Object pronouns
450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten
The forms that receive the action, and the forms that follow a preposition.
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Where the object form goes
Two places, and both are mechanical:
- after the verb: I saw her yesterday.
- after a preposition: Give it to them. This is for us. Between you and me.
between you and me
This is the most argued-about phrase in English, and the answer is straightforward: between is a preposition, so the object form follows. Between you and I is an overcorrection by people who have been told that me sounds uneducated.
The same applies to for, with, to, from, after, without:
without him, after us, with her
The removal test
In a pair, take the other person out and see what is left:
- She invited John and me. → She invited me. ✓
- John and I were invited. → I was invited. ✓
This works every time and needs no grammar knowledge.
Two objects
Many verbs take two. The order changes depending on whether you use to:
She gave me the book. / She gave the book to me.
With two pronouns, the second pattern is the natural one: She gave it to me, not She gave me it.
After than and as
Formally, than I and as I; in ordinary speech, than me and as me:
He is taller than I am. — safest He is taller than me. — normal speech
All forms
| Subject | Object | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | me | She called me. |
| you | you | She called you. |
| he | him | She called him. |
| she | her | She called her. |
| it | it | She found it. |
| we | us | She called us. |
| they | them | She called them. |
Examples
Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- We sent the invitation to them yesterday.
- The doctor examined him and wrote a prescription.
- Can you give her a hand with carrying these boxes?
- The waiter brought us our drinks at the restaurant.
- The old clock is broken; my uncle will fix it.
- My sister asked me if she could borrow my sweater.
- The teacher gave them extra time to finish the test.
- Can you give him a ride home after school?
- Julia shared the news with her on the phone.
- They sent us a thank you card for the gift.
- My mom received a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I gave it to her as a surprise.
- The photograph shows me next to the old oak.
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: Between you and I, it won't work. correct: Between you and me, it won't work.
After a preposition, the object form.
Wrong: She gave the book to he. correct: She gave the book to him.
To is a preposition, so the object form follows.
Wrong: Him and me finished it. correct: He and I finished it.
These are subjects, so they need the subject forms.