Impersonal Pronoun Examples in Sentences

What impersonal pronouns are

An impersonal pronoun does not refer to a specific person or thing. Instead, it stands for people in general, or it fills the subject slot of a sentence when no real subject is needed.

Here is a quick answer with an example of each kind:

• One speaks about people in general: One should always read the instructions.
• It fills the subject slot: It is raining.
• There introduces something that exists: There is a problem.

Grammar books do not all use exactly the same labels. Some call “it” and “there” in these uses dummy subjects or expletive subjects, and some describe “one” as an indefinite pronoun. The examples below should make the idea clear whichever term your textbook uses.

The three impersonal pronouns

“One” in sentences

“One” is used for general statements that apply to anyone, not to a single named person. It takes a third-person singular verb.

As the subject

• One can always count on this café for a good breakfast.
• One must be careful when crossing a busy road.

As the object

• Hard exercise can make one tired.
• A good teacher helps one understand difficult ideas.

As a possessive

The possessive is one’s, and it is followed by a noun.

• One should keep one’s promises.
• One’s first day at a new school can feel strange.

“One” sounds quite formal, and in everyday English many speakers prefer “you” for the same idea (see the section on generic “you” below). Once you start a sentence with “one”, it is usual to keep using “one” and “one’s” rather than switching to “he” or “you”.

“It” as an impersonal pronoun

In these uses, “it” does not point to a particular thing. It simply supplies a subject that English grammar requires.

Weather

• It is snowing.
• It was windy all afternoon.

Time and dates

• It is half past three.
• It is Friday.

Distance

• It is about two miles to the station.

Judgments and general statements

• It is important to stay calm.
• It is easy to forget a password.

Reported opinions

• It is said that the old house is haunted.
• It seems that the meeting has been moved.

A useful test is to ask, “What does it refer to?” If there is no sensible answer, the “it” is probably impersonal.

“There” in sentences

“There” introduces the idea that something exists or is present. The real subject comes after the verb, and the verb agrees with that real subject (more on finding subjects in complete subject examples).

• There is a bird on the fence.
• There are several reasons for the delay.
• There was no milk in the fridge.
• There seems to be a mistake in the report.

In careful writing, check agreement: There is one answer, but There are two answers.

Generic “you”, “they” and “we”

Personal pronouns can also be used impersonally, meaning they refer to people in general rather than to specific individuals.

• You: You can’t judge a book by its cover.
• They: They say that laughter is the best medicine. (Here “they” means people in general.)
• We: We all make mistakes.

Generic “you” is common in speech and informal writing. In formal or academic writing, some style guides prefer other options such as “one”, a plural noun, or a passive construction, so it is worth checking the guidance for your assignment. For more on “we” and “you” as tools of tone, see our guide to inclusive pronouns in persuasive writing.

Impersonal sentences and impersonal voice

An impersonal sentence is one that does not name a specific person as the doer or subject. Many use an impersonal pronoun:

• It is believed that regular sleep improves memory.
• There is a need for more research.
• One could argue that the plan is too expensive.

Impersonal voice is a style choice rather than a single grammar rule. It avoids “I” and “you” and keeps the focus on the topic. Writers often achieve it with impersonal pronouns or with the passive voice (a choice weighed in our rules of writing):

• Personal: I tested the samples twice.
• Impersonal: The samples were tested twice.

Scientific and formal reports often use this style, although many style guides now accept “I” or “we” where it makes the writing clearer.

Personal vs impersonal pronouns

A common search is “What are 5 examples of pronouns in a sentence?” Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things:

1. She called me yesterday.
2. They finished the project.
3. Please give him the keys.
4. We enjoyed the concert.
5. The dog wagged its tail.

Compare that with impersonal uses:

• It is cold today. (no specific thing)
• One should be polite. (people in general)
• There is time. (existence only)

Notice that “it” can be personal in one sentence (I found the book and read it) and impersonal in another (It is late). The job the word does in the sentence decides the label.

Some of the same words also appear among the indefinite adjectives and indefinite pronouns, which are worth reading about if you want to see how general-reference words differ from each other.

Common mistakes

• Switching pronouns mid-sentence. One should do their best mixes forms. Prefer One should do one’s best or You should do your best.
• Disagreement after “there”. There is two options should be There are two options. Agreement errors like this are a staple of identifying sentence errors exercises.
• Overusing “one”. A paragraph full of “one” can sound stiff. Consider rewording.
• Unclear “it”. If a reader cannot tell what “it” points to, rewrite the sentence. This applies to personal uses of “it”, not the impersonal ones above.

Quick practice

Decide whether the underlined word is impersonal. (Answers follow.)

1. It is two o’clock.
2. I lost my keys, and I cannot find them.
3. There are many ways to solve this.
4. One should drink enough water.
5. The cat licked its paw.

Answers: 1. impersonal; 2. personal; 3. impersonal; 4. impersonal; 5. personal.

Summary

Impersonal pronouns point to people in general or provide a needed subject without naming anyone. The main ones are one, it and there, and ordinary pronouns such as you, they and we can be used generically too. Pick the form that suits your audience: “you” for conversational writing, “one” for very formal tone, and “it” or “there” when the sentence needs a dummy subject.