Object pronouns in English include me, you, him, her, us, and them.
Object pronouns are used to receive the action of the verb (direct object), to follow a preposition (object of a preposition), or sometimes as an indirect object, replacing the noun that would otherwise appear in these positions.
| Subject Pronouns | Object Pronouns | Example (Subject) | Example (Object) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Me | I see the dog. | He sees me. |
| You | You | You know the rule. | I will help you. |
| He | Him | He eats pizza. | We watch him. |
| She | Her | She reads a book. | They called her. |
| It | It | It makes noise. | I found it. |
| We | Us | We are ready. | Sit with us. |
| They | Them | They win often. | I admire them. |
- Use object pronouns when the pronoun receives the action of the verb: "Sarah hugged me."
- Use them after prepositions: "Can you come with us?"
- Don't confuse subject and object pronouns: "She is correct," not "Her is correct." (subject)
Correct use of object pronouns includes 'John called me,' 'The teacher gave us homework,' and 'I will sit beside her.'
Source Material
Author: EF Education First
Document: Object Pronouns | English Grammar | EF
Date Published: 2024-01-15
Source Material
Author: Grammarly Editorial Team
Document: Subject and Object Pronouns
Date Published: 2023-09-10
Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
- Direct object pronouns replace the noun directly receiving the action:
"I saw her." (not "I saw Mary.")
- Indirect object pronouns replace the noun receiving the benefit or direction of the action:
"He gave us a gift." (us = indirect object)
| Role | Example (Noun) | Example (Object Pronoun) |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Tom eats cookies. | He eats cookies. |
| Direct Object | I called Anna. | I called her. |
| Indirect Object | She sent a letter to Mark. | She sent him a letter. |
| Object of Prepos. | We sat next to Sarah. | We sat next to her. |
Me, you, him, her, us, and them are used as both direct and indirect object pronouns.
Correct uses include 'I gave her the book,' 'Can you tell us the secret?,' and 'They invited me to the party.'
Source Material
Author: Seonaid Beckwith
Document: Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
Date Published: 2023
Source Material
Author: EF Education First
Document: Object Pronouns - Direct, Indirect, and After Prepositions
Date Published: 2024-01-15
Object Pronouns After Prepositions
When a pronoun follows a preposition, use the object form:
| Preposition Examples | Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| to, for, with, about, by | "...after me." | "...after I." |
| "Can I go with you?" | "Can I go with you (subject form is correct here though)." | |
| "She is waiting for us." | "She is waiting for we." |
- Prepositions always require object pronouns, not subject pronouns.
- This rule applies in all prepositional phrases, including compound ones.
The correct object pronoun after a preposition for 'we' is 'us.'
Correct uses include 'This is for her,' 'Can you come with us?,' and 'They talked about me.'
Source Material
Author: British Council
Document: Object Pronouns After Prepositions
Date Published: 2023
Conclusion
Object pronouns are essential for avoiding repetition and ensuring sentence clarity.
- Use object pronouns (me, you, him, her, us, them) when the pronoun follows the verb or a preposition.
- Match object pronouns to their correct role: direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.