Pronouns in the TOEIC®: Understand them, avoid pitfalls, and score points easily

Pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition (I, you, he, she, it, we, they, myself, who, which, etc.). In the TOEIC®, they appear mainly in Parts 5 and 6, where you must choose the correct pronoun based on the context (subject, object, possessive, reflexive).

For example, in a business email, you will see "The manager asked her to review the report" (not "she"). The most common trap is confusing possessive pronouns (its, their) with contractions (it's, they're).

The Different Types of Pronouns and Their Functions

Pronouns are divided into several categories, each with a precise function in the sentence.

Subject Personal Pronouns: They replace the subject performing the action (I, you, he, she, it, we, they).

• "She submitted the proposal on time."

Object Personal Pronouns: They replace the object receiving the action (me, you, him, her, it, us, them).

• "The director called them for a meeting."

Possessive Pronouns: They indicate possession and replace an already mentioned noun (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs).

• "This laptop is mine, not yours."

In the TOEIC®, Part 5 tests your ability to quickly identify which type of pronoun to use based on its position in the sentence. If the pronoun comes before the verb, it is likely a subject. If it comes after the verb or a preposition, it is an object.

Reflexive Pronouns: When and How to Use Them

Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) are used when the subject and the object refer to the same person.

• "The team organized the event itself."

In the TOEIC®, two uses come up frequently:

-> Reflexive Action: The subject performs the action on itself.

• "She introduced herself to the new employees."

-> Emphasis: To stress that it was definitely that person (and no one else).

• "The CEO himself approved the budget."

A classic Part 5 error: if you see "by" followed by a pronoun referring back to the subject, it must always be the reflexive form.

• "I completed the report by myself." (not "by me")

Relative Pronouns: Linking Information

Relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) connect two parts of a sentence and avoid repetition. In the TOEIC®, they appear in Parts 6 and 7, in emails or company policies.

Who: For people (subject).

• "The candidate who has the most experience will get the position."

Whom: For people (object, usually after a preposition).

• "The manager to whom I reported has retired."

Which: For things or animals.

• "The policy which was updated applies to all departments."

That: For people or things (restrictive).

• "The document that you requested is attached."

What candidates often confuse: the difference between "who" and "whom" causes a lot of hesitation. The logic is simple: if you can replace it with the subject form ("he/she"), use "who." If you can replace it with the object form ("him/her"), use "whom."

TOEIC® Traps with Possessive Pronouns

The most frequent TOEIC® trap: confusing possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) with possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs).

Possessive Adjective: Always followed by a noun.

• "This is my office."

Possessive Pronoun: Replaces the noun, so it is never followed by a noun.

• "This office is mine."

In Part 5, if you see a blank space followed by a noun, you need a possessive adjective. If the blank space is at the end of the sentence or followed by a verb, you need a possessive pronoun.

Another recurring trap: its (possessive adjective) vs it's (contraction for "it is").

• "The company updated its policy." (possession)
• "It's important to follow the guidelines." (contraction)

And this is where many people fail. Even candidates who already use a preparation platform through their school make this mistake constantly.

The reason: these tools emphasize the rule but rarely provide the quick reflex needed under pressure.

On Flow Exam, you can practice directly on the Pronouns topic in Part 5, using the exact same format as the official TOEIC®. So, if you struggle with this topic, you will never repeat the same mistakes again.

Indefinite Pronouns and Quantifiers

Indefinite pronouns (someone, anyone, everyone, no one, something, anything, everything, nothing) replace non-specific people or things. In the TOEIC®, they appear in business contexts when discussing general situations.

• "Everyone must attend the training session."
• "If anyone has questions, please contact HR."

These pronouns are always singular, so they are followed by a singular verb.

• "Everyone is invited to the meeting." (not "are")

For pronouns using "some," "any," "every," "no":

• Some: Affirmative statements or offers.
• Any: Negative statements or questions.
• Every: Totality, everyone without exception.
• No: Complete negation.

Example:

• "Someone left their bag in the conference room."

Even though "someone" is grammatically singular, "their" (gender-neutral plural) is often used in modern, professional contexts to avoid "his or her."

Practical Checklist for Choosing the Right Pronoun

Here is a quick method to avoid mistakes in Part 5.

Step 1: Identify the pronoun's function in the sentence.

• Before the main verb → subject (I, he, she, we, they)
• After a verb or preposition → object (me, him, her, us, them)
• Before a noun → possessive adjective (my, his, her, their)
• Alone, with no noun following → possessive pronoun (mine, his, hers, theirs)

Step 2: Check if there is a reflexive action.

• Subject = object → reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, etc.)

Step 3: Look for temporal or contextual clues.

• Relative pronoun following a noun → who/which/that depending on the type (person/thing)

Step 4: Watch out for contractions.

• Apostrophe → contraction (it's = it is, they're = they are)
• No apostrophe → possession (its, their)

What we observe among our students: those who apply this checklist before answering improve both accuracy and speed. The TOEIC® tests your ability to identify these clues in seconds, not your theoretical knowledge.

Ready to Practice?

Pronouns are one of the most tested topics in Part 5, with specific traps concerning possessives, reflexives, and relatives.

On Flow Exam, you can practice directly on the Pronouns topic in Part 5, with thousands of questions formatted exactly like those on the official TOEIC®. So, if you struggle with this topic, you will never repeat the same mistakes again.

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