Reference Desk
Home
English Grammar
Practical English Usage
Grammatical Terms
English Writing
Vocabulary
English Speaking
TOEFL
IELTS

Site Info
About
Recommended Links
Link to Us
Site Map
Terms of Use
Advertise with Us

Person

The way in which, in grammar, we show the difference between the person speaking, the person spoken to and the people or things spoken about.

English distinguishes three persons - first person, second person and third person.

The first person represents the speaker and possibly other people associated with the speaker. The first person pronouns are I/me (singular) and we/us (plural).

The second person represents the hearer(s) and possibly other people associated with the hearer(s). The second person pronoun is you.

The third person represents everybody and everything else. The third person pronouns are he/him, she/her, they/them and it.