Subject and Object Pronouns: Rules, Chart and Examples

A pronoun replaces a noun we already know, so we do not repeat it: Maria is a doctor. She works in a hospital. People like her a lot.

The subject is the person or thing that does the action, and it usually comes before the verb. The object is the person or thing that receives the action, and it comes after the verb. In I see Tom, I is the subject and Tom is the object. If we replace both with pronouns, we get I see him, and Tom sees me.

English word order is usually subject, verb, object. Pronouns follow this order strictly, so you cannot leave the subject out the way some languages do. Read more in English word order.

In many languages the verb shows who is doing the action, so people leave out words like I or she. In English, a normal sentence must have a subject. Say I am tired, not Am tired, and It's raining, not Is raining.

When there is no real subject, English uses it (for weather, time, distance) or there (for existence): It's late. There's a problem. See there is and there are. The only common exception is the imperative, where the subject you is understood: Sit down, please. See imperatives.

Use an object pronoun after a verb (help me, ask her, meet them) and after every preposition (with us, for him, to me, about them, between you and me).

With verbs that have two objects, like give, send, show, tell and buy, the pronoun usually comes first when the other object is a thing: Give me the salt. She sent him a message. If the thing is also a pronoun, use to or for: Give it to me, not Give me it, which is heard in British speech but avoided in writing.

With phrasal verbs, an object pronoun goes in the middle: Turn it off, not Turn off it. Pick them up, not Pick up them.

Many people, including native speakers, are unsure which form to use with and. The test is easy: remove the other person and see what sounds right.

My sister and I went to the cinema (I went, so I is correct). Our teacher helped my sister and me (helped me, so me is correct). Between you and me (between needs an object pronoun, so me). It is also polite to put yourself last: you and I, not I and you.

In casual speech you will hear Me and Tom went out. It is very common, but in writing and exams use Tom and I went out.

Use it for one thing, one animal (when we don't know or care if it is male or female), an idea, a situation or a baby whose sex we don't know. Use he or she for pets and animals you know well: Our dog is old, but he's still very active.

Use they and them for more than one person or thing. In modern English, they is also used for one person when we don't know if they are a man or a woman, or when the person prefers it: Someone called. They didn't leave a message. This singular they takes a plural verb: they are, they were.

For countries and ships, modern English normally uses it. Older texts sometimes use she.

Pronouns are short and fast in natural speech. Him, her and them are often reduced: tell him can sound like tell im, and call them like call em. Listen for these weak forms, but write the full words.

One-word answers with object pronouns are very common: Who's there? It's me. Who did this? Not me! I love this song. Me too. Pronouns also connect to possessives, which you can learn in possessive adjectives and pronouns.