Subjective Pronouns (subjectpronouns) are one of the types of personal pronouns, which play the role of substitution of nouns or noun phrases. You subject pronouns they are defined by the position they occupy in the sentence, that is, they are presented before the verb, facilitating its recognition by learners of English language|1|.
In addition to this feature, the subject pronouns are equivalent to personal pronouns of the straight case in Portuguese, with some peculiarities that will be explored in the topics of this text. It is important to highlight that the subject pronouns can play the subject role in a prayer. When they substitute a given noun, it is understood that their use prevents unnecessary repetition of certain elements, which can make a text or speech more cohesive.
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Know more: Possessivepronouns: what are they, function, uses
What are the subjectpronouns?
There is eight subject pronouns in English, since, in addition to the feminine and masculine gender for the third person singular, there is the neuter gender. Still, the
pronoun of the second person singular and plural does not change in English:subject pronouns |
Pronouns sguys |
|
Singular |
I |
Me |
you |
You |
|
he |
He |
|
she |
Is it over there |
|
It |
he/she neutral |
|
Plural form |
we |
We |
you |
You |
|
they |
They |
Rules for the use of subjectpronouns
General rule
First-person pronouns indicate the speaker, while second-person pronouns indicate the person to be addressed, and third-person pronouns indicate both another person and a thing.|2|. With this in mind, don't forget that the subject pronouns appear before the verb in prayer, because they occupy the s positionface of the sentence. They can substitute for a noun or a noun phrase. Look at the examples:
1. I live with two friends.
Me I live with two friends.
the pronoun I is before the main verb live.
2. Of you go to the cinema very often?
You go to the movies often?
the pronoun youis before the main verb go.
3. mary is a famous scientist. she she wrote many books about physics.
mary is a famous scientist. Is it over there she has written several books on physics.
shereplaced mary of the first sentence to avoid repetition and keep the speech fluid and cohesive. Also note that it was used she, why mary it is a noun that refers us to the third person singular, feminine.
4. the beautiful yellow flower was finally sold. It was sold to my friend.
the beautiful yellow flower was finally sold. Is it over there was sold to my friend.
Notice that itreplaced the nominal phrase the beautiful yellow flower. used it because it is a nominal phrase in the third person singular and neuter gender.
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subject pronouns gender neutral
When talking about gender neutral in English, it is understood that everything that does not represent a human being will be replaced by it, that is, all abstract nouns, other beings such as animals, objects and things in general. Look at the examples:
1. An umbrella can be very useful. It can be used under the sun to protect your skin.
A umbrella can be very helpful. He can be used under the sun to protect your skin.
2. Popcorn is my cat. It is very cute.
Popcorn is my cat. He it's very cute.
3. this idea isn’t a new one, but it called my attention.
this idea it's not new, but Is it over there caught my attention.
The three clauses were replaced by the subject pronoun it, because they indicate the third person singular, but not a person per se. They actually indicate an object, an animal, an abstract noun, respectively. see that it was translated as both he and she, as the translation must respect the gender of the noun in Portuguese.
Many learners of the English language are confused with the plural of it. However, if you look at the table in the previous topic, you'll notice that the third person plural in English only have the they as possible for the three genders: feminine (they), masculine (they) and neuter (they/they).
there are many dogs near my house. they barked a lot yesterday.
There are many dogs near my house. They they barked a lot yesterday.
Manydogsis replaced by they, because it is a plural noun, more specifically in the third person. dogs represents an animal. If it were singular, it would be replaced by it, however, in the third person plural there is only one pronoun (they) for he, she, it.
In Portuguese, we can build sentences with indeterminate or hidden subjects or even with clauses without a subject. This is practically impossible to happen in English. We must always put a subject in the sentence, even if it seems, at times, redundant:
1. It rains a lot.
It rains a lot.
In this sentence, in Portuguese, we have an impersonal verb that indicates a natural phenomenon. In English, even so, we must put a subject, in this case: the it.
2. they talked a lot about the environment.
They said a lot about the environment.
Note that, in Portuguese, the sentence has an indeterminate subject (verb in the third person plural). However, in English, you need to put a subject, in this case: they.
Know more: impersonal pronoun it: know your particularities
Use of subjectpronoun in first person singular
One of the main rules of the subject pronoun is the writing of the first person singular, that is, I. It doesn't matter your position in the sentence, it must always be written with a capital letter, differing from Portuguese:
1. today I decided to change my life.
Today me I decided to change my life.
the pronoun Iis before the main verb decided, and even occupying a second position in the sentence, it was written with a capital letter.
2. on rainy days, I prefer to stay at home.
on rainy days, me I prefer to stay at home.
Even after the temporal expression, the subject pronoun Iit was written with a capital letter.
Difference between subjectpronouns and objectpronouns
We have already pointed out that personal pronouns are subdivided into subjectpronounsand objectpronouns. The subject pronouns exercise the sentence subject function and are located before the main verb.
As for object pronouns, they exercise the phrase object function, replacing nouns or nominal phrases that occupy this position (of object). Also, they appear after the main verb. For those learning English, it can be confusing because some forms of subject and object pronouns do not change. Take a look at the table below and the examples.
Subject Pronouns |
Object Pronouns |
|
Singular |
I |
Me |
you |
you |
|
he |
Him |
|
she |
her |
|
It |
It |
|
Plural form |
we |
Us |
you |
you |
|
they |
Them |
Now look at this example:
Paul reads the magazine.
Paul read a magazine.
Paul is the subject, so it could be replaced by he:
he reads the magazine.
He read a magazine.
The magazineit is the object of prayer. Anyone who reads, reads something = a magazine. Therefore, such object could be replaced by the pronounobjectit, because it is a noun phrase in the third person singular:
he reads it.
he the reads.
Also note that it does not change its form when it is an object pronoun, but each position has a different function.
Martha bought us a cake.
martha US bought a cake.
Notice that us comes right after the main verb gave, therefore, the we.
See too: I, me, mine - the correct use of 1st person singular pronouns
solved exercises
QUESTION 1 (IFN-MG 2017)
In the sentence “We can better understand the global impact of depression by measuring it in terms of disability”, the pronoun it, highlighted, refers
a) to development.
b) the global impact of disability.
c) the global impact of depression.
d) the terms of disability.
Resolution
The correct answer is the letter c, because it it is an object pronoun that replaces the nominal phrase “To the global impact of depression”, to avoid repetition.
QUESTION 2 (UFPR - Adapted)
they’re cute
Google’s new fleet was intentionally designed to look adorable. Our brains are hardwired to treat inanimate (or animate) objects with greater care, caution, and reverence when they resemble a living thing. By turning self-driving cars into an adorable Skynet Marshmallow Bumper Bots, Google hopes to spiritually disarm other drivers. I also suspect the cuteness is used to quell some of the road rage that might emerge from being stuck behind one of these things. theyAre intended as moderate-distance couriers, not openroad warriors, so their max speed is 25 miles per hour.
The word "they", in boldface and underlined, refers to:
a) Google’s new self-driving cars.
b) inanimate or animate objects.
c) objects resembling living things.
d) other car drivers.
e) open-road warriors.
Resolution
The correct answer is the letter a, because they refer to the self-driving cars that are being described in one of the previous sentences, thus avoiding unnecessary repetition, making the text more cohesive.
Grades
|1| DECAPUA, A. Grammar for Teachers: A Guide to American English for Native and Non-Native Speakers. Springer: New York, 2008.
|2| EASTWOOD, J. Oxford guide to English grammar. Oxford, 2002
By Mrs. Patricia Veronica Moreira
English teacher
