Personal Pronoun THEY — How to Talk About Other People
Quick Answer
Use they when two or more people (not you) are the subject — when others are doing the action. “They” also works for groups of animals or things.
Example: They live next door. (My neighbours are the subject.)
THEY in Action — See the Pattern
Read these three sentences. Look at how it works:
- They are my best friends. (They = a group, the subject.)
- They work in the same building. (They do the working.)
- They have two children. (They are the ones who have.)
When to Use THEY
They is the subject pronoun for two or more people, animals, or things. With “they,” the verb does NOT add -s in present simple (it stays in its base form, like with I/you/we).
- Two or more people: “They are coming to dinner.”
- A group of animals: “They are barking.”
- A group of things: “They are on the table.”
- A team or company: “They won the championship.”
Easy way to remember: They = two or more, doing the action. Subject. Verb stays plain — no -s.
The Rule in One Line: Use they for two or more people, animals, or things as the subject.
Real-Life Examples With THEY
Here are examples you might say or hear in everyday life:
- They live in the next building. (Talking about my neighbours.)
- They are my parents. (They are the subject.)
- They work for the same company. (They do the working.)
- They don’t speak Italian. (They are the subject of the negative.)
- They have a small dog. (They are the ones who have.)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make.
Three Mistakes to Avoid With THEY
Three little words sound exactly the same in English: they, their, and they’re. They have completely different jobs. “They” is the subject pronoun. “Their” shows ownership (their car). “They’re” is short for “they are.”
Using them as the subject
✗ Them live in London.
✓ They live in London.
Using their as the subject
✗ Their are my friends.
✓ They are my friends.
Adding +s with “they”
✗ They works here.
✓ They work here.
How to remember: They = two or more, subject. Verb stays plain — no -s. “Their” shows ownership; “they’re” means “they are.”
Common “they” sentences: They are, They have, They live, They work, They like, They go.
Test Yourself: THEY
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. _______ live in the same neighbourhood.
2. _______ are my classmates.
3. _______ have three children.
4. _______ work for a big company.
5. _______ are coming to dinner tonight.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned they — the subject pronoun for every group of others in the world. Friends, neighbours, teams, animals — “they” pulls them all together.
And here is the very last pronoun in the set. The moment someone does something to the group — calls them, invites them, gives them a present — “they” stops working. The partner word is short and finishes the family of twelve pronouns you have been learning.
Next lesson: Personal Pronoun THEM — How to Talk About Other People as the Receivers
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
