Pronouns, which are words used instead of a noun or noun phrase, can be used as subjects or objects. Object pronouns receive the action of the verb or follow a preposition, but allow for variety in sentences rather than frequently repeating a specific noun. Using the correct one, however, can sometimes be confusing.
There are only a few object pronouns in English. Some are singular and some are plural. Me, you, him, her, and it are singular and refer to one person or thing. Us, you, and them are plural and refer to more than one person or thing. Interestingly, you can be either singular or plural.
The pronoun you would use as a subject is not always the same pronoun you would use as an object. Take a look at the chart below for comparison.
| Subject Pronoun | Object Pronoun |
| I | me |
| you | you |
| he | him |
| she | her |
| it | it |
| we | us |
| they | them |
When writing your sentence, you must first consider whether the object pronoun is a direct object or an indirect object. A direct object—you guessed it—directly receives the action of the verb.
Direct Object
When constructing a sentence using a direct object, it should be placed immediately following the main verb.
Examples:
My mom called me today.
Joe bought it.
I saw her at the movie theater.
Indirect Object
When a pronoun serves as an indirect object, it still follows the verb but comes before the direct object. These answer to whom/what or for whom/what the verb’s action is performed. A sentence may still make sense without an indirect object. It simply provides clarity about the recipient.
Examples:
Adam gave her a necklace for Christmas.
He sent me some flowers.
My son made me a picture in art class.
Object of a Preposition
A pronoun can also be the object of a preposition, making it a part of a prepositional phrase. The most commonly used prepositions are to or for, which means that it indicates to whom or for whom the action is being done.
Examples:
The director spoke directly to them.
Tina’s dog walked ahead of her.
My friend went shopping with me yesterday.
In all of these situations, the pronoun you choose must match the gender of the noun you are replacing. It must also match in terms of number, meaning singular or plural.
There are special cases that you need to keep in mind, as well.
One that is particularly troublesome for many people is when you are using compound objects, joined by and or or. When doing so, ensure that you are using the object form of the pronoun.
Example:
Incorrect-The teacher waited for Cindy and I.
Correct-The teacher waited for Cindy and me.
Another one to keep in mind is that I can never be an object—direct, indirect, or object of a preposition.
Example:
Incorrect-My parents gave my twin brother and I a surprise party.
Correct-My parents gave me and my twin brother a surprise party.
To ensure you are using the correct object pronoun, follow these steps:
- Identify the verb in your sentence.
- Find the subject who is performing the action.
- Look for the noun receiving the action (the object).
- Choose the appropriate object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them), checking for gender and number.
- Replace the noun with the correct object pronoun to see if the sentence still makes sense.
- Read the sentence aloud to confirm it is grammatically correct and flows smoothly.
It is important to construct grammatically correct sentences if you want your readers to be able to understand the point you are trying to make. Additionally, if they find themselves wondering what is happening because you haven’t written clearly, they are not likely to finish the story, or even worse, come back to read more of your work.
Heather Malone writes children’s books that focus mainly on Montessori education, special education, and nonfiction. She also dabbles in fiction. Her nonfiction book, Montessori from A to Z, was published in 2023, and her blog on homeschooling students with disabilities using the Montessori method can be viewed at spedmontessorisolutions.com. Her passion is education, which is evidenced by spending over twenty-five years in the field before leaving the classroom to now provide technical assistance to school districts. She lives with her husband and son in Ohio and enjoys traveling to new places in her free time.
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