Personal pronoun identification worksheet for language learners.

Let's solve Exercise 1: Using Personal Pronouns step by step.

We are asked to identify the personal pronoun (I, YOU, HE, SHE, IT, WE, or THEY) that corresponds to each noun or noun phrase. The key is to determine whether the noun is:

- Singular or plural
- Human or non-human
- Masculine, feminine, or neutral

Personal pronouns in English are:
- I – first person singular
- YOU – second person (singular or plural)
- HE – third person singular masculine
- SHE – third person singular feminine
- IT – third person singular for non-living things, animals (when gender is unknown), or abstract concepts
- WE – first person plural
- THEY – third person plural (used for multiple people or things)

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Let's go through each item:

1. cat and horse → two animals, but not human → THEY
2. cats → plural animals → THEY
3. Mary → female person → SHE
4. Tom → male person → HE
5. Jack and I → two people including speaker → WE
6. Books → plural objects → THEY
7. sister → female person → SHE
8. You and Dave → includes "you" + another person → WE (if you're speaking with Dave)
- But since it says "You and Dave", and you're referring to both, the pronoun would be WE if you're part of the group.
- However, from the perspective of a third party, "You and Dave" would be replaced with YOU (if addressing them).
- But in standard grammar, when replacing "You and Dave", the pronoun used depends on who is speaking.
- Since this is a general exercise, we assume the speaker is included → WE
9. plane → object → IT
10. sunshine → abstract concept → IT
11. cheese → food, non-living → IT
12. cactus → plant → IT
13. parents → two people → THEY
14. Pamela → female name → SHE
15. news → uncountable noun, abstract → IT
16. scissors → plural tool → THEY
17. geese → plural animals → THEY
18. flowers → plural plants → THEY
19. piano → object → IT
20. school → institution → IT
21. daughter → female person → SHE
22. milk → liquid, non-living → IT
23. children → plural people → THEY
24. sugar → substance → IT
25. feet → body parts, plural → THEY
26. bicycle → object → IT
27. Ann and Kate → two females → THEY
28. son → male person → HE
29. mice → plural animals → THEY
30. sky → nature, non-living → IT
31. shop → place → IT
32. buses → plural vehicles → THEY
33. papers → plural documents → THEY
34. Mr. Green → male person → HE
35. Jack and you → includes "you" and Jack → WE (if speaker is included)
- But again, "Jack and you" as a subject → pronoun would be YOU (if speaking to Jack and someone else), but typically, when replacing "Jack and you", the pronoun is WE only if the speaker is one of them.
- However, "Jack and you" implies two people — one being addressed ("you") and Jack. So if the speaker is not included, the pronoun should be YOU.
- But in most exercises like this, "Jack and you" is replaced with YOU (as "you" is the focus).
- Actually, correct answer: YOU — because "you" is the second person, and Jack is just added.
- But grammatically, when replacing "Jack and you", the pronoun used is YOU, unless the speaker is part of the group.
- Example: “Jack and you are going.” → “You are going.” (but more naturally, “You and Jack are going.”)
- However, the pronoun for "Jack and you" is usually YOU in such contexts.
- But wait — better logic: "Jack and you" = "You and Jack" → pronoun = YOU? No — that’s incorrect.
- Actually, "Jack and you" refers to two people, one of whom is the listener. The pronoun YOU can't represent both.
- So, "Jack and you" → YOU is insufficient.
- But in English, we don’t say "You and Jack" → "We" if speaker is not involved.
- So "Jack and you" → YOU (if speaker is not included) → but that doesn’t make sense.
- Correct approach: "Jack and you" is a compound subject, and if the speaker is not included, the pronoun would be YOU only if the speaker is not part of it — but "you" alone cannot stand for both.
- Actually, in standard usage, "Jack and you" → pronoun = YOU is not correct.
- Wait — let's think differently: When replacing a noun phrase, we use the pronoun that matches the referent.
- If the sentence is: "Jack and you are late." → "You are late." is wrong — it ignores Jack.
- But if the speaker is not included, then "Jack and you" → THEY?
- But "they" is impersonal.
- This is tricky.
- Standard rule: "Jack and you" → YOU is not right; WE is only if speaker is included.
- But in this context, since "you" is included, and the speaker may not be, the best answer is YOU — but that's not accurate.
- Actually, "Jack and you" → YOU is incorrect because "you" doesn't include Jack.
- So the correct pronoun for "Jack and you" is YOU only if Jack is not the subject — no.
- Wait — perhaps the intended answer is WE, assuming the speaker is included? But "Jack and you" doesn't include the speaker.
- Hmm. Let’s look at common practice in grammar exercises.

Actually, in many grammar books, "Jack and you" is replaced with YOU when the speaker is not included — but that's incorrect.

But here's the rule: When replacing a noun phrase, we use the pronoun that matches the subject.

So:
- "Jack and you" → two people: Jack (third person) and you (second person)
- We cannot use a single pronoun for both unless we are using WE (if speaker is included) or THEY (impersonal).

But "Jack and you" → YOU is not correct because "you" does not include Jack.

Wait — maybe the intended answer is YOU, treating it as "you" meaning the listener and Jack together?

No — that's illogical.

Alternatively, "Jack and you" → WE only if the speaker is also included — but "Jack and you" doesn't mention the speaker.

So the correct pronoun is THEY — used for plural subjects when gender isn't specified.

But "Jack and you" is two people, so THEY is acceptable as a replacement.

Example: "Jack and you are coming." → "They are coming."

Yes! That's correct.

So "Jack and you" → THEY (plural, regardless of gender)

Similarly, "Ann and Kate" → THEY

So 35. Jack and you → THEY

But wait — is "you" treated as singular or plural?

In this case, "Jack and you" is two people → THEY

Yes.

Similarly, "You and Dave" → THEY? No — earlier we said WE.

Ah — here's the difference.

- "You and Dave" — if the speaker is included, then WE
- But "Jack and you" — if the speaker is not included, then THEY

But in most grammar exercises, "You and Dave" is WE (assuming speaker is one of them), but "Jack and you" is THEY (speaker not included).

But that's inconsistent.

Wait — actually, "You and Dave" → if the speaker is saying "You and Dave", they are addressing someone, so the speaker is not included — so it should be THEY?

But that’s not how it works.

Standard example:
- "You and Dave are friends." → "They are friends." → correct.
- "You and I are friends." → "We are friends." → correct.

So:
- "You and Dave" → THEY (because the speaker is not included)
- "Jack and I" → WE (speaker is included)
- "Jack and you" → THEY (speaker not included)

But in #8: You and Dave → if the speaker is not included, then THEY

But in #5: Jack and I → WE (speaker is included)

So #8: You and Dave → THEY

But earlier I said WE — that was wrong.

Let’s fix this.

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Correcting Based on Grammar Rules:

- "You and Dave" → two people, neither is the speaker → THEY
- "Jack and I" → speaker + Jack → WE
- "Jack and you" → Jack + listener → THEY

So:
- 8. You and Dave → THEY
- 5. Jack and I → WE
- 35. Jack and you → THEY

Now, back to #35: Jack and you → THEY

Similarly, #27. Ann and Kate → THEY

#13. parents → THEY

So now, let’s complete all correctly.

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Final Answers:

1. cat and horse → THEY
2. cats → THEY
3. Mary → SHE
4. Tom → HE
5. Jack and I → WE
6. Books → THEY
7. sister → SHE
8. You and Dave → THEY
9. plane → IT
10. sunshine → IT
11. cheese → IT
12. cactus → IT
13. parents → THEY
14. Pamela → SHE
15. news → IT
16. scissors → THEY
17. geese → THEY
18. flowers → THEY
19. piano → IT
20. school → IT
21. daughter → SHE
22. milk → IT
23. children → THEY
24. sugar → IT
25. feet → THEY
26. bicycle → IT
27. Ann and Kate → THEY
28. son → HE
29. mice → THEY
30. sky → IT
31. shop → IT
32. buses → THEY
33. papers → THEY
34. Mr. Green → HE
35. Jack and you → THEY
36. picture → IT
37. friendship → IT
38. dolphin → IT
39. The Riggs family → THEY (family as a unit, often treated as plural)
40. tennis → IT (sport, abstract)

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Summary of Key Rules Used:

- People: Use HE, SHE, WE, THEY based on number and gender.
- Animals: Usually IT, unless gender known → HE/SHE
- Objects/Things: IT
- Plural nouns: THEY
- "You and X": If speaker not included → THEY
- "X and I": Speaker included → WE
- Family names: Often THEY (e.g., "The Smiths are coming" → "They are coming")
- Abstract concepts: IT

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✔ Final Answer List:

1. THEY
2. THEY
3. SHE
4. HE
5. WE
6. THEY
7. SHE
8. THEY
9. IT
10. IT
11. IT
12. IT
13. THEY
14. SHE
15. IT
16. THEY
17. THEY
18. THEY
19. IT
20. IT
21. SHE
22. IT
23. THEY
24. IT
25. THEY
26. IT
27. THEY
28. HE
29. THEY
30. IT
31. IT
32. THEY
33. THEY
34. HE
35. THEY
36. IT
37. IT
38. IT
39. THEY
40. IT

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✔ All answers are now consistent with English grammar rules.