourself in the third person

Do not use the third person to refer to yourself. Writers are often tempted to do this as a way to sound more formal or scholarly; however, it can create ambiguity for readers about whether you or someone else performed an action.

Correct: I explored treatments for social anxiety.

Incorrect: The author explored treatments for social anxiety.

First-person pronouns are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 4.16 and the Concise Guide Section 2.16

Editorial “we”

Also avoid the editorial “we” to refer to people in general.

Incorrect: We often worry about what other people think of us.

Instead, specify the meaning of “we”—do you mean other people in general, other people of your age, other students, other psychologists, other nurses, or some other group? The previous sentence can be clarified as follows:

Correct: As young adults, we often worry about what other people think of us. I explored my own experience of social anxiety...

When you use the first person to describe your own actions, readers clearly understand when you are writing about your own work and reactions versus those of other researchers.

How to add your personal pronouns to your Instagram profile

Identity is such an important characteristic for our self-esteem and self-worth — it's literally an expression of who we are, or who we want the outside world to recognize us as. Whether your identity is tied up in your profession, hobbies, religion, sexuality, or any number of other descriptors, when you're putting your best face forward online or IRL, you want people to know the true you. More and more people are choosing the express their gender identity on social media, and apps like Instagram are taking notice. We'll show you how to add your personal pronouns to your Instagram profile, so your followers can address you as you want them to.

• Open the Instagram app .
• Tap on your profile photo in the bottom right corner.
• Tap on the big Edit Profile box on your profile page. Source: Android Central

• Tap on the line that says Pronouns .
• Start typing in your preferred pronouns . Instagram will allow you to display up to four.
• If you only want your followers to see your pronouns, switch on the Show to Followers Only toggle. Source: Android Central

• Tap the checkmark in the top right corner when you've finished your selection.
• Once everything looks OK on your Edit Profile page, tap the checkmark in the top right corner. Source: Android Central

Pretty easy, right? You should now see your preferred pronouns listed just under your profile picture and just above your bio/statement. As with other customizations, this feature is completely optional — you don't have to fill out your pronouns if you are uncomfortable doing so or don't want to for any reason.

You don't have to add pronouns to your Instagram profile, but it's nice that it's there if you want to.

Personally, I'm not all that concerned with how I'm addressed or referred to, but I also know that as a white, cis male, my attitude on the matter comes from a position of privilege. I am also aware that there are many whose real or social media profile names may confuse others as to how they want to be identified. I chose to display my pronouns as a form of solidarity with those who may feel underrepresented or misrepresented and to help normalize the practice (I also display my pronouns on my Twitter bio and work email).

It's not clear just yet if other social media apps like Twitter and Facebook will follow suit and create a dedicated space for personal pronouns on individual profiles, but I think it's important to recognize to Instagram for taking this important step!

Our top equipment picks

While you're updating your pronouns and editing your profile, you might want to upgrade your camera with one of the best Android camera phones like the Google Pixel 5 .

Pure Google The Google Pixel 5 is a fantastic all-around Android handset, with one of the best smartphone cameras available to make your Insta selfies shine.

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Jeramy was the Editor-in-Chief of Android Central. He is proud to help *Keep Austin Weird* and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand.

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