Free Collins Cobuild English Grammar by Collins Page A

person
he
she
it
they
    I
1.97     You refer to yourself by using the pronoun I . I is always written with a capital letter.
I don’t know what to do. I think I made the wrong decision.
May I ask why Stephen’s here?
    you
1.98     You refer to the person or people you are talking to as you . Note that the same word is used for the singular and the plural.
You may have to wait a bit.
Would you come and have a drink?
How did you get on?
    You is also used to refer to people in general, rather than to the person you are talking or writing to. For more information on this, see paragraph 1.120 .
    If you want to make it clear that you are addressing more than one person, you can create a plural form by using you followed by a determiner, a number or a noun. Forms like this can also be used in object position.
My granddad wants  you both  to come round next Saturday.
As you all know, this is a challenge.
    Here is a list of the most common plural forms of you .
you all
you guys
you lot
you two
you three
you both
    You guys and you lot are more frequent in informal English. You lot is not commonly used in American English.
I love working with you guys .
You guys are great!
So you lot will have to look after yourselves.
    Note that people often use you lot when they are being very direct with a group of people, as in the last example above.
     Some varieties and dialects of English have developed particular forms of plural you . In American English, particularly Southern American English, y’all is sometimes used, especially in speech.
What did  y’all  eat for breakfast?
I want to thank y’all .
    In some dialects of British and American English, yous and youse are used as plural forms: I know what some of yous might be thinking .
    Another plural form is you people . However, this can sound rude, and should only be used if you want to show that you are angry or annoyed with the people you are talking to.
‘Why can’t you people leave me alone?’ he says.
‘I can’t work with you people ,’ Zoe said.
    Some plural forms of you – you guys , you lot , you two , you three and y’all – can also be used as vocatives . For more information on vocatives, see paragraphs 9.95 to 9.99 . You all and you both cannot be used as vocatives.
‘Listen, you guys ,’ she said. ‘I’ll tell you everything you want.’
Come on, you two . Let’s go home.
Bye, y’all !
    For more information on you as an object pronoun , see paragraphs 1.104 to 1.106 .
    he and she
1.99     You refer to a man or a boy as he , and to a woman or a girl as she .
My father is 78, and he ’s very healthy and independent.
Billy Knight was a boxer, wasn’t he ?
Mary came in. She was a good-looking woman.
‘Is Sue there?’ – ‘I’m sorry, she doesn’t work here now.’
    it
1.100   You use it to refer to anything that is not male or female; for example, an object, a place, an organization, or something abstract.
Have you seen Toy Story? It’s a good film for kids.
‘Have you been to London?’ – ‘Yes, it was very crowded.’
How much would the company be worth if it were sold?
It is not an idea that has much public support.
    It is often used to refer to an animal when its gender is not known or not considered to be important. Some people also refer to babies in this way.
They punched the crocodile until it let go of her.
If the shark is still around it will not escape.
How Winifred loved the baby! And how Stephanie hated it !
    You also use it in general statements, for example to refer to a situation, the time, the date, or the weather.
It is very quiet here.
It is half past three.
It is January 19th.
It is rainy and cold.
    For more information on the use of it in general statements, see paragraphs 9.31 to 9.45 .
    Note that it is also an object pronoun . For more information on this, see paragraphs 1.104 to 1.106 .
    USAGE NOTE
1.101   Although it is used as a pronoun to refer to something that is not male or