In the past, you may have heard people use the words “him and I” in a casual conversation. But is this correct? To know this answer, you first need to understand the difference between subject and object pronouns. Words like these and other then or other than are commonly confused. In this article, we will teach you how to choose between “he and I” or “him and I” in your writing!
Always using the right words? Make sure:
Check Your TextWhich Is Correct: “He and I” or “Him and I”?
Takeaway: “He and I” is the grammatically correct choice. This is because both He and I are considered subject pronouns and must be used in the nominative case.
“Him and I” is considered to be grammatically incorrect. Him is an object pronoun that is used to refer to a male person or male animal. These are not to be confused with a singular possessive noun, such as Timmy’s or Mark’s. It can be used as the subject or object of a verb, or as the possessive form of a noun. Just be sure to know the difference between nouns and pronouns in your writing!
Examples:
- “She gave the book to him,” the word “him” is used as the direct object of the verb “gave”.
- “The dog belongs to him,” the word “him” is used as the possessive form of the noun “dog,” that indicates the man owns the dog.
However, you could use the objective pronouns “him and me” instead! These objective personal pronouns can be used together. But you cannot use the subject pronoun I and the object pronoun him together! Remember, just like with the words axle or axel, spelling makes a huge difference in the meaning of a word.
Sentence Examples
- He and I went to the park together.
- We decided to play some basketball, and he and I were on the same team.
- He and I had a great time running and shooting hoops together.
- We were both getting a little tired, so he and I sat down on a bench to rest.
- After a while, he and I realized that it was getting late, so we decided to head home.
Improper Grammar:
Remember, using combined subject and object pronouns in poor grammar. Also, predicate nouns are not the same as pronouns!
- Him and I are best friends.
- After a month, him and I realized we should not be friends.
- Him and I were both great high school athletes back in the day!
Subject Pronouns
It may not be shocking to hear that subject pronouns are used as the subject of a sentence. The subject of a sentence is the noun (person, place, or thing) that is performing the action (also called verb). This part of speech is important for a variety of reasons.
Subject pronouns include:
- “I,” “you,” “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” and “they.”
Let’s look at an example to illustrate this grammar rule:
“I went to the park.”
- the subject pronoun is “I” and is the person who went to the park.
“She is playing basketball.”
- The subject pronoun “she” is the person who is playing basketball.
Subject pronouns are used to simplify your writing. They are especially useful at helping you to avoid repeating the nouns that are the subject of the sentence, and they can make sentences more concise and clear. We learned even more about pronoun rules in our analysis of the phrase “I myself” as well!
Takeaway: Overall, subject pronouns are an important part of sentence structure and they are used to simplify sentences & represent the subject of the sentence.
Object Pronouns
Unlike subject pronouns, object pronouns are used as the object of a verb or preposition in a sentence. They are an important part of a sentence frequently used in the English language.
The object of a sentence is the person, place, or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. Object pronouns include:
- “me”
- “you”
- “him”
- “her”
- “it”
- “us”
- and “them”
Let’s take a look at some sentence examples of object pronouns.
- “She gave the book to me,”
- The object pronoun is “me” and it refers to the person who received the book.
- “I saw him at the store.”
- In this sentence, the object pronoun is “him” and is talking about the man who was seen at the store.
Takeaway: Object pronouns are used to simply and streamline writing. They help to avoid repeating the nouns that are the object of the sentence.
Frequently Asked Questions
He and I are both correct in the nominative case and as the subject of a verb. When two nouns (he, I) are used together as the subject of a verb, they are both in the nominative case.
The correct choice is “he and I.” “He and me” sounds wrong because it’s missing an essential part of the pronoun-verb agreement.
No “her and I” is not grammatically correct. It is correct to say “her and me” or “she and I” in your writing. Her is an object pronoun. However, “she and I” are both subject pronouns and can be used together.
You should use “Adam and I” in your writing. However, it is common in informal writing and casual spoken language to say “Adam and me”.
The Bottom Line
Now you know that using the pronouns “he & I” is correct! Just like with the words lots of & lot’s of, spelling makes a big difference. Picking the right pronoun can be tricky, and it depends on whether it is acting as the subject or the object of the sentence.
If your pronoun is the subject of the sentence, then it is correct to say “he and I” or “she and I.” If your pronoun is the object of the sentence, then go with “him and me” or “her and me.”
Both object and subject pronouns are used to make your writing more efficient and simply things. However, you need to choose the right word!