Subject Pronouns (I, He) vs. Object Pronouns (Me, Him) – English Grammar Exercises for A1
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence.
You are working in an office. You are asking your colleagues to hand over documents, supplies, or messages to other people, especially the female manager in the next room. Pay close attention to the item being passed (it/them) and the person receiving it (him/her/me/them).
1 Holding a single blue folder: “The manager needs this folder right now. Please give ______ to her.”
(A) it
(B) them
(C) they
(D) he
2 Pointing to the female manager’s office: “Ms. Davis is waiting for the report. Can you hand it to ______?”
(A) she
(B) her
(C) hers
(D) him
3 Handing a pen to a coworker for the male boss: “Mr. Smith needs a pen to sign the contract. Please pass this to ______.”
(A) he
(B) his
(C) him
(D) it
4 Holding a stack of printed meeting agendas: “The clients are in the meeting room. Please bring these papers to ______.”
(A) they
(B) their
(C) them
(D) us
5 Looking for missing office supplies: “I cannot find the scissors. Did you see ______?”
(A) it
(B) they
(C) them
(D) their
6 Pointing to Sarah, the team leader: “Sarah is the boss. Give the confidential document to ______ immediately.”
(A) she
(B) her
(C) hers
(D) him
7 Asking a coworker to send files to your team: “We need the new project files. Please send ______ to us.”
(A) it
(B) they
(C) them
(D) their
8 Pointing to your own laptop: “You borrowed my laptop yesterday. Please give it back to ______.”
(A) I
(B) my
(C) me
(D) mine
9 Holding a phone message for a male colleague: “John is not at his desk. Please take this message to ______.”
(A) he
(B) him
(C) his
(D) her
10 Holding a single USB drive: “The female manager is next door. I will take this flash drive and give it to ______.”
(A) her
(B) she
(C) him
(D) hers
11 Pointing to a large pile of new contracts: “These are the new contracts for the clients. Please give ______ to Ms. Adams.”
(A) it
(B) them
(C) they
(D) their
12 Looking at a sticky note: “I wrote a quick note for Sarah. Can you slide it under the door for ______?”
(A) she
(B) her
(C) him
(D) hers
13 Pointing to two coworkers, Tom and Lisa: “Tom and Lisa are waiting for the mail. Hand it to ______.”
(A) them
(B) they
(C) their
(D) us
14 Asking for a stapler that your coworker is holding: “I need to staple these pages. Can you pass ______ to me?”
(A) it
(B) him
(C) them
(D) its
15 Double Pronoun Challenge: “The female manager needs the single red file. Please give ______ to ______.”
(A) it / she
(B) them / her
(C) it / her
(D) it / hers
16 Double Pronoun Challenge: “John wants the office keys. Pass ______ to ______.”
(A) them / he
(B) it / him
(C) them / him
(D) they / him
17 Double Pronoun Challenge: “I need the printed documents now. Send ______ to ______.”
(A) them / I
(B) it / me
(C) them / me
(D) they / me
18 Double Pronoun Challenge: “The clients want to see the updated schedule. Show ______ to ______.”
(A) it / them
(B) it / they
(C) them / them
(D) them / they
19 Double Pronoun Challenge: “Ms. Davis is looking for her missing phone. I found ______, so I will give it to ______.”
(A) it / she
(B) them / her
(C) it / her
(D) them / she
20 Double Pronoun Challenge: “My coworkers and I need the new office equipment. Please bring ______ to ______.”
(A) it / we
(B) it / us
(C) them / our
(D) it / them
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) it
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Folder” is a singular object. The object pronoun for a singular thing is “it”.
- Error Analysis: (B) “them” is a Structural Error (used for plural objects). (D) “he” is a Meaning Trap (a folder is not a person). (C) “they” is a Common Mistake.
2 (B) her
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Ms. Davis (female) is receiving the report. After the preposition “to”, we must use the object pronoun “her”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “she” is a Common Mistake (using a subject pronoun after a preposition). (C) “hers” is a Structural Error (possessive pronoun). (D) “him” is a Meaning Trap (wrong gender).
3 (C) him
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Mr. Smith (male) is receiving the pen. The object pronoun for a male is “him”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “he” is a Common Mistake. (B) “his” is a Structural Error. (D) “it” is a Meaning Trap (you are passing the pen to a person, not to an object).
4 (C) them
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “The clients” is plural. After the preposition “to”, we use the object pronoun “them”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “they” is a Common Mistake. (B) “their” is a Structural Error. (D) “us” is a Meaning Trap (the papers go to the clients, not to the speaker’s group).
