Subject pronouns replaces a noun as the subject of a sentence or clause. They are one of the easiest pronouns to identify-look for the person or thing having a direct effect on the action. Remember that the subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing or idea that is doing or being something.

Defining a Subject Pronoun

Pronouns are versatile words that can substitute for many nouns. The word "pronoun" comes from the Latin word "pronomen" which breaks down onto "pro" and "nomen." They mean "in place of" and "name."

The key benefits of pronouns are that they are useful in making our language less repetitive and keep it from bogging down. If it weren't for pronouns, when you were talking about someone, you would have to keep repeating their name over and over.

There are several types of pronouns, including the subject pronoun. Each type of pronoun can be classified according to their function. For example, subject pronouns function as the subject of a clause or sentence. The subject pronouns are:

I
You
He
She
It
We
They

Subject Pronoun in Action

Generally speaking, the typical structure of a sentence in English is subject + verb + direct object. That isn't always the case, of course, but it is the basic formula. The subject can then be replaced by a subject pronoun in subsequent mentions to reduce unnecessary repetition.

For example, consider this set of sentences that does not take advantage of subject pronouns:

Sheila really makes me laugh. Sheila is too funny.

Now, see what happens when we replace the subject "Sheila" with an appropriate subject pronoun in this example:

Sheila really makes me laugh. She is too funny.

Because the typical structure of an English sentence is subject + verb + direct object, the subject pronoun can most often be found at the beginning of a sentence. Remember that the subject is the one that is performing the action.

Examples of Subject Pronouns

Here are a few sentences using subject pronouns. The subject pronoun is highlighted in bold.

Lucy housesat for us. She watered the plants and brought in the mail.
I wanted to go to the party. He wanted to stay at home.
The puppies are cute, but sometimes they act crazy.
You can go to the game, as long as you finish the dishes.
It just isn't possible.
Will they be leaving for Spain this summer?
I love that dress!
She and Janette went to the party last night.
We left early to avoid traffic.
He is the fastest runner on the team.
George's daughter really enjoys playing video games. She spends countless hours glued to his Xbox.
The balloon floated into a tree, where it popped loudly.
We are finished with those examples.

More Pronoun Practice

As you continue to gain familiarity with subject pronouns, it's also useful to learn how other types of pronouns function in the context of a sentence too. The natural partner to the subject pronoun is the object pronoun, which replaces objects in a sentence. And then you've got possessive pronouns too. Put them all together to streamline your writing and improve your reading comprehension.

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Subject Pronoun

By YourDictionary

Subject pronouns replaces a noun as the subject of a sentence or clause. They are one of the easiest pronouns to identify—look for the person or thing having a direct effect on the action. Remember that the subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing or idea that is doing or being something.