Him vs. His: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on February 3, 2024
"Him" is a pronoun used to refer to a male object of a verb or preposition, while "His" is a possessive pronoun indicating something belongs to or is related to a male.
Key Differences
"Him" is used in sentences as an object pronoun, referring to a male individual previously mentioned. "His" is a possessive pronoun used to attribute ownership or association to a male individual.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 03, 2024
"Him" is typically found after verbs or prepositions, indicating the action is directed towards him. "His" is used before nouns to indicate possession or a descriptive relationship.
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Feb 03, 2024
In the sentence "I gave the book to him," "him" is the recipient of the action. In "His book is on the table," "his" shows that the book belongs to the male individual.
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Feb 03, 2024
While "him" is often stressed in a sentence to emphasize the object, "his" is usually not stressed, as it primarily functions to show possession.
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Feb 03, 2024
"Him" remains unchanged regardless of its position or context in a sentence. "His" can also imply a descriptive relationship, as in "His work is renowned," where it describes something associated with him.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 03, 2024
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Comparison Chart
Indicates
Refers to a male individual
Ownership or association related to a male
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Feb 03, 2024
Contextual Use
Remains unchanged
Can imply possession or a descriptive relationship
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Feb 03, 2024
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Him and His Definitions
Him
It is used to indicate the male recipient of an action.
She handed the letter to him.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
It can describe characteristics or qualities of a male.
His intelligence is well-known.
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Jan 12, 2024
Him
"Him" is employed after a preposition referring to a male.
The gift was for him.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
It is used to describe something associated with a male.
His performance was outstanding.
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Jan 12, 2024
Him
"Him" refers to a male individual as the object of an action.
The teacher asked him to answer the question.
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Jan 12, 2024
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His
"His" indicates possession or belonging to a male individual.
His car is parked outside.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
"His" precedes a noun to indicate male ownership.
His house is at the end of the street.
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Jan 12, 2024
Him
"Him" can be emphasized to highlight the object.
It was him who solved the puzzle.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
"His" is used in expressions of relationships.
His sister is my classmate.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
(obsolete) Its; belonging to it. (Now only when implying personification.)
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Jan 12, 2024
His
(archaic) Used as a genitive marker in place of ’s after a noun, especially a masculine noun ending in -s, to express the possessive case.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
That which belongs to him; the possessive case of he, used without a following noun.
The decision was his to live with.
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Jan 12, 2024
Him
With nominative effect: he, especially as a predicate after be, or following a preposition.
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Jan 12, 2024
His
Belonging or pertaining to him; - used as a pronominal adjective or adjective pronoun; as, tell John his papers are ready; formerly used also for its, but this use is now obsolete.
No comfortable star did lend his light.
Who can impress the forest, bid the treeUnfix his earth-bound root?
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Jan 12, 2024
Him
(informal) A male person or animal.
I think this bird is a him, but it may be a her.
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Jan 12, 2024
Him
The objective case of he. See He.
Him that is weak in the faith receive.
Friends who have given him the most sympathy.
I never saw but Humphrey, duke of Gloster,Did bear him like a noble gentleman.
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Jan 12, 2024
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "him"?
Typically, "him" is not used to start a sentence as it is an object pronoun.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" be used for females?
No, "his" is specifically used for males. For females, "her" or "hers" is used.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" be used without a following noun?
Usually, "his" is followed by a noun, but it can stand alone in some cases.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" refer to something non-physical?
Yes, "his" can refer to non-physical attributes, like "his thoughts."
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Feb 03, 2024
Is "him" used in formal and informal contexts alike?
Yes, "him" is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts.
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Feb 03, 2024
Is "him" always an object in a sentence?
Yes, "him" is used as an object pronoun in sentences.
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Feb 03, 2024
Does the meaning of "him" change in questions?
No, "him" retains its function as an object pronoun in questions.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" denote something temporary?
Yes, "his" can denote temporary possession, like "his seat."
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Feb 03, 2024
How is "him" used in passive constructions?
In passive constructions, "him" serves as the object receiving the action, like "He was told by her."
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Feb 03, 2024
Are there any exceptions to using "him" as an object?
"Him" is consistently used as an object pronoun without exceptions.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" be used in possessive pronoun contractions?
No, "his" does not form contractions like "it's" or "that's."
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Feb 03, 2024
Is "him" used differently in British and American English?
No, the use of "him" is the same in both British and American English.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "him" be replaced with "he" in a sentence?
No, "he" is a subject pronoun and cannot replace "him," the object pronoun.
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Feb 03, 2024
Is "his" used in all tenses?
Yes, "his" is used across all tenses without change.
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Feb 03, 2024
Does "his" change form in plural contexts?
No, "his" remains the same regardless of singular or plural contexts.
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Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" indicate a general possession?
Yes, "his" can be used for general possession, like "his rights."
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Feb 03, 2024
Is "his" used in idiomatic expressions?
Yes, "his" appears in idioms, like "his bark is worse than his bite."
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 03, 2024
Does the pronunciation of "him" change in a sentence?
The pronunciation of "him" may vary slightly for emphasis but generally remains the same.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 03, 2024
Can "his" function as a subject in a sentence?
No, "his" is a possessive pronoun and cannot function as a subject.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 03, 2024
How is "him" used in imperative sentences?
"Him" can be used in imperative sentences as an object, like "Tell him to come."
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Feb 03, 2024
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Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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