5 (C) them
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Scissors” is always a plural noun. The object pronoun for plural things is “them”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “it” is a Structural Error (a huge trap for learners who think one physical tool = “it”). (B) “they” is a Common Mistake (subject pronoun). (D) “their” is a Structural Error.
6 (B) her
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Sarah (female) receives the document. After the preposition “to”, use “her”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “she” is a Common Mistake. (C) “hers” is a Structural Error. (D) “him” is a Meaning Trap.
7 (C) them
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Files” is plural. The object pronoun for plural things receiving an action is “them”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “it” is a Structural Error (files are plural). (B) “they” is a Common Mistake. (D) “their” is a Structural Error.
8 (C) me
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The speaker is receiving the laptop back. After the preposition “to”, use “me”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “I” is a Common Mistake (“give it back to I” is incorrect). (B) “my” is a Structural Error. (D) “mine” is a Structural Error.
9 (B) him
- Why it’s correct (The Key): John (male) receives the message. Object pronoun is “him”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “he” is a Common Mistake. (C) “his” is a Structural Error. (D) “her” is a Meaning Trap (John is male).
10 (A) her
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The female manager receives the flash drive. Object pronoun is “her”.
- Error Analysis: (B) “she” is a Common Mistake. (D) “hers” is a Structural Error. (C) “him” is a Meaning Trap (wrong gender).
11 (B) them
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Contracts” is plural. They are receiving the action of being given.
- Error Analysis: (A) “it” is a Structural Error. (C) “they” is a Common Mistake. (D) “their” is a Structural Error.
12 (B) her
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Sarah (female) receives the note. After the preposition “for”, use “her”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “she” is a Common Mistake. (C) “him” is a Meaning Trap. (D) “hers” is a Structural Error.
13 (A) them
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Tom and Lisa (plural) receive the mail.
- Error Analysis: (B) “they” is a Common Mistake. (C) “their” is a Structural Error. (D) “us” is a Meaning Trap.
14 (A) it
- Why it’s correct (The Key): “Stapler” is a singular object. The object pronoun is “it”.
- Error Analysis: (C) “them” is a Structural Error. (B) “him” is a Meaning Trap (stapler is an object, not a man). (D) “its” is a Structural Error.
15 (C) it / her
- Why it’s correct (The Key): The file (singular thing) is “it”. The female manager (receiver after “to”) is “her”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “it / she” is a Common Mistake (“to she” is incorrect). (B) “them / her” is a Structural Error (file is singular). (D) “it / hers” is a Structural Error.
16 (C) them / him
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Keys (plural) are “them”. John (male receiver) is “him”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “them / he” is a Common Mistake. (B) “it / him” is a Structural Error (keys are plural). (D) “they / him” is a Common Mistake.
17 (C) them / me
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Documents (plural) are “them”. The speaker (receiver) is “me”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “them / I” is a Common Mistake (“to I” is wrong). (B) “it / me” is a Structural Error. (D) “they / me” is a Common Mistake.
18 (A) it / them
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Schedule (singular) is “it”. Clients (plural receivers) are “them”.
- Error Analysis: (B) “it / they” is a Common Mistake (“to they” is wrong). (C) “them / them” is a Structural Error (schedule is singular). (D) “them / they” is a combination of errors.
19 (C) it / her
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Phone (singular) is “it”. Ms. Davis (female receiver) is “her”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “it / she” is a Common Mistake. (B) “them / her” is a Structural Error. (D) “them / she” is a combination of errors.
20 (B) it / us
- Why it’s correct (The Key): Equipment (uncountable, treated as singular) is “it”. “My coworkers and I” (receivers) are “us”.
- Error Analysis: (A) “it / we” is a Common Mistake (“to we” is wrong). (C) “them / our” is a Structural Error (“equipment” is never “them”). (D) “it / them” is a Meaning Trap (“my coworkers and I” implies the speaker is included, so “us” is required, not “them”).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The “Handing Over” Structure: When you transfer an item to someone, the grammatical structure is usually Verb + Object Pronoun (Thing) + to + Object Pronoun (Person).
- Example: Give it to her.
- Object Pronouns for Things: * If the item is singular or uncountable (a folder, a laptop, equipment, information), use it.
- If the items are plural (documents, keys, scissors, glasses), use them. (Do not use they as an object!).
- Object Pronouns for People: After prepositions like to or for, you must ALWAYS use Object Pronouns to represent the person receiving the item.
- Use him (for a man), her (for a woman), me (for yourself), us (for your group), and them (for other people).
- Never use Subject Pronouns (he, she, I, we, they) after prepositions. Say “Give it to her“, NOT “Give it to she“.