Home of English Grammar

Grammar Guide
  • Home
  • Exercises
  • Rules
  • Test Yourself
  • Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Top Social Media Posts
  • Vocabulary
  • Writing Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Lessons / Duplicate subjects

Duplicate subjects

December 25, 2013 - pdf

Duplicate subject is a common mistake made by ESL students. They sometimes use a pronoun as a duplicate subject in a clause that already has a noun as a subject.

Remember that each clause can have only one subject. If you have already mentioned the subject by name, it is wrong to use a pronoun to refer to the same person.

My sister is a nurse. OR She is a nurse. (BUT NOT My sister she is a nurse.)

Another common mistake is to use two subjects in a relative clause. Note that the relative pronoun serves two purposes. It connects two clauses like a conjunction. It also serves as the subject or object of the verb in the relative clauses. As a result, it is wrong to use another noun or pronoun as the subject or object of the verb in the relative clause.

Study the examples given below.

My sister is a nurse. She lives in California.

My sister, who is a nurse, lives in California. OR My sister, who lives in California, is a nurse. (BUT NOT My sister, who she lives in California, is a nurse.)

Here the relative pronoun who stands for the pronoun she and hence it is wrong to repeat the pronoun in the relative clause.

Another example is given below.

Maya does my hair. She has moved to another hairdresser’s.

Maya, who does my hair, has moved to another hairdresser’s. (BUT NOT Maya, who she does my hair, has moved to another hairdresser’s.)

  • Share
  • Post
  • Post
  • Email
2,485,429 
735,807 

Grammar Checker

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Modal Verbs Exercise for Class 10 January 7, 2026
  • Something, Anything, Someone, Anyone January 4, 2026
  • Determiners Exercise for ESL Students January 3, 2026
  • Gap Filling Determiners Exercise January 2, 2026
  • Finite And Non-finite Verbs Exercise for Class 8 December 31, 2025
  • Intermediate Level Grammar Exercise for ESL Students December 28, 2025
  • Gap Filling Verbs Exercise B1 Level December 28, 2025
  • Non-finite Verbs – Gerunds And Infinitives December 27, 2025
  • General Grammar Exercise for ESL Students December 26, 2025

Copyright © 2026 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap