Object Pronouns

Illustration of Object Pronouns
Object pronouns are words that replace nouns and receive the action in a sentence. We use them to avoid repeating names or nouns and to clarify who or what the action is directed toward.

Object Pronouns - Exercises

These exercises focus on object pronouns

 

Table of Object Pronouns

Subject Pronoun

Object Pronoun

Example Sentence

I

me

"He called me yesterday."

You

you

"I will help you with this task."

He

him

"Can you see him over there?"

She

her

"The manager thanked her."

It

it

"Please move it closer to the desk."

We

us

"They invited us to the meeting."

They

them

"I gave them the instructions."

Tips for Usage

  1. Object Pronouns Follow Verbs and Prepositions

    • Object pronouns are placed after the verb or preposition in a sentence.

    • Example: “The teacher helped us” (after the verb “helped”) and “She sat beside him” (after the preposition “beside”).

  2. Use Object Pronouns to Avoid Repetition

    • Instead of repeating a name or noun, replace it with an object pronoun to make sentences shorter and clearer.

    • Example: Instead of “I saw Sarah, and I waved at Sarah,” say, “I saw Sarah, and I waved at her.”

  3. Agreeing with the Subject Pronoun

    • The object pronoun should match the subject in number (singular/plural) and gender (male/female/neutral).

    • Example: Use “him” for a singular male subject and “them” for plural subjects.

Common Mistakes

  1. Mixing Subject Pronouns with Object Pronouns

    • Avoid using subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, we, they) in place of object pronouns.

    • Correct: “She gave me the book.”

    • Incorrect: “She gave I the book.”

  2. Forgetting Agreement with the Subject

    • Make sure the object pronoun matches the subject it refers to in number and gender.

    • Correct: “The teacher asked us to study.”

    • Incorrect: “The teacher asked me to study” (if referring to a group).

  3. Confusing “Them” and “It”

    • Use “it” for singular, non-human things or animals (unless the animal’s gender is known) and “them” for plural nouns.

    • Correct: “Please put it on the desk” (referring to one item).

    • Incorrect: “Please put them on the desk” (if there is only one item).

FAQ

When should I use “me” instead of “I”?

Use me when it’s the object of the sentence (the one receiving the action), and I when it’s the subject (the one doing the action).
Example: “She called me,” but “I called her.”

Can “you” be used as both a subject and object pronoun?

Yes, you works as both a subject and an object.
Example: “You are kind” (subject), and “I saw you yesterday” (object).

How do I know if I should use “it” or “them”?

Use it for one thing (singular) and them for more than one thing (plural).
Example: “Please move it” (one item), and “Please move them” (several items).

What’s the difference between “him” and “her”?

Him is used for a male subject, and her for a female subject.
Example: “The teacher called him” (male), and “The teacher called her” (female).

Can “it” refer to a person?

Generally, no. It refers to animals (if gender is unknown) or things. For people, use him, her, me, us, them, etc.
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