Subject Pronouns: A1 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. ___ is my best friend. Her name is Laura. → She

Her name tells you the person is female, so the subject pronoun is she.

2. My father is a mechanic. ___ works in a garage. → He

Father is one male person, so he replaces the noun in the second sentence.

3. The book is on the shelf. ___ is very long. → It

It replaces a singular thing. English does not give ordinary objects a gender.

4. Anna and I are neighbours. ___ live in the same street. → We

Anna and I means we — whenever you are inside the group, the pronoun is we.

5. My grandparents are in Spain. ___ go there every winter. → They

Grandparents is plural and does not include the speaker, so they is correct.

6. Which sentence has the correct subject pronoun? → He is a doctor.

English always needs a subject, and the subject form is he — him and his cannot start a sentence as the subject.

7. Sara, ___ are late again! → you

Speaking directly to someone requires you, whether you are addressing one person or several.

8. The train leaves at six. ___ is never late. → It

A train is a thing, so it takes it — even though many languages give vehicles a gender.

9. Tom and Mia are married. ___ have two children. → They

Two named people who do not include the speaker are they.

10. ___ am studying English at the moment. → I

The subject pronoun I is always written with a capital letter, and me is the object form.

11. My sister has a cat. ___ is called Luna. → It

It is the standard pronoun for an animal whose sex is not being emphasised. She would also be possible if the owner wanted to.

12. Which sentence about a group including the speaker is correct? → We are ready.

We is the subject form; us is the object form and cannot be the subject of a sentence.

13. You and Daniel look tired. ___ should go home. → You

You and Daniel means you (plural). English uses the same word for one person and several.

14. The keys are in the drawer. ___ are next to the passports. → They

Keys is plural, and plural things take they just as plural people do.

15. Where is Peter? ___ was here a minute ago. → He

Peter is a male name, so the subject pronoun is he.

16. ___ is raining, so take an umbrella. → It

Weather sentences use it as an empty subject. English requires a subject even when there is nothing to refer to.

17. My colleagues and I finished the report. ___ worked until midnight. → We

The phrase includes I, so the whole group becomes we rather than they.

18. Which sentence is written correctly? → My brother and I play tennis.

The subject form is I, and English politeness puts the other person first: my brother and I.

19. Look at those birds. ___ are beautiful. → They

Birds is plural, so the pronoun is they.

20. The soup is cold. Can ___ heat it up, please? → you

You is the pronoun for the person you are speaking to, and it is what a polite request needs.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. My mother is a lawyer. ___ works in the city centre. → She

Mother is one female person, so she replaces the noun in the next sentence.

2. This is my new phone. ___ was quite cheap. → It

A phone is a thing, so the pronoun is it.

3. Marco and Elena are here. ___ arrived this morning. → They

Two people who do not include the speaker are they.

4. ___ am from Turkey, but I live in Berlin. → I

The speaker is I, and it is always capitalised in English.

5. My brother plays the guitar. ___ practises every day. → He

Brother is one male person, so he is the subject pronoun.

6. Kim and I share a flat. ___ have lived here for two years. → We

Any group that includes the speaker becomes we.

7. Excuse me — ___ dropped your ticket. → you

You is the pronoun for the person being spoken to directly.

8. The shops open at nine. ___ close at six in winter. → They

Shops is plural, so plural things take they.

9. ___ is very hot in here. Can we open a window? → It

Descriptions of temperature and weather use it as an empty subject.

10. My dog is called Rex. ___ loves the park. → He

A named pet is usually given he or she; it would also be grammatically correct.

11. Where are the children? ___ should be in bed. → They

Children is an irregular plural and takes the plural pronoun they.

12. Julia is my cousin. ___ studies medicine in Vienna. → She

Julia is a female name, so the pronoun is she.

13. This film is boring. ___ lasts nearly three hours. → It

A film is a thing, so the pronoun is it.

14. ___ and your sister have exactly the same eyes. → You

Speaking directly to somebody about themselves and a relative gives you — English uses one word for singular and plural.

15. My parents are teachers. ___ work at the same school. → They

Parents is plural and excludes the speaker, so they is correct.

16. ___ is nearly nine o'clock — we should leave. → It

Clock times take it as their subject, in the same way the weather does.

17. Hello, ___ is Maria speaking. → this

On the telephone English says this is or it is rather than I am.

18. Daniel and I went to the concert. ___ really enjoyed it. → We

The group includes the speaker, so it is we and not they.

19. The coffee machine is broken again. ___ never lasts long. → It

A machine is a thing, so the subject pronoun is it.

20. My friends are waiting outside. ___ are in the blue car. → They

Friends is plural, so the pronoun is they.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Say where a woman is employed, using a pronoun. → She works in a bank.

Say where a woman is employed, using a pronoun.

2. Say where several people live. → They live near the station.

Say where several people live.

3. Say something true about yourself and languages. → I speak three languages.

Say something true about yourself and languages.

4. Describe a man's family, using a pronoun. → He has two brothers.

Describe a man's family, using a pronoun.

5. Say what you think of a piece of music, starting with a pronoun for a thing. → It is my favourite song.

Say what you think of a piece of music, starting with a pronoun for a thing.

6. Describe what you and your classmates do. → We study English together.

Describe what you and your classmates do.

7. Tell someone about a habit of theirs. → You always arrive early.

Tell someone about a habit of theirs.

8. Explain who several people are in your family. → They are my cousins.

Explain who several people are in your family.

9. Describe what a woman drives. → She drives a small car.

Describe what a woman drives.

10. Describe your own working week. → I work from home on Fridays.

Describe your own working week.

11. Describe a man's regular sport. → He plays football every weekend.

Describe a man's regular sport.

12. Say what your group is short of. → We need more time.

Say what your group is short of.

13. Give the price of one thing, using a pronoun. → It costs twenty euros.

Give the price of one thing, using a pronoun.

14. Say how well several people know your relatives. → They know my family well.

Say how well several people know your relatives.

15. Compliment somebody you work with, naming both of you. → You and I make a good team.

Compliment somebody you work with, naming both of you.

16. Say where a woman works as a lecturer. → She teaches at the university.

Say where a woman works as a lecturer.

17. Say what new skill you are picking up. → I am learning to cook.

Say what new skill you are picking up.

18. Complain about a man's habit. → He never answers his phone.

Complain about a man's habit.

19. Say when your group gets together. → We meet on Thursday evenings.

Say when your group gets together.

20. Say what several people are hoping to find. → They want a bigger flat.

Say what several people are hoping to find.