Written by: Sonia Strueby, M.A., CCC-SLP, Founder of Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center
Originally Published: October 28, 2019 | Updated: August 31, 2026
You can practice pronouns with books during everyday storytime, no worksheets or flashcards required. By pointing to characters in a book, asking simple questions, and gently modeling the correct pronoun back to your child, you turn story time into built-in practice time. Here’s how to do it, plus what’s normal and what’s worth watching for.
Why Are Pronouns So Tricky for Kids?
Pronouns are words like I, me, you, we, he, she, they, him, her, them, himself, herself, myself, and there are a lot of them to keep straight. A common error is swapping subjective pronouns (he, she, they) for objective pronouns (him, her, them), which is how you end up with sentences like “her is happy” or “them is playing.” It’s a genuinely common (and pretty adorable) stage of language development. That said, most children are using subjective pronouns correctly by around age 3.
Activity 1: Practice Pronouns With Books in Short Phrases
While looking at a book together, ask your child, “Who is jumping?” or “Who has the ball?”
Many kids will simply point to the picture. If that happens, encourage them to put it into words. Some children will answer with “the girl” or “the boy” instead of a pronoun. Either way, show them the response you’re looking for:
- “You’re right, the girl is jumping! So we can say, she is jumping. Who is jumping? She is… now you try it!”
Activity 2: Practice Pronouns With Books in Full Sentences
Point to a character in the book and ask, “What is that person doing?” or “What did that person do?”
If your child answers with the wrong pronoun, simply repeat what they said back with the correction built in:
- Child: “Him is riding a bike.”
- Parent: “He is riding a bike… you say it!”
Extra credit: Add one more sentence to model the pronoun again:
- Child: “Him is riding a bike.”
- Parent: “He is riding a bike. He has a red bike. He is wearing a helmet, too!”
Activity 3: Practice Pronouns With Books by Making Up Stories
Choose a book with plenty going on in the illustrations, then ask your child to make up their own story about what’s happening. This activity works best once your child is already using the correct pronoun consistently in Activities 1 and 2.
Encourage them to say more by asking open-ended questions like:
- “Why did that person do that?”
- “What was that person thinking?”
- “What do you think will happen next?”
What Is “Recasting,” and Why Does It Work?
The strategy used throughout these activities, repeating your child’s sentence back with the correct grammar, is called recasting. It’s an evidence-based language strategy that requires zero prep and can be used any time during the day, not just at story time.
A systematic review published in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology found that recasting is an effective way to help children strengthen their grammar over time. The key is keeping it low-pressure: recast the sentence, invite your child to repeat it if they’re willing, and move on. There’s no need to correct every single error.
When Should I Seek Help?
If your child is past age 3 and still consistently mixing up pronouns like “he” and “she,” or if these activities feel like more of a struggle than you’d expect, it may be worth a closer look at their language development. A speech-language evaluation can determine whether this is a typical stage your child will outgrow or an area where some extra support would help.
If you have questions about your child’s pronoun use or language development, contact our team at ETLC, we’re happy to help.
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