Object Pronouns
Object pronouns replace nouns that receive the action in a sentence. They come after a verb or a preposition — never before the verb as the subject.
What are object pronouns?
An object pronoun replaces a noun that is the object of a sentence — the person or thing that receives the action of the verb, or that follows a preposition. Object pronouns are different in form from subject pronouns and must not be confused with them.
Subject pronouns vs. object pronouns
The key distinction is position and role. Subject pronouns come before the verb and perform the action. Object pronouns come after the verb or preposition and receive the action.
| Subject pronoun | Object pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | me | I called him. He called me. |
| you | you | You surprised us. We surprised you. |
| he | him | He saw her. She saw him. |
| she | her | She helped them. They thanked her. |
| it | it | It broke. I fixed it. |
| we | us | We invited them. They invited us. |
| they | them | They called me. I called them. |
Three positions for object pronouns
Object pronouns appear in three main positions in a sentence.
- Direct object — directly receives the action of the verb:
She called him. I saw them at the market. Can you hear me? - Indirect object — indicates to whom or for whom the action is done:
He gave her a gift. They sent us a message. I'll make you a coffee. - Object of a preposition — follows a preposition such as to, for, with, about, from, between:
This is for him. She sat next to me. Don't go without us.
She told him (indirect object) the news and gave it (direct object) to us (object of preposition).
I bought her (indirect object) a book about them (object of preposition).
Object pronouns after prepositions
In English, always use an object pronoun after a preposition. This is one of the most common mistakes even among advanced learners.
between you and me ✓ (not: between you and I ✗)
Come with us. ✓ (not: Come with we. ✗)
She was talking about him. ✓ (not: about he ✗)
This is a secret between her and me. ✓
Object pronouns with two people
When an object involves two people, both must be object pronouns. A quick test: remove one person and check if the pronoun still sounds right on its own.
Can you help him and me? ✓ (not: him and I ✗)
She invited her and me to the party. ✓
They gave tickets to us and them. ✓
Tip — the removal test: Not sure whether to use I or me? Remove the other person's name and say the sentence alone. "Can you help I?" sounds wrong → use me. "Can you help me?" sounds right ✓. This trick works every time.
Informal use after "to be"
In formal English, subject pronouns follow the verb to be: It is I. That was she. In everyday spoken English, however, object pronouns are standard and widely accepted after to be.
Formal: It is I who made the decision.
Everyday: It's me. / That's him. / Was it her?
Common errors to avoid
| Incorrect ✗ | Correct ✓ | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Between you and I | Between you and me | Object pronoun after preposition |
| She called he. | She called him. | Direct object needs object pronoun |
| Him and me went... | He and I went... | Subject of verb needs subject pronoun |
| Give it to she. | Give it to her. | Object pronoun after preposition |
| This is for we. | This is for us. | Object pronoun after preposition |
Watch out: "Him and me went to the shop" is a double error — both pronouns are object forms used as subjects. The correct form is "He and I went to the shop." Subject pronouns perform actions; object pronouns receive them.