In Old English, which pronoun was used for singular informal address?

• A. They
• B. We
• C. You
• D. Thou

Answer: (D)

Singular informal address in Old English was expressed with thou, which took distinct verb endings to mark second-person singular (for example, thou art, thou hast). This form was used among friends, family, or someone of lower status in familiar contexts, setting it apart from the formal or plural address. Over time, the use of you, originally a polite or plural form, spread to replace thou in many contexts, leading to the modern general form you. The other pronouns—they (third person plural) and we (first person plural)—do not function as second-person address, so they don’t fit the sense of singular informal address.