Here are several pronoun games that will help students recognize pronouns and understand their function. All are for elementary grades but could be adapted for higher grades as well.
The first game requires nothing but the student’s ears. It focuses on listening for pronouns.
Divide the class into two groups. If there is one person left over, that person is the score keeper. If you have an even number of students, there can be two judges/scorekeepers. This is a very simple game, but it will not only improve the student’s knowledge of pronouns, but will enhance their listening skills as well.
Pick a book, poem, or any work of literature. As you read to the class slowly, have one person from each team respond with the word “pronoun” when they hear a pronoun.
Here is a sample to help you get started playing pronoun games.
WHATIF - by Shel Silverstein
Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I'm dumb in school?
Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there's poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don't grow taller?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won't bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!
The next of the pronoun games covers singular and plural personal pronouns. Divide the class into teams and have one student at a time play the game. Have a stack of cards with all the personal pronouns on them, turned face down. The student picks up a card, looks at the pronoun, and has 10 seconds to think of a sentence with that pronoun. If there is an odd number of students, pick one student to be scorekeeper and/or timekeeper. Depending on the level of the students, you may want to allow more time.
This next game can be used at any level of comprehension and uses a white board or magnetic board. The first version is the simplest. Prepare cards with pronouns written on them that have a magnet attached to the back or you might want to use blue tack. Write a sentence on the board and have the student replace a noun with a pronoun. Start with personal pronouns and include more as the lessons progress. Another way to play this is to leave a blank for the student to fill in the pronoun. This makes it easier to include first and second person pronouns. Here are some sentences to get you started:
Mario likes pizza. Beverly has a new book. Cats and dogs do not get along. Give the money to Rob. Clap for the dancers. I like Mona. For more advanced students you would want to leave a blank and tell them the type of pronoun. Here are some examples: