In English, when you use more than one pronoun in the same clause, their order is not random. The most common patterns are coordination like “you and I” and sequences like “give it to me,” where different pronoun roles appear in a typical order. This module shows how subject, object, and complement pronouns combine, which orders sound natural, and which combinations are avoided.

When two pronouns are joined with and or or, they usually share the same grammatical role in the sentence. In subject position, English strongly prefers “X and I” rather than “I and X” in neutral style, especially in careful writing and formal speech. In object position, English prefers “X and me” rather than “me and X,” though in very informal speech you may still hear “me and him” as a subject.

Rule	Example
Put the speaker last in coordinated subjects	You and I are ready.
Use object case after a verb or preposition in coordination	They invited you and me.
Keep the same role for both pronouns in coordination	She and I talked.
Informal subject use of object forms exists but is not standard	Me and him went home.

In coordinated subjects, the usual neutral order is second person before first person: “you and I.” With third person plus first person, English often puts the third person first: “he and I,” “she and I,” “they and I.” This ordering is about style and convention, not meaning, and it is strongest in careful or formal English.

Rule	Example
2nd person before 1st person in coordinated subjects	You and I should leave.
3rd person before 1st person is common in coordinated subjects	She and I work together.
If you include three, 3rd + 2nd + 1st is common	He, you, and I will decide.

In coordinated objects, English usually places other people before the speaker: “him and me,” “you and me.” This is a preference, not a strict grammar rule, but it sounds most natural in neutral conversation. The important point is case: after verbs and prepositions, use object forms like me, him, her, us, them.

Rule	Example
Use object pronouns after verbs	She saw him and me.
Use object pronouns after prepositions	Between you and me, it is risky.
Speaker often comes last in coordinated objects	They called you and me.

Some verbs allow two objects: an indirect object and a direct object. English commonly orders them as indirect object before direct object without a preposition: “Give me it,” but in practice “Give me it” can sound heavy, so speakers often choose “Give it to me.” When both objects are pronouns, “direct pronoun + to + indirect pronoun” is usually the clearest and most natural option.

Rule	Example
Preferred with two pronouns: direct object + to + indirect object	Give it to me.
Indirect object first is possible but can sound less natural with pronouns	Give me it.
Use to or for depending on the verb pattern	Send it to her.

After a preposition, English uses object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them. This includes fixed phrases and comparisons: “with me,” “for us,” “than him.” In very formal writing, some speakers prefer “than he” when than is treated like a conjunction, but “than him” is the common everyday choice.

Rule	Example
Use object forms after prepositions	This is for them.
Comparisons often use object forms in everyday English	She is taller than him.
Formal alternative exists in some comparison structures	She is taller than he is.

English avoids long strings of bare pronouns in a row because they can be hard to process. When two pronouns would sit next to each other, speakers often insert a preposition, repeat a noun, or use a different structure to make roles clearer. This is why “Give it to her” is often preferred over “Give her it,” and why “Tell him about it” is preferred over heavier stacks like “Tell him it” in contexts where it could be unclear.

Rule	Example
Add a preposition to reduce pronoun stacking	Explain it to him.
Rephrase when roles could be confusing	Tell him about it.
Replace one pronoun with a noun for clarity	Give it to your sister.

Reflexive pronouns like myself, yourself, herself, ourselves are used when the subject and the object refer to the same person or group. They can also be used for emphasis, but that is a different meaning from true reflexive use. In coordinated phrases, reflexives are not used as simple subjects or objects in standard English unless the reflexive meaning is intended.

Rule	Example
Use a reflexive when subject equals object	I taught myself.
Use reflexives for emphasis only when the basic sentence works without it	I did it myself.
Avoid reflexives as “fancy” object forms in standard English	Please contact me.

When a pronoun is coordinated with a noun, the same ordering preferences usually apply: place other people first and the speaker last in neutral style. Case still depends on role: “My brother and I” as a subject, but “my brother and me” as an object. This is one of the most common places where speakers feel uncertainty, so checking the role of the whole phrase is key.

Rule	Example
Subject: noun + I is common and formal	My sister and I arrived.
Object: noun + me is standard	They helped my sister and me.
Keep the pronoun form consistent with the phrase role	She spoke to my sister and me.

Some pronoun orders are grammatical but feel more formal, more casual, or more emphatic. “It is I” is very formal and rare in modern speech, while “It is me” is the everyday choice. Similarly, object forms used as subjects in coordination can appear in casual speech but are avoided in careful writing.

Region	Word	Regional Definition
Formal English	It is I	Very formal predicate complement style, uncommon in everyday speech
Everyday English	It is me	Common modern choice after be in conversation
Casual speech	Me and him	Nonstandard as a subject in writing, sometimes heard in conversation

Use subject forms for subjects and object forms after verbs and prepositions. In coordinated phrases, English often places the speaker last: “you and I,” “him and me,” especially in neutral and careful style. When two object pronouns combine, “direct object + to or for + indirect object” is often the clearest choice. If a pronoun sequence feels awkward, rephrase with a preposition or a noun to make roles obvious.