The functions of pronouns Worksheet Practice Exercises with Answers

Lesson 41: The Functions of Pronouns

Question 1. Is a noun's form the same whether it functions as a subject, direct object, or indirect object?
Answer: Yes, nouns keep the same form in English no matter what role they play. Whether a noun works as a subject, direct object, or indirect object, it doesn't change its shape or spelling. For example, "the teacher" stays exactly the same in all three uses: "The teacher went home early today" (subject), "The students liked the teacher very much" (direct object), and "The parents gave the questionnaire to the teacher" (indirect object).
In simple words: Nouns never switch forms based on what job they do in a sentence.

Exam Tip: Remember this key difference — nouns stay the same, but pronouns change form depending on whether they act as subjects or objects.

Question 2. What is a subject pronoun and when is it used?
Answer: A subject pronoun is used when a pronoun works as the subject of a sentence — the part doing the action. Subject pronouns include I, she, he, we, they, you, and it. For instance, in "I read the newspaper every day," the pronoun "I" is the subject. In "She is happy," the pronoun "she" is the subject. In "We love potato chips," the pronoun "we" is the subject.
In simple words: Subject pronouns are the ones performing the action in the sentence.

Exam Tip: To test if a pronoun is a subject pronoun, see if it can perform an action or be doing something in the sentence.

Question 3. What are the three major uses for object pronouns?
Answer: The three major uses for object pronouns are: (1) direct object - the pronoun receives the action (for example, "My sister congratulated me on my birthday"); (2) indirect object - the pronoun shows who receives something (for example, "The director sent her a message"); and (3) object of a preposition - the pronoun comes after a word like to, from, with, or by (for example, "Mrs. Raffsky spoke to us on the phone").
In simple words: Object pronouns show up when something happens to them, when they get something, or after words like to and with.

Exam Tip: Object pronouns appear anywhere the pronoun is NOT the subject of the sentence.

Quick Tip 41.1

A subject pronoun is applied when it is working as the subject of the sentence. An object pronoun is applied when it is working as: (a) the direct object of the sentence; (b) the indirect object of the sentence; (c) the object of a preposition.

Test Yourself 41.1

For each underlined pronoun below, identify whether it is a subject or object pronoun. For you and it, you will need to examine how the pronoun is being used in the sentence.

Question 1. She laughed at the movie.
Answer: Subject pronoun
In simple words: "She" is doing the action of laughing, so it acts as the subject.

Exam Tip: When a pronoun performs the main action in a sentence, it's always a subject pronoun.

Question 2. Don't bother me now.
Answer: Object pronoun
In simple words: "Me" receives the action of bothering, making it an object pronoun.

Exam Tip: When a pronoun receives an action or has something done to it, it's an object pronoun.

Question 3. I don't feel guilty.
Answer: Subject pronoun
In simple words: "I" is the one doing the feeling, so it acts as the subject.

Exam Tip: Link each pronoun to the action — the pronoun performing the action is always the subject.

Question 4. He has asked her to dance.
Answer: "He" is a subject pronoun (he is asking). "Her" is an object pronoun (she receives the request).
In simple words: "He" performs the asking, while "her" receives the asking.

Exam Tip: A single sentence can have both a subject pronoun and an object pronoun — always spot which one does the action and which one receives it.

Question 5. Chris had been living near you.
Answer: "You" is an object pronoun. It functions as the object of a preposition because it comes after the word "near."
In simple words: "You" comes after the word "near," making it an object pronoun tied to that preposition.

Exam Tip: Any pronoun that follows a preposition (near, to, with, from, by, at, in) is always an object pronoun.

Test Yourself 41.2

Each of the sentences below carries an object pronoun, which is underlined. Identify whether it's being used as a direct object, an indirect object, or the object of a preposition.

Question 1. My dear friend sent me a postcard from Italy.
Answer: Indirect object
In simple words: "Me" is the person who gets the postcard, so it's the indirect object.

Exam Tip: When a pronoun answers the question "To whom?" or "For whom?", it's an indirect object.

Question 2. A teenager sat next to me in the theater.
Answer: Object of a preposition
In simple words: "Me" follows the word "next to," which is a preposition, so it's an object of a preposition.

Exam Tip: Look for a preposition before the pronoun - if one exists, the pronoun is an object of a preposition.

Question 3. Irma has bought you the cookware.
Answer: Indirect object
In simple words: "You" receives the cookware, making it the indirect object in this sentence.

Exam Tip: Indirect objects usually answer "Who receives it?" in sentences involving giving or sending.

Question 4. The dog approached them.
Answer: Direct object
In simple words: "Them" receives the action of approaching, making it the direct object.

Exam Tip: Direct objects receive the main action and answer the question "Whom?" or "What?".

Question 5. That family is always blaming us for their problems.
Answer: Direct object
In simple words: "Us" receives the action of blaming, so it's the direct object.

Exam Tip: When a pronoun directly receives a verb's action, it's always a direct object.

To Enhance Your Understanding

In the past, who and whom operated the same way as subject and object pronouns. In particular, who was applied when working as a subject and whom was applied when working as an object. For example: "Who is running away?" (subject - who is performing the action) and "Whom does Katie like?" (direct object - whom is receiving the action).

However, like all languages, English shifts over time. Today, for almost all speakers except the most traditional grammarians, who is used in nearly all contexts, except when it directly comes after a preposition. So today a sentence like "Who does Katie like?" (direct object) is perfectly grammatical.

While most of us prefer to use who in these cases, it's still fine to use whom. It's just not required to do so, and it tends to sound quite formal.

Note that whom must be used when it follows a preposition. In the following examples, whom and the preposition before it are underlined:

"With whom would you like to speak?"
"To whom may I direct your question?"