Pronouns and anaphors: speech therapy guide
Pronouns are words that replace a noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition. Anaphors refer to expressions that relate back to an element mentioned previously. Mastering them is essential for discourse coherence and text comprehension. Pronominal difficulties are common in language disorders.
👤 Pronoun resources
Exercises, role-playing games, visual supports
Access tools →Types of pronouns
| Type | Examples | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Subject personal | I, you, he, she, we, you, they | Subject of verb |
| Object personal | me, you, him, her, us, them | Object |
| Possessive | mine, yours, ours | Possession |
| Demonstrative | this one, that one, these | Designation |
| Relative | who, that, which, where | Link in complex sentences |
| Indefinite | someone, nothing, everything | Vague reference |
Development
18-24 months: "me" to refer to self. 2-3 years: I, you, he/she. 3-4 years: we, you, they, object pronouns. 4-5 years: simple relative pronouns (who, that). 5+ years: complex relatives (which, where), distant anaphors.
Common difficulties
I/you reversal: talking about oneself in 2nd or 3rd person (common in ASD).
Pronoun omission: "don't want" instead of "I don't want".
He/she confusion: gender errors.
Object pronouns: "I give it to him" instead of "I give him it".
Anaphoric resolution: difficulty understanding what "he" refers to in a text.
Intervention
💡 Strategies
Role-playing: situations where the child must change perspective (I becomes you).
Visual support: photos, pictograms for people.
Systematic questions: "Who is doing the action? Who are we talking about?"
Our downloadable tools
👥 Character cards
To work on he/she pronouns with visual support.
Download📷 Sequential images
To work on anaphors in storytelling.
DownloadFrequently asked questions
This confusion between subject and object pronouns can be seen occasionally until 4-5 years old. If it persists beyond this age or is systematic, a speech therapy consultation may be helpful.
Pronominal reversal is more common in ASD but is not exclusive or systematic. It may reflect difficulties with perspective-taking or echolalia. Specific therapy can improve it.
