Pronouns

Concept: Use the Correct Word 'they' or 'them’

Definition:

• Words used in place of naming words are called pronouns.
• We use pronouns in place of naming words that have already been mentioned previously in order to avoid repetition.
• A pronoun can show both singular and plural nouns.
• ‘They’ and ‘them’ are pronouns used to talk about more than one naming word.

Examples:

A) Use of ‘they’:

1. ‘They’ is used to describe more than one person so, ‘they’ is a plural pronoun.
2. We use ‘they’ when we talk about other people.
3. ‘They’ usually is placed before doing words.

Examples:

• The speaker is talking about other people. Therefore, we used ‘they’.
• The people we are talking about are the family who has bought a car. They are a group of people hence the word ‘They’ is used. to talk about more than one person.
• ‘They’ is placed before the action word (bought).

• The speaker didn’t use the name of the grandparents. Instead the word ‘they’ is used as a replacement for nouns.
• ‘They’ is used because the speaker is talking about more than one person.

A) Use of ‘them’:

1. The pronoun ‘Them’ is a plural pronoun. We use it when we talk about more than one animal, person, or thing.
2. We use ‘them’ to show the action done over a group of people.
3. ‘Them’ usually is placed after doing words.

Examples:

• In the above sentence, instead of using the word (cats), we used the pronoun ‘them’.
• The pronoun ‘Them’ is used to talk about more than one animal. And it is placed after the doing word or verb (feed).

• The pronoun ‘Them’ in the sentence speaks about the ‘friends. Instead of using the word ‘friends’, the speaker used the pronoun ‘them’.
• ‘Them’ refers to more than one friend and it is before the action verb.

Common Mistake:

a) The pronoun ‘They’ can’t sit at the end of a sentence. It usually is positioned at the beginning of a sentence.

• I love them.
• I love they.

b) On the other hand, ‘them’ is placed in the middle or at the end of a sentence. It can’t be positioned at the beginning of a sentence.

• They are my friends.
• Them are my friends.